Remoteness Area · Area profile
Major Cities of Australia
2,861 km²
Higher typical incomes and a strong workforce define the Major Cities of Australia. This large community has grown by 23% since 2011, attracting a diverse population where over a third of residents were born overseas. The area is generally younger and more highly qualified than the national average, with a significant number of people holding university degrees. These factors contribute to a prosperous environment where typical family incomes are higher than the national figure.
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The population is a little younger than the national average, with a typical age of 37. Children under 15 make up 19.0% of the community, which is much higher than most similar areas.
People born overseas make up 36.2% of the population, a figure well above the national average of 27.7%. This overseas-born group grew by 1.4 percentage points since 2011.
Language diversity is high, with 21.1% of people using another language at home. This figure rose by 4.2 percentage points since 2011, though it remains a little below the national figure.
People with no religion now make up 42.2% of the community, which is well above the national figure. This has been a significant trend, rising by 17 percentage points since 2011.
The workforce is well qualified, with 26.7% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Year 12 completion is also well above the national average at 62.1%.
Prosperity is a key feature here, as the typical family income of $2,260 per week is above the national figure. Weekly personal incomes have risen by $190 since 2011 to reach $860.
A little fewer people need help with daily activities (4.6%) compared to the national figure. Long-term health conditions are reported at 26.0%, which is around the middle for similar areas.
Unpaid childcare is common, with 29.2% of people caring for children, which is among the highest for this level. Volunteering rates are 15.1%, slightly above the national figure.
First Nations residents are typically younger, with a median age of 23. They also see higher Year 12 completion rates (40.6%) and higher typical personal incomes compared to other areas.
Homes tend to be larger, with 2.6 people per household. Couples with children make up 60.0% of all families.
Large homes are common, as 82.4% of dwellings have three or more bedrooms. Typical weekly rents have risen by $30 since 2011 to reach $350.
Public transport use for commuting is a little above the national average at 5.2%. However, working from home is far below the national figure at only 7.6%.
The area is quite mobile, with 39.4% of people having moved in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas fell by 12 percentage points since 2011.
Working or looking for work is much more common here than in most similar areas, at 65.3%. The unemployment rate is 5.3%, which is about the same as the national figure.
The area is very walkable, with a score of 6.1. Most residents live within a 10-minute walk of public transport (94.1%) or a 15-minute walk of a park (96.1%).