54
Lower than 82% of remoteness area areas.
The number of people who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
Remote Australia · Remoteness Area
First Nations in 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.
A typical First Nations resident in Remote Australia is now 49 years old, which is far older than the national figure. While there are only 54 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people here, they show a strong trend in schooling compared to the rest of the country.
54
- 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 Remote Australia — lower than 82% of areas.
Population & age
How many people identify as First Nations, and the typical age.
The typical age of First Nations people here is 49, which is among the highest for similar areas and far older than the Australian figure of 24.
49 yrs
Older than 96% 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.
Schooling outcomes are high in this area, with 42.1% of First Nations people completing Year 12. This is well above the national figure of 37.0%.
42.1%
Higher than 87% 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.
Job seekers face significant challenges, as the unemployment rate for First Nations people is 21.7%. This is much higher than most similar areas and well above the national figure of 12.3%.
21.7%
Higher 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 for First Nations people is $966, which is among the lowest for similar areas and well below the Australian figure of $1,507. Personal incomes are also lower than most areas.
$466
Lower than 65% of remoteness area areas.
Median total personal income per week for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15+.
$966
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.
About 5.6% of First Nations people here speak a First Nations language. This is around the middle for similar areas, though it is well below the national figure of 12.3%.
5.6%
Lower than 57% 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 Remote Australia
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). First Nations in Remote Australia [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/ra/RA23/remote-australia/topic/first-nations