Council (LGA) · Area profile
West Arnhem
49,675 km²
A growing First Nations population defines West Arnhem, where the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents rose to 81.1% since 2011. This is a very young community, with a typical resident aged just 28 and nearly a quarter of the population being children. The area is markedly distinct from the rest of the country, with most people speaking a First Nations language and living in large, multi-generational households. It is a place of significant cultural strength but faces substantial economic challenges.
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The area is far younger than the national figure, with 24.3% of people under 15 and only 3.4% aged 65 and over. Since 2011, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population has risen to 81.1%, which is far above the Northern Territory average.
Most residents were born in Australia, with 91.1% of the population born here. The number of people born overseas is very low at 4.1%, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%.
Language diversity is very high, as 77.9% of people use another language at home, a figure far above the national average. The proportion of people who speak little or no English rose to 13.4% since 2016.
Over half of the community, 51.8%, identify as Christian. Those with no religion make up 25.0% of the population, which is far below the national figure of 38.9%.
Educational attainment is much lower than most areas, with only 28.5% of residents completing Year 12. This is far below the national figure of 58.8%, and only 6.6% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher.
Incomes are among the lowest in the country, with a typical personal weekly income of just $285. Weekly family income has also fallen, dropping $226 since 2011 to a typical $771.
Long-term health conditions are reported by 20.1% of residents, which is well below the national figure of 27.7%. Similarly, only 2.9% of people have a mental health condition, which is among the lowest at this level.
Unpaid care is common here, with 54.9% of people caring for children, far above the national average of 26.3%. However, the rate of volunteering is among the lowest in the country at 6.5%.
First Nations people make up a huge part of the community, with 91.4% speaking a First Nations language. However, they face high unemployment at 37.0%, which is far above the national rate of 12.3%.
Homes are much larger than usual, with 4.2 people per household and 33.9% of homes housing six or more people. One-parent families are also more common here than in most areas, at 20.8%.
Renting is the primary tenure for 74.5% of households, and very few people own their homes outright. While 81.4% of dwellings are separate houses, the typical weekly rent is very low at $80.
Car ownership is low, with 46.7% of homes having no motor vehicle, a figure far above the national average. There are no public transport stops or routes in the area, leaving 33.3% of workers to walk to their jobs.
The community is relatively stable, with only 19.8% of people moving in the last five years, which is far below the national figure of 40.7%.
Working or looking for work is uncommon, with only 40.6% of adults in the labour force. The unemployment rate is very high at 24.2%, far above the national figure of 5.1%.
The area is among the most disadvantaged in the country, with an overall advantage score of 728. This reflects a lack of access to money, resources, and job skills compared to most other areas.
The region is very wet and warm, with average annual rainfall of 1,273mm, which is far above the Northern Territory average. Summer temperatures are high, with an average maximum of 34.1°C.
While the area is mostly car-dependent, many homes are within a 15-minute walk of schools (88.8%) and groceries (75.1%). However, there is no access to public transport within walking distance.