Remoteness Area · Area profile
Major Cities of Australia
4,854 km²
A massive population of over 3.3 million people defines the Major Cities of Australia, which stands out for its high levels of education and income. This is a young and diverse urban community, where the typical resident is 37 and nearly 28% were born overseas. The area has seen significant growth since 2011 and is marked by a high proportion of university-qualified professionals. This combination of skills and high pay makes it one of the most economically productive regions in the country.
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The population is a little younger than the national figure, and children under 15 make up 18.8% of the community. Since 2011, the number of seniors aged 65 and over has risen by 3 percentage points to 15.7%.
People born overseas make up 27.6% of the population, which is much higher than in most similar areas. English is the most common ancestry at 37.7%, followed by Australian at 31.4%.
About 16.5% of people use a language other than English at home, a figure that has risen by 4.1 percentage points since 2011. However, this is still well below the national figure of 22.3%.
A large number of residents report having no religion, accounting for 42.8% of the population. This is well above the national figure and represents a 20 percentage point increase since 2011.
The area is highly qualified, with 26.2% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Year 12 completion is also much higher than most areas at 63.3%.
Typical weekly household incomes are $1,818, which is higher than most areas. High-earning households are common, with 22.9% earning $3,000 or more per week, a big increase since 2011.
People with a mental health condition make up 9.6% of the population, which is higher than most areas. About 28% of residents have a long-term health condition.
Unpaid care for children is much more common here than in most areas, at 27.5%. In contrast, the proportion of volunteers has fallen by 4.6 percentage points since 2011 to 13.5%.
First Nations people in these cities have a Year 12 completion rate of 51.1%, which is far above the national figure. Their typical personal income of $645 is also much higher than in most similar areas.
Homes here are more crowded than usual, with 2.6 people per home. People living alone make up 23.7% of households, which is much lower than in most other areas.
Renting is common, with 34.9% of households renting, which is well above the national figure. Outright home ownership is much lower than most areas, and typical weekly rents are among the highest at $400.
Working from home has surged by 12 percentage points since 2011 to 16.7%. While public transport use for commuting is much higher than most areas, it has fallen since 2011.
The population is very mobile, with 47.3% of people having moved in the last five years. This is well above the national figure of 40.7%.
A higher proportion of adults are working or looking for work compared to most areas, at 64.2%. The most common industry is health care and social assistance, employing 15.6% of the workforce.
The area is very walkable, with a score of 6.2. Most homes are within a 15-minute walk of a park (95.3%) or public transport (85.3%).