548
Lower than 67% of remoteness area areas.
The number of people who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
Remote Australia · Remoteness Area
First Nations in Remote Australia
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities — how many people identify as First Nations, and how they fare on age, schooling, work, income and language. From the ABS 2021 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Profile; the ABS notes these counts are an undercount.
Recent census data shows a shifting demographic for First Nations people in Remote Australia, where the typical resident is now 31. This is noticeably older than the national figure of 24. While employment rates are strong, typical household incomes remain lower than the national average.
548
- 1–2: 7 areas
- 2–2: 0 areas
- 2–4: 0 areas
- 4–5: 1 area
- 5–8: 0 areas
- 8–13: 2 areas
- 13–19: 0 areas
- 19–29: 1 area
- 29–45: 2 areas
- 45–68: 1 area
- 68–104: 0 areas
- 104–158: 1 area
- 158–242: 2 areas
- 242–369: 0 areas
- 369–562: 3 areas
- 562–858: 0 areas
- 858–1,308: 3 areas
- 1,308–1,995: 2 areas
- 1,995–3,043: 1 area
- 3,043–4,641: 3 areas
- 4,641–7,079: 0 areas
- 7,079–10,797: 5 areas
- 10,797–16,468: 6 areas
- 16,468–25,117: 4 areas
- 25,117–38,308: 3 areas
- 38,308–58,428: 2 areas
- 58,428–89,116: 1 area
- 89,116–135,921: 3 areas
All remoteness area areas, 2021. The marker is Remote Australia — lower than 67% of areas.
Population & age
How many people identify as First Nations, and the typical age.
There are 548 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living here. The typical resident is 31, which is noticeably older than the Australian figure of 24.
31 yrs
Older than 71% of remoteness area areas.
Median age of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people — half are older, half younger.
Education
School completion among First Nations people.
Year 12 completion for First Nations people sits at 27.5%. This is around the middle for similar areas, though it is well below the national figure of 37%.
27.5%
Lower than 57% of remoteness area areas.
Share of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people whose highest year of school is Year 12 or equivalent.
Work
Engagement with the labour force.
The First Nations unemployment rate is 8.2%. This is among the lowest for similar areas and is well below the national rate of 12.3%.
8.2%
Lower than 96% of remoteness area areas.
Unemployed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as a share of the First Nations labour force (aged 15+).
Income
Personal and household incomes.
Typical First Nations household income is $1,232, which is lower than most similar areas and a little below the national figure of $1,507. Typical personal income is $492, which is a little below the national figure of $540.
$492
Lower than 60% of remoteness area areas.
Median total personal income per week for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15+.
$1,232
Lower than 65% of remoteness area areas.
Median total weekly income for households with one or more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members.
Language & culture
Use of an Australian Indigenous language at home.
Only 2.6% of First Nations people speak a First Nations language. This is much lower than most similar areas and well below the national figure of 12.3%.
2.6%
Lower than 88% of remoteness area areas.
Share of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who use an Australian Indigenous language at home.
Sources
- Census of Population and Housing — Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 (CC BY 4.0).
More for Remote Australia
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). First Nations in Remote Australia [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/ra/RA63/remote-australia/topic/first-nations