6,945
Higher than 89% of council (lga) areas.
The number of people who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
Wollongong · Council (LGA)
First Nations in Wollongong
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 7,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people now live in Wollongong, making it one of the largest populations for this group in the region. The community is notably young, with a typical age of just 23 years.
6,945
- 1–1: 9 areas
- 1–2: 0 areas
- 2–3: 0 areas
- 3–4: 3 areas
- 4–6: 0 areas
- 6–9: 1 area
- 9–12: 12 areas
- 12–18: 5 areas
- 18–25: 11 areas
- 25–36: 20 areas
- 36–52: 16 areas
- 52–74: 13 areas
- 74–106: 29 areas
- 106–151: 26 areas
- 151–217: 32 areas
- 217–310: 44 areas
- 310–444: 37 areas
- 444–636: 42 areas
- 636–910: 51 areas
- 910–1,302: 49 areas
- 1,302–1,864: 32 areas
- 1,864–2,668: 55 areas
- 2,668–3,819: 26 areas
- 3,819–5,466: 24 areas
- 5,466–7,823: 11 areas
- 7,823–11,198: 7 areas
- 11,198–16,027: 5 areas
- 16,027–22,940: 5 areas
All council (lga) areas, 2021. The marker is Wollongong — higher than 89% of areas.
| Wollongong | 6,945 |
|---|---|
| Rest of NSW | 185,873 |
| New South Wales | 278,043 |
Population & age
How many people identify as First Nations, and the typical age.
First Nations residents here have a typical age of 23, which is lower than in most other areas and slightly younger than the national figure of 24.
23 yrs
Younger than 71% of council (lga) areas.
Median age of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people — half are older, half younger.
Education
School completion among First Nations people.
School completion is strong, with 41.9% of First Nations people finishing Year 12. This is well above both the New South Wales figure of 35% and the Australian average of 37%.
41.9%
Higher than 74% of council (lga) 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 for First Nations people is 9.8%, which is lower than in most similar areas and a little below the national rate of 12.3%.
9.8%
Lower than 62% of council (lga) 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 weekly household incomes are $1,602, which is higher than in most areas and about the same as the New South Wales figure of $1,558.
$605
Higher than 64% of council (lga) areas.
Median total personal income per week for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15+.
$1,602
Higher than 69% of council (lga) 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 3.1% of First Nations people speak a First Nations language, a figure that is lower than most areas and well below the Australian average of 12.3%.
3.1%
Lower than 70% of council (lga) 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 Wollongong
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). First Nations in Wollongong [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/lga/LGA18450/wollongong/topic/first-nations