Remoteness Area · Area profile
Outer Regional Australia
291,315 km²
Older and more settled than most similar regions, Outer Regional Australia is a wide area where the typical resident is 45. It is a place of shifting populations, having lost about 50,900 people since 2011. The community is largely Australian-born and English-speaking, with a strong presence of First Nations people. Life here is defined by a slower pace, with many residents owning their homes outright and a high rate of volunteering.
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The area is noticeably older than the national figure, with a typical age of 45 and a high proportion of seniors. First Nations people make up 9.0% of the population, which is well above the national average of 3.2%.
Most residents were born in Australia, and only 8.5% were born overseas, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%. Australian and English are the most common ancestries.
English is the main language for nearly 86% of people, and very few residents speak little or no English. The proportion of people using another language at home is far below the national average.
About 55% of the community identifies as Christian. While those with no religion make up 31.8% of the population, this is still well below the national figure.
Education levels are lower than the national average, with only 12.8% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. However, the number of people who finished Year 12 rose by 6.8 points since 2011.
Typical weekly household incomes are well below the national figure, sitting at $1,278. While typical personal and family incomes are lower than the national average, they have all risen since 2011.
A higher number of people live with long-term health conditions compared to the rest of the country. This is consistent with the older population, as 6.3% need help with daily activities.
Residents are much more likely to volunteer than people in other areas. Unpaid work is common, with a high proportion of people doing more than 15 hours of housework a week.
First Nations people make up a significant part of the community, though only 2.9% speak a First Nations language. Year 12 completion is far below the national average at 26.5%.
About 30% of people live alone, which is well above the national figure. Most households are small, with 37.8% containing only two people.
Housing is dominated by separate houses, which make up 91.3% of homes. Many people have high security in their housing, as 43.6% own their home outright, far above the national figure.
The area is heavily reliant on cars, with only 0.5% of people using public transport to get to work. Almost every home has at least one motor vehicle.
People here are less likely to move than those in other areas, with only 31.5% moving in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals have increased slightly since 2011.
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing are the main industries, employing 18.1% of the workforce. Full-time employment is slightly higher here than the national average.
The region is mostly car-dependent, with a low walkability score of 3.3. Many residents live more than 15 minutes away from groceries and health services.