Council (LGA) · Area profile
Tiwi Islands
7,483 km²
A staggering 26.9% unemployment rate defines the economic landscape of the Tiwi Islands, where the typical weekly household income of $757 is far below the national figure. This remote community is overwhelmingly First Nations, with 86.5% of residents identifying as such. The population is notably young, with a typical age of only 30 and a high proportion of children. These factors combine to create a distinct regional character where large, often rented households are the norm.
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The community is very young and predominantly First Nations, with the typical resident being just 30 years old. De facto relationships are far more common here than in the rest of Australia, though the total population shrank by 9.0% since 2011.
Most residents were born in Australia, and only 2.3% were born overseas, which is far below the national figure. English and Australian are the most common ancestries cited.
Language diversity is very high, with 82.2% of people using a language other than English at home. This is far above the national figure and has risen slightly since 2011.
The area is strongly Christian, with 81.2% of people identifying with the faith. Only 10.1% of residents report having no religion, which is far below the national figure.
Educational attainment is much lower than most areas, with only 31.2% of residents completing Year 12. This is far below the national figure, although the completion rate has risen by 11 points since 2011.
Incomes are among the lowest in the country, with the typical personal weekly income sitting at just $240. Only 4.8% of households earn $3,000 or more a week, far below the national average.
Residents report long-term health conditions at a much lower rate than most areas, with only 14.9% affected. Similarly, the rate of mental health conditions is well below the national figure.
Many residents provide unpaid care for children, though volunteering and general unpaid care are well below national levels. The number of volunteers has fallen since 2011.
First Nations people make up the bulk of the community, and 90.6% speak a First Nations language. This is far above the national figure, though the community faces a high unemployment rate of 35.5%.
Homes are typically large, with 3.4 people per household, which is well above the national figure. One-parent families are also far more common here than in the rest of Australia.
Rental properties dominate the market at 81.1%, far above the national average. While typical weekly rent is very low at $80, very few people own their homes outright.
Car ownership is low, with 63.1% of homes having no motor vehicle. There are no public transport routes or stops, meaning most people either walk or use a car to get to work.
The population is very stable, with only 13.3% of people moving in the last five years, far below the national figure. Recent overseas arrivals fell from 33.8% in 2016 to 17.0% in 2021.
Working or looking for work is uncommon, with only 34.9% of adults doing so. This is far below the national figure, and the unemployment rate has risen sharply since 2011.
The region is among the most disadvantaged in the country, ranking at the lowest level for access to money, job skills, and overall advantage.
The islands experience a tropical climate with very high rainfall, averaging 1,567mm annually, which is far above the Northern Territory average.
The area is mostly car-dependent, with no public transport available. However, 82.3% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries, which is far above the state average.