2,137
Lower than 55% of remoteness area areas.
The number of people who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
Very Remote Australia · Remoteness Area
First Nations in Very Remote Australia
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities — how many people identify as First Nations, and how they fare on age, schooling, work, income and language. From the ABS 2021 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Profile; the ABS notes these counts are an undercount.
The First Nations population in Very Remote Australia has seen a shift in age, with the typical person now 31. This is noticeably older than the national figure of 24 years. While unemployment is a little below the Australian average, household incomes remain among the lowest for similar areas.
2,137
- 1–2: 7 areas
- 2–2: 0 areas
- 2–4: 0 areas
- 4–5: 1 area
- 5–8: 0 areas
- 8–13: 2 areas
- 13–19: 0 areas
- 19–29: 1 area
- 29–45: 2 areas
- 45–68: 1 area
- 68–104: 0 areas
- 104–158: 1 area
- 158–242: 2 areas
- 242–369: 0 areas
- 369–562: 3 areas
- 562–858: 0 areas
- 858–1,308: 3 areas
- 1,308–1,995: 2 areas
- 1,995–3,043: 1 area
- 3,043–4,641: 3 areas
- 4,641–7,079: 0 areas
- 7,079–10,797: 5 areas
- 10,797–16,468: 6 areas
- 16,468–25,117: 4 areas
- 25,117–38,308: 3 areas
- 38,308–58,428: 2 areas
- 58,428–89,116: 1 area
- 89,116–135,921: 3 areas
All remoteness area areas, 2021. The marker is Very Remote Australia — lower than 55% of areas.
Population & age
How many people identify as First Nations, and the typical age.
There are 2,137 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living here. The typical resident is 31, which is higher than most similar areas.
31 yrs
Older than 71% of remoteness area areas.
Median age of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people — half are older, half younger.
Education
School completion among First Nations people.
Only 18.4% of First Nations people here completed Year 12, a figure that is far below the national average of 37%.
18.4%
Lower than 85% of remoteness area areas.
Share of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people whose highest year of school is Year 12 or equivalent.
Work
Engagement with the labour force.
The unemployment rate for First Nations people is 10.9%, which is a little below the Australian figure of 12.3% and much lower than most similar areas.
10.9%
Lower than 73% of remoteness area areas.
Unemployed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as a share of the First Nations labour force (aged 15+).
Income
Personal and household incomes.
Typical household income is $967, which is among the lowest at this level and well below the national figure. Personal incomes are also lower than most areas at $471.
$471
Lower than 64% of remoteness area areas.
Median total personal income per week for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15+.
$967
Lower than 99% of remoteness area areas.
Median total weekly income for households with one or more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members.
Language & culture
Use of an Australian Indigenous language at home.
Just 2.8% of First Nations people here speak a First Nations language, which is well below the Australian average of 12.3%.
2.8%
Lower than 86% of remoteness area areas.
Share of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who use an Australian Indigenous language at home.
Sources
- Census of Population and Housing — Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 (CC BY 4.0).
More for Very Remote Australia
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). First Nations in Very Remote Australia [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/ra/RA14/very-remote-australia/topic/first-nations