Remoteness Area · Area profile
Outer Regional Australia
157,391 km²
A strong First Nations presence defines Outer Regional Australia, where 8.6% of the population identifies as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. This vast area is largely residential, with a population of 688,508 that has grown by 7.6% since 2011. While the typical resident is 40, the community is becoming older as the number of seniors has risen significantly. It is a place of detached houses and car-dependence, where life often centres around larger family homes.
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The area has a much higher proportion of children under 15 than most similar regions, at 18.8%. Meanwhile, the population is aging, with the number of people aged 65 and over rising by 5.3 percentage points since 2011.
Most residents were born in Australia, and those born overseas make up 15% of the population, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%. English and Australian are the most common ancestries.
English is the primary language for 81.5% of the community. Only 8.6% of people use another language at home, a figure far below the 22.3% national average.
About 47.4% of people identify as Christian. There has been a sharp increase in people reporting no religion, which rose 17 percentage points since 2011 to reach 38.4%.
The area has a higher rate of bachelor degrees than most similar regions, though it remains far below the national figure. Year 12 completion is also much higher than in similar areas, though still far below the national average.
Typical weekly family income is $1,894, which is higher than in most similar areas. While personal incomes have risen since 2011, they remain a little below the national typical figure of $805.
A higher proportion of people here need help with daily activities compared to similar areas. Long-term health conditions, such as arthritis and mental health, are reported at rates about the same as the national average.
This region has one of the highest rates of former Defence Force members among similar areas. While 15% of people volunteer, this is a drop of 4.2 percentage points since 2011.
First Nations people in this area are notably young, with a typical age of 23. They also show a much higher rate of Year 12 completion and First Nations language use compared to most other areas.
One-parent families are more common here than in most similar areas. About 27.1% of people live alone, and the typical home holds 2.4 people.
Separate houses make up 82.6% of all dwellings, far above the national figure. Typical weekly rent is $290, which is well below the national average of $375.
The area is heavily reliant on cars, with only 1.4% of people commuting by public transport. Working from home is far less common here than across Australia, at just 8.7%.
About 39.7% of residents moved house in the last five years. The number of recent arrivals from overseas has fallen significantly since 2011.
Full-time employment is higher here than in most similar areas, at 61.3%. The most common industries for workers are health care, social assistance, and retail.
The region is mostly car-dependent, with a low walkability score of 3.4. While 67.6% of homes are near a park, only 34.1% are within a 10-minute walk of public transport.