772
Higher than 58% of council (lga) areas.
The number of people who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
Melbourne · Council (LGA)
First Nations in Melbourne
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.
About 73.3% of First Nations people in Melbourne have completed Year 12, a figure that is far above the state and national averages. This educational achievement is a standout feature for the area, where First Nations residents also tend to earn more than those in similar regions.
772
- 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 Melbourne — higher than 58% of areas.
| Melbourne | 772 |
|---|---|
| Greater Melbourne | 32,952 |
| Victoria | 65,646 |
Population & age
How many people identify as First Nations, and the typical age.
There are 772 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in Melbourne. The typical person in this group is 27, which is noticeably older than the national and state figure of 24.
27 yrs
Older than 64% 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 very high here, with 73.3% of First Nations people finishing Year 12. This is 31 points above the Victorian average and 36 points above the Australian figure.
73.3%
Higher than 99% 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 11.3%. This is a little above the state rate of 9.6% but a little below the national figure of 12.3%.
11.3%
Lower than 52% 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 incomes are much higher than in most similar areas. First Nations households earn $1,728 a week, which is a little above the Victorian figure of $1,565.
$754
Higher than 85% of council (lga) areas.
Median total personal income per week for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15+.
$1,728
Higher than 76% 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.
About 8.3% of First Nations residents speak a First Nations language. This is well above the state average of 5.2%, though it is well below the national figure of 12.3%.
8.3%
Higher than 72% 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 Melbourne
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). First Nations in Melbourne [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/lga/LGA24600/melbourne/topic/first-nations