# Inner Regional Australia

Remoteness Area · Area profile

Area: 2,283 km²

Nearly half of the population in Inner Regional Australia report having no religion, a figure far above the national average. This is a growing area of 345,491 people where a highly qualified workforce is becoming more common. It is a place of contrasts, with a rising number of university graduates and overseas arrivals living alongside a population that faces higher rates of long-term health conditions. Overall, the community is slightly older than the national typical, with a significant increase in seniors since 2011.

## Demographics & Identity

The typical resident is 39 years old, and the area has seen a rise in seniors, who now make up 19.1% of the population. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 4.3% of the community, which is a little above the national figure.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Total population | 345,491 | +6.3% since 2011 |
| Median age | 39 yrs | +0.0% since 2011 |
| Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander population | 4.3% | +31.1% since 2011 |
| People aged 65 and over | 19.1% | +20.8% since 2011 |
| Children under 15 | 16.9% | -10.4% since 2011 |
| People in a de facto relationship | 13.3% | +16.3% since 2011 |

**Age structure** — Young adults (25–44) 28.2%, Older adults (45–64) 24.2%, Seniors (65+) 19.1%, Children (0–14) 16.9%, Youth (15–24) 11.6%

**Marital status** — Married 43.3%, Never married 38.2%, Divorced 9.7%, Widowed 5.7%, Separated 3.1%

## Ancestry & Birthplace

People born overseas make up 17.9% of the population, a figure that has risen since 2011. While this is higher than in similar areas, it remains well below the national average of 27.7%.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People born overseas | 17.9% | +44.3% since 2011 |

**Country of birth** — Australia 77.6%, England 3.2%, China 1.8%, Nepal 1.6%, India 1.6%, New Zealand 0.8%, Philippines 0.5%, South Africa 0.4%, Vietnam 0.4%, Italy 0.2%

**Ancestry** — English 42.9%, Australian 38.6%, Irish 10.3%, Scottish 9.4%, German 3.6%, Chinese 3.2%, Dutch 2.2%, Italian 1.8%, Indian 1.5%, Filipino 0.7%, Greek 0.6%, Vietnamese 0.4%

## Language

Language diversity is growing, with 11.9% of people using a language other than English at home. This is far below the national figure, and only 1.3% of residents speak little or no English.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People using another language at home | 11.9% | +107.4% since 2011 |
| People who speak little or no English | 1.3% | +11.0% since 2016 |

**Language used at home** — English only 83.6%, Mandarin 2.1%, Punjabi 0.7%, Cantonese 0.4%, Vietnamese 0.4%, Hindi 0.3%, Greek 0.3%, Arabic 0.2%, Italian 0.2%, Tagalog 0.2%

## Religion

A striking 49.8% of residents claim no religion, which is among the highest for this level of area. This figure has jumped 21 points since 2011.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People with no religion | 49.8% | +73.7% since 2011 |

**Religious affiliation** — No religion 49.8%, Christianity 38.0%, Not stated 6.2%, Hinduism 2.5%, Islam 1.2%, Buddhism 1.2%, Other religions 1.0%, Judaism 0.1%

## Education & Qualifications

The area is highly qualified, with 26.9% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Both university degrees and Year 12 completions have risen significantly since 2011, making this area much more qualified than most similar places.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Completed Year 12 | 53.8% | +30.9% since 2011 |
| Adults with a bachelor degree or higher | 26.9% | +61.2% since 2011 |

**Highest year of school** — Year 12 53.8%, Year 10 24.7%, Year 9 or below 8.5%, Year 11 7.3%

**Highest qualification level** — Certificate III / IV 27.3%, Bachelor degree 26.5%, Advanced diploma / diploma 12.9%, Postgraduate degree 12.5%, Graduate diploma / certificate 4.2%, Certificate I / II 2.4%

**Field of qualification** — Management & commerce 19.4%, Society & culture 13.2%, Engineering & related 11.6%, Health 11.5%, Education 8.5%, Architecture & building 5.6%, Food, hospitality & personal services 5.3%, Natural & physical sciences 3.6%, Creative arts 3.6%, Information technology 3.4%, Agriculture & environment 2.2%

