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Iama (Yam) Island vs Mer (Murray) Island

Urban Centre comparison ≈ 140 km apart · Iama (Yam) Island profile · Mer (Murray) Island profile

Iama (Yam) Island Mer (Murray) Island

Mer (Murray) Island (L) and Iama (Yam) Island (L) are two sparsely populated areas in the Torres Strait. Mer (Murray) Island (L) has a much higher proportion of people in de facto relationships (36.8% compared to 26.3%) and more people who speak little or no English (21.2% compared to 7.6%). In contrast, Iama (Yam) Island (L) has more one-parent families (34.2% compared to 16.5%) and a higher share of full-time employees (61.5% compared to 47.3%).

Everyday life shares many similarities in both places, such as a typical weekly rent of $150 and a typical personal income of around $350. Both areas are almost entirely made up of renters and have no homes owned outright. While these similarities persist, other gaps are shifting; for instance, the difference in full-time employment and the share of homes without a car have both widened since 2011.

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Where they differ most

PT commute: 9.9 pts higher in Mer (Murray) Island No car: 21.8 pts higher in Iama (Yam) Island One-parent: 17.7 pts higher in Iama (Yam) Island Full-time: 14.3 pts higher in Iama (Yam) Island Housework 15h+: 15.7 pts higher in Iama (Yam) Island

Demographics & Identity

Population in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +131 larger in Mer (Murray) Island gap widening
275 14th pct 406 27th pct
Median age in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +2 yrs older in Iama (Yam) Island gap steady
29 yrs 5th pct 27 yrs 2nd pct
First Nations in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +3.4 pts higher in Mer (Murray) Island gap widening
87.3% 99th pct 90.6% 100th pct
Aged 65+ in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +6.1 pts higher in Mer (Murray) Island gap narrowing
4.0% 2nd pct 10.1% 12th pct
Under 15 in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +2.4 pts higher in Iama (Yam) Island gap widening
28.7% 96th pct 26.4% 92nd pct
De facto in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +10.4 pts higher in Mer (Murray) Island gap narrowing
26.3% 99th pct 36.8% 100th pct

Age structure

31.6% Young adults (25–44) ◂ +6.0 pts 25.6%
28.7% Children (0–14) ◂ +2.4 pts 26.4%
24.0% Older adults (45–64) ◂ +3.6 pts 20.4%
13.8% Youth (15–24) +7.4 pts ▸ 21.2%
4.0% Seniors (65+) +6.1 pts ▸ 10.1%

Marital status

61.7% Never married +12.9 pts ▸ 74.7%
28.1% Married ◂ +11.0 pts 17.1%
8.7% Widowed ◂ +3.7 pts 4.9%
3.1% Divorced ◂ +2.1 pts 1.0%
3.1% Separated ◂ +0.1 pts 3.0%

Age & sex structure

Iama (Yam) Island Mer (Murray) Island

Bars show the share of each area's own population, so differently sized areas stay comparable.

Ancestry & Birthplace

Born overseas in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +4.3 pts higher in Iama (Yam) Island gap widening
5.8% 14th pct 1.5% 1st pct

Country of birth

86.5% Australia +6.1 pts ▸ 92.6%
0.0% England even 0.0%
0.0% India even 0.0%
0.0% China even 0.0%
0.0% New Zealand even 0.0%
0.0% Philippines even 0.0%
0.0% Vietnam even 0.0%
0.0% Nepal even 0.0%
0.0% Italy even 0.0%
0.0% South Africa even 0.0%

Ancestry

2.5% Australian ◂ +1.3 pts 1.2%
1.5% English ◂ +1.5 pts 0.0%
1.1% Scottish ◂ +0.4 pts 0.7%
0.0% Irish even 0.0%
0.0% Chinese even 0.0%
0.0% Italian even 0.0%
0.0% German even 0.0%
0.0% Indian even 0.0%
0.0% Greek even 0.0%
0.0% Dutch even 0.0%
0.0% Filipino even 0.0%
0.0% Vietnamese even 0.0%

Language

Other language in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +2.3 pts higher in Iama (Yam) Island gap steady
90.2% 100th pct 87.9% 100th pct
Limited English in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +13.5 pts higher in Mer (Murray) Island gap widening
7.6% 95th pct 21.2% 100th pct

