8,908
Higher than 59% of indigenous region areas.
The number of people who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
ACT · Indigenous Region
First Nations in ACT
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.
Nearly 9,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people live in the ACT. This population is notably young and performs far better in education and income than the national figures for First Nations people.
8,908
- 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 ACT — higher than 59% of areas.
| ACT | 8,908 |
|---|---|
| Australian Capital Territory | 8,949 |
Population & age
How many people identify as First Nations, and the typical age.
There are 8,908 First Nations people in the territory, which is more than 67% of similar areas. The typical person in this group is 24, which is younger than most areas but about the same as the state and national figures.
24 yrs
Younger than 71% 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.
Year 12 completion is 58.8%, one of the highest rates for this level. This is about the same as the rest of the territory and far above the national figure of 37.0%.
58.8%
Higher than 99% 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.
The unemployment rate is 7.2%, which is among the lowest at this level. This is about the same as the state average and well below the 12.3% seen across Australia.
7.2%
Lower than 99% 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 personal income is $1,004 and household income is $2,289, both of which are among the highest at this level. These figures are far above the national totals.
$1,004
Higher than 90% of indigenous region areas.
Median total personal income per week for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15+.
$2,289
Higher than 89% 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.
About 7.5% of First Nations people speak a First Nations language, which is around the middle for its level. This is well below the national figure of 12.3%.
7.5%
Lower than 58% 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 ACT
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). First Nations in ACT [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/ireg/IREG801/act/topic/first-nations