3,737
Higher than 86% of council (lga) areas.
The number of people who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
Torres Strait Island · Council (LGA)
First Nations in Torres Strait Island
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 massive 92.8% of First Nations people in Torres Strait Island speak a traditional language, among the highest rates in the country. This community has a strong cultural identity and an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population of 3,737 people, which is larger than about 90% of similar areas.
3,737
- 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 Torres Strait Island — higher than 86% of areas.
| Torres Strait Island | 3,737 |
|---|---|
| Rest of Qld | 159,179 |
| Queensland | 237,303 |
Population & age
How many people identify as First Nations, and the typical age.
The typical First Nations resident is 26 years old, making the group noticeably older than those in Queensland and Australia.
26 yrs
Older than 57% 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 a highlight here, with 50.7% of First Nations people finishing Year 12, a figure far above the national rate of 37.0%.
50.7%
Higher than 87% 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 12.2%, which is about the same as the national figure and a little below the Queensland rate.
12.2%
Higher than 54% 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 lower than most areas, with a usual personal income of $406 and a household income of $963, both well below the figures for Queensland and Australia.
$406
Lower than 88% of council (lga) areas.
Median total personal income per week for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15+.
$963
Lower than 88% 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.
The use of traditional languages is far above the state and national rates, with 92.8% of First Nations residents speaking one.
92.8%
Higher than 99% 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 Torres Strait Island
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). First Nations in Torres Strait Island [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/lga/LGA36960/torres-strait-island/topic/first-nations