Language used at home

3.6% English only +2.8 pts ▸ 6.4%
0.0% Mandarin even 0.0%
0.0% Arabic even 0.0%
0.0% Vietnamese even 0.0%
0.0% Cantonese even 0.0%
0.0% Punjabi even 0.0%
0.0% Greek even 0.0%
0.0% Italian even 0.0%
0.0% Hindi even 0.0%
0.0% Tagalog even 0.0%

Religion

No religion in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +4.6 pts higher in Mer (Murray) Island gap widening
5.5% 0th pct 10.1% 0th pct

Religious affiliation

87.3% Christianity ◂ +2.5 pts 84.7%
5.5% No religion +4.6 pts ▸ 10.1%
5.5% Not stated even 5.4%
0.0% Islam even 0.0%
0.0% Hinduism even 0.0%
0.0% Buddhism even 0.0%
0.0% Judaism even 0.0%
0.0% Other religions even 0.0%

Education & Qualifications

Year 12 in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +10.9 pts higher in Iama (Yam) Island gap widening
51.6% 83rd pct 40.7% 57th pct
Bachelor+ in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +3.4 pts higher in Mer (Murray) Island gap widening
1.5% 0th pct 4.9% 10th pct

Highest year of school

51.6% Year 12 ◂ +10.9 pts 40.7%
19.5% Year 10 +1.2 pts ▸ 20.7%
11.1% Year 9 or below +3.9 pts ▸ 14.9%
9.5% Year 11 +5.1 pts ▸ 14.6%

Highest qualification level

54.7% Certificate III / IV ◂ +10.8 pts 43.9%
15.3% Certificate I / II ◂ +8.0 pts 7.3%
11.7% Advanced diploma / diploma ◂ +4.4 pts 7.3%
2.2% Bachelor degree +5.9 pts ▸ 8.1%
0.0% Graduate diploma / certificate +4.1 pts ▸ 4.1%
0.0% Postgraduate degree even 0.0%

Field of qualification

21.9% Management & commerce ◂ +6.5 pts 15.4%
15.3% Engineering & related ◂ +4.8 pts 10.6%
13.9% Society & culture ◂ +6.6 pts 7.3%
7.3% Education +5.7 pts ▸ 13.0%
8.8% Architecture & building ◂ +0.6 pts 8.1%
6.6% Health ◂ +0.1 pts 6.5%
4.4% Food, hospitality & personal services +2.1 pts ▸ 6.5%
3.6% Creative arts +1.2 pts ▸ 4.9%
0.0% Natural & physical sciences even 0.0%
0.0% Information technology even 0.0%
0.0% Agriculture & environment even 0.0%

Income

Personal income in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +$5 higher in Mer (Murray) Island gap narrowing
$346 5th pct $351 5th pct
Household income in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +$377 higher in Mer (Murray) Island gap widening
$885 12th pct $1,262 50th pct
Family income in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +$87 higher in Mer (Murray) Island gap narrowing
$819 3rd pct $906 6th pct
High earners in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +2.0 pts higher in Mer (Murray) Island gap narrowing
0.0% 0th pct 2.0% 10th pct
High-income homes in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +4.5 pts higher in Iama (Yam) Island gap steady
4.5% 14th pct 0.0% 0th pct

Household income distribution

46.3% $650–$1,499 ◂ +15.2 pts 31.0%
35.8% Under $650 ◂ +17.4 pts 18.4%
29.9% $1,500–$2,999 +5.8 pts ▸ 35.6%
4.5% $3,000–$3,999 ◂ +4.5 pts 0.0%
0.0% $4,000 or more even 0.0%

Personal income distribution

70.9% Under $650 +4.4 pts ▸ 75.3%
20.4% $650–$1,499 ◂ +6.9 pts 13.5%
2.6% $1,500–$2,999 +0.4 pts ▸ 3.0%
0.0% $3,000 or more even 0.0%

Health & Disability

Health condition in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +0.7 pts higher in Iama (Yam) Island
19.6% 8th pct 19.0% 7th pct
Mental health in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +1.2 pts higher in Mer (Murray) Island
0.0% 0th pct 1.2% 0th pct
Needs assistance in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +4.7 pts higher in Mer (Murray) Island gap widening
0.0% 0th pct 4.7% 29th pct