## Income

Typical weekly household income is $1,481, which is a little below the national figure of $1,746. However, incomes have risen across the board since 2011, with more households now earning $3,000 or more per week.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Median personal income (weekly) | $758 | +42.2% since 2011 |
| Median household income (weekly) | $1,481 | +46.5% since 2011 |
| Median family income (weekly) | $1,872 | +44.1% since 2011 |
| People earning $2,000+ a week | 8.7% | — |
| Households earning $3,000+ a week | 16.5% | — |

**Household income distribution** — $650–$1,499 29.8%, $1,500–$2,999 29.6%, Under $650 17.6%, $3,000–$3,999 8.8%, $4,000 or more 7.8%

**Personal income distribution** — Under $650 41.4%, $650–$1,499 34.4%, $1,500–$2,999 15.7%, $3,000 or more 2.9%

## Health & Disability

Health challenges are more common here than in most similar areas, with 32.4% of people living with a long-term health condition. Mental health conditions are also more frequent, affecting 11.6% of residents.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People with a long-term health condition | 32.4% | — |
| People with a mental health condition | 11.6% | — |
| People needing help with daily activities | 6.4% | +14.3% since 2011 |

**Long-term health conditions reported** — Mental health 11.6%, Arthritis 11.3%, Asthma 9.1%, Other condition 8.8%, Diabetes 4.7%, Heart disease 4.1%, Cancer 3.2%, Lung condition 2.1%, Stroke 1.2%, Dementia 0.9%

**Number of long-term health conditions** — None 60.4%, One condition 21.4%, Two conditions 7.2%, Three or more 3.8%

## Community Participation

This is a generous community where 18% of people volunteer, which is well above the national figure. It also has a higher rate of people who have served in the Defence Force compared to similar areas.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Volunteers | 18.0% | -3.6% since 2011 |
| People providing unpaid care | 12.5% | +9.0% since 2011 |
| People caring for children unpaid | 26.8% | -5.1% since 2011 |
| People who served in the Defence Force | 3.8% | — |
| People doing 15+ hours of unpaid housework | 20.2% | -14.6% since 2011 |

## First Nations

First Nations people in this area have a Year 12 completion rate of 38.6%, which is much higher than in similar areas. Their typical personal income of $590 is also a little above the national figure.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people | 14,818 | — |
| First Nations median age | 24 yrs | — |
| First Nations Year 12 completion | 38.6% | — |
| First Nations unemployment rate | 10.9% | — |
| First Nations median personal income | $590 | — |
| First Nations household income | $1,421 | — |
| Speaks a First Nations language | 2.1% | — |

## Family & Households

One-parent families are much more common here than in most similar areas, making up 16.5% of households. About 28.3% of people live alone, which is slightly above the national average.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Average household size | 2.4 | +0.0% since 2011 |
| One-parent families | 16.5% | -0.3% since 2011 |
| People living alone | 28.3% | -0.5% since 2011 |

**Family composition** — Couples with children 52.4%, Couples without children 29.9%, One-parent families 16.5%, Other families 1.2%

**Household size** — 2 people 34.5%, 1 person 28.3%, 3 people 15.8%, 4 people 13.6%, 5 people 5.3%, 6 or more 2.5%

## Housing & Dwellings

Separate houses are very common, making up 84.3% of all homes. While typical weekly rents of $320 are a little below the national figure, they are much higher than in most similar regional areas.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Median rent (weekly) | $320 | +45.5% since 2011 |
| Median mortgage repayment (monthly) | $1,452 | +3.7% since 2011 |
| Average people per bedroom | 0.80 | -27.3% since 2011 |
| Households renting | 29.3% | +3.4% since 2011 |
| Homes owned outright | 33.7% | +0.4% since 2011 |
| Separate (detached) houses | 84.3% | +1.5% since 2011 |
| Homes with three or more bedrooms | 72.0% | +0.8% since 2011 |

**How homes are owned or rented** — Owned with a mortgage 34.0%, Owned outright 33.7%, Rented 29.3%, Other tenure 1.6%, Not stated 1.4%

**Types of homes** — Separate house 84.3%, Flat or apartment 8.2%, Townhouse / semi-detached 6.8%, Other dwelling 0.4%

**Bedrooms per home** — 3 bedrooms 48.0%, 2 bedrooms 21.3%, 4 bedrooms 19.1%, 5 or more 5.0%, 1 bedroom 4.9%, Studio / none 0.3%

