Remoteness Area · Area profile
Major Cities of Australia
5,522 km²
Over six million people live in the Major Cities of Australia, making it a massive and diverse urban hub. This is a highly educated and affluent population where many residents hold university degrees and earn well above the national figure. It is a global crossroads, with a very high proportion of overseas-born residents and a wide variety of languages spoken at home. The area is defined by a fast-paced urban lifestyle, characterized by high rental costs and a significant shift toward working from home.
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The population is slightly younger than the national figure, with the typical resident aged 37. While children under 15 make up 18.3% of the community, the number of seniors has risen to 15.8% since 2011.
This area is a major gateway for migration, with 35.3% of people born overseas, a figure well above the national average. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, followed by Chinese, Irish, and Scottish.
Language diversity is very high, with 33.5% of people using a language other than English at home, which is far above the national figure. Mandarin, Arabic, and Cantonese are the most common non-English languages spoken.
People with no religion make up 32.2% of the population, a figure that has risen sharply since 2011. This is still well below the national figure of 38.9%.
The workforce is highly qualified, with 31.7% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. This is well above the national figure and reflects a strong presence of professionals in management, commerce, and engineering.
Incomes are much higher than in most other areas, with the typical household earning $2,009 a week. This wealth is reflected in the 28.6% of households that earn $3,000 or more weekly, a figure that has risen significantly since 2011.
Residents are slightly more likely to be healthy than the national average, with long-term health conditions affecting 25.0% of people. Mental health conditions are also a little below the national figure at 7.3%.
Volunteering has fallen to 11.8% since 2011, which is a little below the national figure. Unpaid care for children is common, with 25.5% of people providing this support.
First Nations people in these cities earn a little more than the national figure, with a typical personal income of $652. The unemployment rate for this group is also well below the national figure at 8.8%.
Homes here tend to be larger than usual, with 2.7 people per household. Couples with children make up the biggest group at 61.4%, while 23.8% of people live alone.
Renting is very common here, with 35.2% of households renting at a typical weekly cost of $450. Detached houses are far less common than in the rest of Australia, and typical mortgage payments are a little above the national figure.
A huge shift in work habits is evident, with 36.2% of people now working from home, far above the national figure. Meanwhile, 10.6% of homes do not own a motor vehicle, which is well above the national average.
The population is quite mobile, with 40.8% of people moving house in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 15.1% of the community.
Most residents work in professional or managerial roles, with 28.4% being professionals. The unemployment rate is 5.0%, which is about the same as the national figure.
The area is very walkable, with a score of 7.1. Almost all homes are within a 10-minute walk of public transport and a 15-minute walk of a park.