Remoteness Area · Area profile
Outer Regional Australia
81,381 km²
A far older population than the national average defines Outer Regional Australia, where the typical resident is 46. This is a community of older adults and seniors, with nearly a quarter of the population aged 65 or over. It is a predominantly Australian-born area with a strong preference for detached housing and a notably high rate of home ownership. While the population has grown slightly since 2011, it remains a place of quieter lifestyles and lower typical incomes compared to the rest of the country.
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The area is significantly older than most, with 24% of people aged 65 and over, a figure that rose 6.1 points since 2011. Meanwhile, children under 15 make up 16.8% of the population, which is a little below the national figure.
Most residents were born in Australia, and only 10.8% were born overseas, which is far below the national average of 27.7%. Australian and English are the most common ancestries, accounting for 41.4% and 40.6% respectively.
English is the dominant language, with 87% of people using it exclusively at home. Only 5.5% of residents use another language, a figure far below the national average of 22.3%.
A large number of people report having no religion, at 47.6%, which is well above the national figure of 38.9%. This trend has grown significantly, rising 20 points since 2011.
Educational qualifications are generally lower than in other areas, with only 10% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. However, Year 12 completion rose to 36.6% since 2011, though this remains far below the national figure of 58.8%.
Typical incomes are well below the national average, with the typical household earning $1,174 a week. High earners are rare here; only 10.3% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly, which is far below the national 22.6%.
Long-term health conditions are much more common here than in most areas, affecting 34.1% of people. This is reflected in the fact that 7.2% of residents need help with daily activities, among the highest rates for similar areas.
Residents are very active in their community, with 21% volunteering, a rate well above the national figure of 14.1%. There is also a higher rate of unpaid care and housework compared to most areas.
First Nations people make up 4.8% of the population, which is a little above the national average. This group faces significant challenges, with an unemployment rate of 16.8% and a typical household income of $1,057, which is well below the national figure.
Many people live alone here—32.4% of households—which is well above the national average of 25.6%. This contributes to a lower number of people per home, at 2.2 on average.
Housing is dominated by detached houses (84.9%) and high rates of outright ownership at 38.6%. Rents are far below the national average, with a typical weekly rent of $200.
The area is heavily reliant on cars, with 67.8% of people driving to work and only 0.7% using public transport. Working from home is also far less common than the national average, at just 7.8%.
The population is relatively stable, with 31.4% of people moving in the last five years, which is well below the national figure of 40.7%. Recent overseas arrivals are also lower than the national average at 12.8%.
Fewer adults are working or looking for work (54.5%) compared to the national figure of 61.1%. The workforce is largely concentrated in agriculture, health care, and retail trade.
The area is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 3.4. While 61.1% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of a park, only 33.5% are within the same distance of health services.