Council (LGA) · Area profile
MacDonnell
268,339 km²
A huge gap exists between MacDonnell and the rest of the nation, most notably in its First Nations population which is far above the national figure. This is a young community where the typical resident is just 30, and many homes are large to accommodate children. It is a place of significant cultural richness, where most residents speak a First Nations language and many have strong ties to the land. However, the area faces deep challenges with very low typical incomes and a high unemployment rate.
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 85.6% of the population, which is far above the Northern Territory's 26.3%. The community is notably young, with the typical resident aged 30 and children under 15 making up 22.8% of the population.
Most residents were born in Australia, with only 3.0% born overseas—a figure far below the national average of 27.7%.
Language diversity is very high, as 69.0% of people use another language at home, which is far above the national figure of 22.3%. This is consistent with the very high proportion of First Nations residents.
Christianity is the most common religion at 60.0%, while 16.8% of people report no religion, which is far below the national figure of 38.9%.
Education levels are among the lowest in the region; only 16.4% of residents completed Year 12, and just 5.5% hold a bachelor degree or higher, both far below national figures.
Typical weekly incomes are far below the national average, with the typical family earning just $743 and the typical person earning $286.
The community reports fewer long-term health conditions than the national average, with only 16.8% of people having a long-term condition compared to 27.7% across Australia.
Many people here provide unpaid care, with 39.8% caring for children, a figure well above the national average of 26.3%.
First Nations people are the heart of the community, with 76.8% speaking a First Nations language, though they face significant hardship with a 21.3% unemployment rate.
Homes tend to be crowded, with 3.8 people per home and 28.1% of households containing six or more people. One-parent families are also far more common here than across Australia.
Renting is very common at 66.8%, far above the national average. While the typical weekly rent is very low at $75, very few people own their homes outright.
Car ownership is low, with 41.5% of homes having no motor vehicle, which is far above the national figure of 7.4%. Interestingly, 46.5% of workers walk to their jobs.
The population is relatively stable, with only 20.0% of people moving in the last five years, which is far below the national figure of 40.7%.
Only 30.3% of adults are working or looking for work, which is far below the national average of 61.1%, and the unemployment rate is well above the national figure at 14.2%.
MacDonnell is ranked among the most disadvantaged areas in the country, scoring a 1 out of 10 for overall advantage, access to resources, and job skills.
The area is dry and hot, with an average maximum temperature of 31.0°C and annual rainfall far below the Northern Territory average.
The area is mostly car-dependent with a low walkability score of 2.9, although many residents live within a 15-minute walk of a school or health service.