Long-term health conditions reported

12.0% Diabetes +0.1 pts ▸ 12.1%
6.9% Heart disease ◂ +4.4 pts 2.5%
5.5% Asthma ◂ +1.5 pts 3.9%
1.8% Arthritis +2.1 pts ▸ 3.9%
1.8% Other condition +1.1 pts ▸ 3.0%
0.0% Mental health +1.2 pts ▸ 1.2%
1.1% Lung condition ◂ +1.1 pts 0.0%
0.0% Cancer even 0.0%
0.0% Dementia even 0.0%
0.0% Stroke even 0.0%

Number of long-term health conditions

72.4% None +1.8 pts ▸ 74.1%
17.5% One condition ◂ +1.7 pts 15.8%
1.5% Two conditions +2.5 pts ▸ 3.9%
0.0% Three or more even 0.0%

Community Participation

Volunteering in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +6.7 pts higher in Iama (Yam) Island gap widening
13.3% 25th pct 6.6% 5th pct
Unpaid carers in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +4.2 pts higher in Mer (Murray) Island gap widening
6.6% 6th pct 10.9% 23rd pct
Unpaid child care in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +3.5 pts higher in Mer (Murray) Island gap steady
22.4% 40th pct 26.0% 59th pct
Defence service in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +0.6 pts higher in Iama (Yam) Island
8.1% 97th pct 7.5% 94th pct
Housework 15h+ in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +15.7 pts higher in Iama (Yam) Island gap widening
18.4% 14th pct 2.6% 0th pct

Family & Households

Household size in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +0.6 larger in Mer (Murray) Island gap widening
3.3 90th pct 3.9 96th pct
One-parent in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +17.7 pts higher in Iama (Yam) Island gap widening
34.2% 97th pct 16.5% 59th pct
Living alone in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +4.2 pts higher in Mer (Murray) Island gap widening
11.9% 6th pct 16.1% 14th pct

Family composition

50.9% Couples with children +13.0 pts ▸ 63.9%
34.2% One-parent families ◂ +17.7 pts 16.5%
14.0% Couples without children +0.9 pts ▸ 15.0%
1.3% Other families +1.1 pts ▸ 2.4%

Household size

29.9% 2 people ◂ +12.6 pts 17.2%
16.4% 6 or more +11.2 pts ▸ 27.6%
11.9% 1 person +4.2 pts ▸ 16.1%
14.9% 4 people ◂ +9.2 pts 5.7%
11.9% 3 people ◂ +1.6 pts 10.3%
10.4% 5 people ◂ +1.3 pts 9.2%

Housing & Dwellings

Rent in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island even gap narrowing
$150 11th pct $150 11th pct
Mortgage in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island
— $1,084 29th pct
People / bedroom in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +0.20 higher in Mer (Murray) Island gap widening
0.90 88th pct 1.10 92nd pct
Renting in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +3.6 pts higher in Iama (Yam) Island gap narrowing
95.5% 100th pct 92.0% 100th pct
Owned outright in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island even gap narrowing
0.0% 0th pct 0.0% 0th pct
Separate houses in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +8.0 pts higher in Iama (Yam) Island gap widening
100.0% 100th pct 92.0% 42nd pct
3+ bedrooms in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +1.2 pts higher in Iama (Yam) Island gap narrowing
85.1% 75th pct 83.9% 72nd pct

How homes are owned or rented

95.5% Rented ◂ +3.6 pts 92.0%
7.5% Other tenure ◂ +0.6 pts 6.9%
0.0% Owned outright even 0.0%
0.0% Owned with a mortgage even 0.0%
0.0% Not stated even 0.0%

Types of homes

100.0% Separate house ◂ +8.0 pts 92.0%
0.0% Townhouse / semi-detached even 0.0%
0.0% Flat or apartment even 0.0%
0.0% Other dwelling even 0.0%

Bedrooms per home

28.4% 4 bedrooms +9.6 pts ▸ 37.9%
31.3% 3 bedrooms ◂ +10.7 pts 20.7%
25.4% 5 or more ◂ +0.1 pts 25.3%
16.4% 2 bedrooms ◂ +3.8 pts 12.6%
0.0% Studio / none even 0.0%
0.0% 1 bedroom even 0.0%

Weekly rent distribution

101.6% Under $200 ◂ +9.1 pts 92.5%
0.0% $200–$349 even 0.0%
0.0% $350–$549 even 0.0%
0.0% $550–$749 even 0.0%
0.0% $750 or more even 0.0%

Transport & Vehicles

No car in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +21.8 pts higher in Iama (Yam) Island gap widening
70.0% 100th pct 48.2% 97th pct
Work from home in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island even gap narrowing
0.0% 0th pct 0.0% 0th pct
PT commute in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +9.9 pts higher in Mer (Murray) Island gap widening
0.0% 0th pct 9.9% 100th pct

