38,984
Higher than 87% of indigenous region areas.
The number of people who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
Perth · Indigenous Region
First Nations in Perth
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities — how many people identify as First Nations, and how they fare on age, schooling, work, income and language. From the ABS 2021 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Profile; the ABS notes these counts are an undercount.
A well above national average of 40.1% of First Nations people in Perth finished Year 12, marking a significant gap in education compared to the rest of the country. The area is home to 38,984 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, making it one of the largest populations of its kind at this level.
38,984
- 1–2: 7 areas
- 2–2: 0 areas
- 2–3: 0 areas
- 3–5: 1 area
- 5–8: 0 areas
- 8–12: 3 areas
- 12–18: 0 areas
- 18–27: 1 area
- 27–41: 0 areas
- 41–61: 1 area
- 61–92: 0 areas
- 92–140: 0 areas
- 140–211: 2 areas
- 211–318: 0 areas
- 318–479: 2 areas
- 479–723: 0 areas
- 723–1,092: 0 areas
- 1,092–1,648: 4 areas
- 1,648–2,486: 0 areas
- 2,486–3,752: 2 areas
- 3,752–5,663: 5 areas
- 5,663–8,545: 7 areas
- 8,545–12,896: 5 areas
- 12,896–19,461: 4 areas
- 19,461–29,368: 3 areas
- 29,368–44,319: 8 areas
- 44,319–66,881: 0 areas
- 66,881–100,929: 3 areas
All indigenous region areas, 2021. The marker is Perth — higher than 87% of areas.
| Perth | 38,984 |
|---|---|
| Western Australia | 88,693 |
Population & age
How many people identify as First Nations, and the typical age.
The First Nations community here is young, with a typical age of 23. This is a little younger than the typical age for First Nations people in both Western Australia and Australia, which sit at 24.
23 yrs
Younger than 86% of indigenous region areas.
Median age of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people — half are older, half younger.
Education
School completion among First Nations people.
School completion rates are high, with 40.1% of First Nations residents finishing Year 12. This is well above the figures for Australia (37.0%) and Western Australia (32.5%).
40.1%
Higher than 84% of indigenous region areas.
Share of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people whose highest year of school is Year 12 or equivalent.
Work
Engagement with the labour force.
About 14.9% of First Nations people are unemployed, which is around the middle for similar areas. This is about the same as the Western Australian figure, though a little above the national rate of 12.3%.
14.9%
Lower than 53% of indigenous region areas.
Unemployed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as a share of the First Nations labour force (aged 15+).
Income
Personal and household incomes.
Typical earnings are much higher than in most similar areas. The usual personal income is $610, which is well above the Western Australian figure of $481 and the national figure of $540.
$610
Higher than 76% of indigenous region areas.
Median total personal income per week for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15+.
$1,677
Higher than 81% of indigenous region areas.
Median total weekly income for households with one or more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members.
Language & culture
Use of an Australian Indigenous language at home.
Around 8.2% of First Nations residents speak a First Nations language. This is well below the figures for both Western Australia (16.0%) and Australia (12.3%).
8.2%
Lower than 55% of indigenous region areas.
Share of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who use an Australian Indigenous language at home.
Sources
- Census of Population and Housing — Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 (CC BY 4.0).
More for Perth
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). First Nations in Perth [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/ireg/IREG505/perth/topic/first-nations