**Weekly rent distribution** — $350–$549 36.5%, $200–$349 36.3%, Under $200 17.6%, $550–$749 5.7%, $750 or more 1.1%

**Monthly mortgage distribution** — $1,000–$1,799 42.7%, $1,800–$2,999 22.9%, Under $1,000 22.8%, $3,000 or more 7.2%

## Transport & Vehicles

Most people rely on cars, with 62.5% driving to work. Only 7.5% of the workforce works from home, which is far below the national figure of 21%.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Homes with no motor vehicle | 6.9% | -25.9% since 2011 |
| People working from home | 7.5% | +124.8% since 2011 |
| Commuting by public transport | 3.5% | +2.2% since 2011 |

**How people get to work** — Car (driver) 62.5%, Worked at home 7.5%, Car (passenger) 5.7%, Walked 4.5%, Bus 3.4%, Bicycle 0.9%, Train 0.0%

**Motor vehicles per home** — 1 vehicle 36.6%, 2 vehicles 35.5%, 3 vehicles 13.1%, 4 or more 7.9%, No vehicle 6.9%

## Migration & Movement

The area is seeing significant movement, with 39% of people moving house in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas are much more common here than in similar areas.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People who moved in the last 5 years | 39.0% | +4.5% since 2011 |
| Recent arrivals from overseas | 20.4% | +8.8% since 2011 |

## Jobs & Industry

More adults are working or looking for work here than in most similar areas, though the unemployment rate of 6.1% is a little above the national average. Health care and education are the most common industries for local workers.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unemployment rate | 6.1% | +0.3% since 2011 |
| Labour-force participation | 61.3% | +3.2% since 2011 |
| Employed full-time | 55.2% | -5.4% since 2011 |

**Industries people work in** — Health care & social assistance 17.6%, Education & training 10.2%, Retail trade 9.8%, Public administration & safety 8.5%, Construction 8.4%, Accommodation & food 7.8%, Professional & technical 5.9%, Manufacturing 5.5%, Other services 3.9%, Transport & warehousing 3.7%, Administrative & support 2.9%, Finance & insurance 2.3%, Agriculture, forestry & fishing 2.2%, Wholesale trade 2.1%, Arts & recreation 2.1%, Electricity, gas & water 2.0%, Media & telecommunications 1.2%, Rental & real estate 1.2%, Mining 0.3%

**Occupations people work in** — Professionals 23.0%, Community & personal service 14.0%, Technicians & trades 13.3%, Clerical & administrative 12.5%, Managers 11.9%, Labourers 9.5%, Sales workers 8.8%, Machinery operators & drivers 5.2%

## Walkability

The area is somewhat walkable, with a score of 5.7. Most homes are within a 15-minute walk of a park or public transport, though fewer have easy access to health services.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Walkability score | 5.7 | — |
| Amenity types within a 15-minute walk | 5.4 | — |
| Homes with a 15-minute-city walkshed | 65.5% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of groceries | 64.5% | — |
| Homes within 10 min walk of public transport | 87.2% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of a school | 64.9% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of a park | 92.3% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of health services | 48.2% | — |
| Walkable amenities per 1,000 residents | 19.1 | — |
| Street connectivity (intersections/km²) | 17 | — |
| Mean terrain slope | 9.4% | — |

## Nearby areas

[Outer Regional Australia](https://censusatlas.au/region/ra/RA62/outer-regional-australia) · [Remote Australia](https://censusatlas.au/region/ra/RA63/remote-australia) · [Very Remote Australia](https://censusatlas.au/region/ra/RA64/very-remote-australia) · [Major Cities of Australia](https://censusatlas.au/region/ra/RA20/major-cities-of-australia) · [Inner Regional Australia](https://censusatlas.au/region/ra/RA21/inner-regional-australia) · [Inner Regional Australia](https://censusatlas.au/region/ra/RA81/inner-regional-australia) · [Major Cities of Australia](https://censusatlas.au/region/ra/RA80/major-cities-of-australia) · [Outer Regional Australia](https://censusatlas.au/region/ra/RA22/outer-regional-australia)

Interactive profile: https://censusatlas.au/region/ra/RA61/inner-regional-australia