How people get to work

53.8% Walked ◂ +23.1 pts 30.8%
26.9% Car (driver) +4.9 pts ▸ 31.9%
7.7% Car (passenger) +15.4 pts ▸ 23.1%
0.0% Bus +9.9 pts ▸ 9.9%
0.0% Train even 0.0%
0.0% Bicycle even 0.0%
0.0% Worked at home even 0.0%

Motor vehicles per home

70.0% No vehicle ◂ +21.8 pts 48.2%
28.6% 1 vehicle +12.4 pts ▸ 41.0%
0.0% 2 vehicles +14.5 pts ▸ 14.5%
0.0% 3 vehicles even 0.0%
0.0% 4 or more even 0.0%

Migration & Movement

Recent movers in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +3.1 pts higher in Iama (Yam) Island gap widening
26.0% 14th pct 22.8% 10th pct

Jobs & Industry

Unemployment in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +4.3 pts higher in Mer (Murray) Island gap narrowing
3.6% 32nd pct 7.9% 80th pct
Participation in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +9.1 pts higher in Iama (Yam) Island gap narrowing
42.3% 21st pct 33.2% 7th pct
Full-time in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +14.3 pts higher in Iama (Yam) Island gap widening
61.5% 77th pct 47.3% 12th pct

Industries people work in

28.2% Public administration & safety +13.6 pts ▸ 41.8%
23.1% Education & training ◂ +6.6 pts 16.5%
12.8% Retail trade +1.5 pts ▸ 14.3%
11.5% Health care & social assistance ◂ +4.9 pts 6.6%
7.7% Electricity, gas & water ◂ +4.4 pts 3.3%
0.0% Administrative & support +7.7 pts ▸ 7.7%
6.4% Agriculture, forestry & fishing ◂ +0.9 pts 5.5%
0.0% Construction +4.4 pts ▸ 4.4%
3.8% Arts & recreation ◂ +3.8 pts 0.0%
0.0% Mining even 0.0%
0.0% Manufacturing even 0.0%
0.0% Wholesale trade even 0.0%

Occupations people work in

25.6% Professionals ◂ +1.5 pts 24.2%
16.7% Community & personal service ◂ +0.2 pts 16.5%
9.0% Clerical & administrative +7.5 pts ▸ 16.5%
9.0% Labourers +7.5 pts ▸ 16.5%
14.1% Managers ◂ +6.4 pts 7.7%
7.7% Technicians & trades +3.3 pts ▸ 11.0%
10.3% Sales workers ◂ +1.5 pts 8.8%
0.0% Machinery operators & drivers even 0.0%

Walkability

Walk score in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +1.3 higher in Iama (Yam) Island
1.3 13th pct 0.0 0th pct
Types ≤15 min in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +1.9 more in Iama (Yam) Island
1.9 18th pct 0.0 0th pct
15-min city in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island even
0.0% 0th pct 0.0% 0th pct
Walk to shops in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island even
0.0% 0th pct 0.0% 0th pct
Walk to transit in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island even
0.0% 0th pct 0.0% 0th pct
Walk to school in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island even
0.0% 0th pct 0.0% 0th pct
Walk to a park in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +100.0 pts higher in Iama (Yam) Island
100.0% 100th pct 0.0% 0th pct
Walk to health in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island even
0.0% 0th pct 0.0% 0th pct
Amenities/1k in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +10.0 more in Mer (Murray) Island
7.3 16th pct 17.2 46th pct
Intersections/km² in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +3 higher in Iama (Yam) Island
9 14th pct 6 8th pct
Mean slope in Iama (Yam) Islandin Mer (Murray) Island +3.4 pts higher in Mer (Murray) Island
7.7% 82nd pct 11.1% 93rd pct

Compare Iama (Yam) Island with nearby areas

Warraber Island Saibai Island Dauan Island St Pauls Mabuiag Island Yorke Island Badu Island Boigu Island

Compare Mer (Murray) Island with nearby areas

Erub (Darnley) Island Yorke Island Warraber Island Iama (Yam) Island Saibai Island Dauan Island St Pauls Mabuiag Island

Cite this page

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Iama (Yam) Island vs Mer (Murray) Island [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/compare/ucl/UCL322059/iama-island/vs/UCL322077/mer-island