Remoteness Area · Area profile
Remote Australia
95,380 km²
A young and diverse population defines Remote Australia, where the typical resident is just 34. It is a community with a strong First Nations presence and a growing number of people using languages other than English at home. Families here tend to be larger than the national average, and many households are headed by single parents. While the area is mostly car-dependent, it has seen a significant increase in high-income earners over the last decade.
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The area is noticeably younger than the national average, with children under 15 making up 20.9% of the population. Seniors are much less common here, as those aged 65 and over represent only 9.5% of residents.
About 19.3% of people were born overseas, a figure that has risen since 2011. The most common ancestries are Australian and English, each accounting for over 23% of the population.
Language diversity is high, with 29.2% of people using a language other than English at home, which is well above the national figure. This trend has grown significantly, rising 10 points since 2011.
People with no religion make up 40.6% of the community, a figure that rose 16 points since 2011. Christianity is almost as common, at 40.2%.
Educational attainment has improved, with 46.6% of residents now completing Year 12. However, this is still far below the national figure of 58.8%.
Incomes are generally a little above the national average, with a typical personal weekly income of $951. The number of households earning $3,000 or more a week rose sharply by 12 points since 2011.
Residents generally report better health than those in most other areas, with a much lower rate of long-term health conditions (20.4%) and mental health conditions (5.1%) compared to the national figures.
Caring for children is common, with 27.2% of people doing so unpaid. The area also has a higher rate of former Defence Force members than the national average.
First Nations people make up 31.4% of the population, and over half speak a First Nations language. However, they face significant gaps in income and education, with a typical personal income of $328.
Homes here are larger than usual, with 2.7 people per home. Single-parent families are also much more common than in most other areas, making up 18.9% of households.
Renting is very common, with 46.7% of households renting, far above the national figure. Outright home ownership is much lower than usual at 16.7%.
Most people rely on cars, and 13.0% of homes have no motor vehicle, which is well above the national figure. Very few people work from home, at just 3.8%.
The area is quite mobile, with 40.8% of people moving in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals are also much more common here than in most other areas.
Full-time employment is far more common here than across Australia, at 70.8%. Most people work in health care, social assistance, or public administration and safety.
The area is mostly car-dependent with a low walkability score of 3.8. While many homes are near parks, few are within a 15-minute walk of health services.