Council (LGA) · Area profile
Coomalie
2,056 km²
A typical resident of Coomalie is 51, making it far older than most other areas in the region. This community is characterised by a growing population of seniors and a high number of people living alone. While the area has a strong First Nations presence, it is marked by significant economic challenges and a workforce with fewer formal qualifications. Overall, it is a sparsely populated rural area where life revolves around the car and a slow pace of change.
Coomalie is well supplied with schools for its relatively small share of children.
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The community is far older than the national average, with 23.7% of people aged 65 and over, a figure that rose 12 points since 2011. About 20.5% of residents are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, which is much higher than most Australian areas.
Most residents were born in Australia, and English is the most common ancestry at 28.1%. Around 13.2% of people were born overseas, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%.
English is the dominant language, with only 5.8% of people using another language at home, far below the national rate of 22.3%. Very few people, just 0.5%, speak little or no English.
A large proportion of the community, 42.9%, report no religion, which is well above the national figure. This has risen 15 points since 2011.
Education levels are among the lowest for its area, with only 28.5% of residents completing Year 12. Just 10.7% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, far below the national average of 26.3%.
Incomes are very low, with a typical household earning $996 a week, far below the national figure of $1,746. Only 6.2% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, which is among the lowest for its level.
Long-term health conditions are reported by 24.3% of residents, which is well below the national rate of 27.7%. Mental health conditions are also much lower than most areas at 5.1%.
Volunteering is common at 16.4%, slightly above the national figure. However, far fewer people provide unpaid childcare (16.0%) compared to the rest of the country.
First Nations residents are noticeably older than the national average, with a typical age of 33. While unemployment is higher at 20.5%, personal income is well above the Northern Territory figure for First Nations people.
Homes are smaller than usual, with 2.1 people per home. A high number of people live alone (35.3%), and one-parent families are more common than in most other areas.
Housing is mostly separate houses (83.4%), and 37.9% of these are owned outright, well above the national figure. Weekly rents are very low at $175, far below the national average of $375.
The area is heavily reliant on cars, as there are no public transport stops or routes. About 48.5% of workers drive to work, while 17.0% walk.
The population is relatively stable, with only 24.9% of people moving in the last five years, far below the national average of 40.7%.
Working or looking for work is much less common here than elsewhere, at 43.9%. The unemployment rate is 7.7%, which is a little above the national figure.
The area is ranked low for overall advantage and access to resources, scoring 2 out of 10. There were no new dwellings approved in the most recent period.
Coomalie is very wet, with average annual rainfall of 1,360mm, far above the Northern Territory average. It is also very warm, with average maximum temperatures reaching 34.7 degrees.
The area is highly car-dependent with a low walkability score of 1.3. Most homes are far from essential services, with only 23.7% within a 15-minute walk of groceries.