Remoteness Area · Area profile
Inner Regional Australia
74,228 km²
Detached houses are far more common here than the national figure, making Inner Regional Australia a place of spacious residential living. The community is noticeably older than the Australian average, with a significant number of seniors and a population that grew by 15% since 2011. It is a predominantly Australian-born area where many people own their homes outright and an increasing number identify as having no religion. While typical incomes sit slightly below the national figure, the area is marked by a high proportion of homeowners and larger family dwellings.
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The typical resident is 43, which is noticeably older than the Australian average of 38. Seniors make up 22.2% of the population, a figure that has risen by 5.5 points since 2011.
Most residents were born in Australia, and the area has a far lower proportion of overseas-born people (11.5%) compared to the national figure of 27.7%. English and Australian are the most common ancestries.
English is the primary language for the vast majority, with only 5.8% of people using another language at home. This is far below the national figure of 22.3%.
A large number of people here report having no religion (46.5%), which is well above the national figure of 38.9%. This figure has risen by 20 points since 2011.
Educational attainment has risen since 2011, with 46.4% of people completing Year 12. However, those with a bachelor degree or higher (18.3%) are well below the national average of 26.3%.
Typical weekly household income is $1,422, which is a little below the national figure of $1,746. The proportion of households earning $3,000 or more a week rose 11 points since 2011 to 15.6%.
Long-term health conditions are more common here than in most similar areas, with 33.4% of people affected. This includes 10.9% of the population living with a mental health condition.
Unpaid care is a significant part of local life, as the proportion of people providing unpaid care is among the highest for similar areas at 14.3%.
First Nations people make up a small part of the population, but they have a much lower unemployment rate (9.6%) than the national figure of 12.3%.
Household sizes are typical for Australia, with 2.4 people per home. About 28.3% of residents live alone, a figure that has risen slightly since 2011.
Separate houses are very common, making up 91% of all dwellings. Home ownership is strong, with 39.3% of homes owned outright, well above the national figure of 31%.
Cars are essential here, as only 0.5% of people commute by public transport. Very few homes have no motor vehicle (4.3%), which is well below the national figure.
The area is relatively stable, with 37% of people moving in the last five years, which is well below the national figure of 40.7%.
The unemployment rate is 3.9%, which is a little below the national figure of 5.1%. The most common industries for work are health care, social assistance, and construction.
The area is somewhat walkable, with 77.5% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a park. However, only 48.9% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries.