3,737
Higher than 93% of statistical area 2 (sa2) areas.
The number of people who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
Torres Strait Islands · Statistical Area 2 (SA2)
First Nations in Torres Strait Islands
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.
Almost everyone in the Torres Strait Islands speaks a First Nations language, with 92.8% of the community doing so. This cultural connection is central to daily life in an area where 3,737 people identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.
3,737
- 1–1: 115 areas
- 1–2: 0 areas
- 2–3: 0 areas
- 3–3: 4 areas
- 3–5: 5 areas
- 5–7: 5 areas
- 7–9: 5 areas
- 9–12: 12 areas
- 12–17: 8 areas
- 17–23: 14 areas
- 23–31: 70 areas
- 31–43: 94 areas
- 43–58: 138 areas
- 58–80: 164 areas
- 80–109: 222 areas
- 109–149: 249 areas
- 149–204: 254 areas
- 204–279: 230 areas
- 279–381: 221 areas
- 381–521: 206 areas
- 521–712: 161 areas
- 712–974: 127 areas
- 974–1,331: 86 areas
- 1,331–1,820: 42 areas
- 1,820–2,488: 21 areas
- 2,488–3,402: 12 areas
- 3,402–4,651: 5 areas
- 4,651–6,359: 2 areas
All statistical area 2 (sa2) areas, 2021. The marker is Torres Strait Islands — higher than 93% of areas.
| Torres Strait Islands | 3,737 |
|---|---|
| Queensland | 237,303 |
Population & age
How many people identify as First Nations, and the typical age.
The typical First Nations resident is 26 years old, which is noticeably older than the Queensland figure of 23.
26 yrs
Older than 64% of statistical area 2 (sa2) areas.
Median age of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people — half are older, half younger.
Education
School completion among First Nations people.
School completion is high here, with 50.7% of First Nations people finishing Year 12, a result far above the Australian figure of 37%.
50.7%
Higher than 66% of statistical area 2 (sa2) 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 unemployment rate for First Nations people is 12.2%, which is about the same as the national figure of 12.3%.
12.2%
Higher than 63% of statistical area 2 (sa2) 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 earnings are very low, with personal income at $406 and household income at $963, both of which are well below the Queensland and national figures.
$406
Lower than 94% of statistical area 2 (sa2) areas.
Median total personal income per week for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15+.
$963
Lower than 96% of statistical area 2 (sa2) 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.
A huge 92.8% of First Nations people speak an Indigenous language, which is far above the 11.6% seen across Queensland.
92.8%
Higher than 99% of statistical area 2 (sa2) 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 Torres Strait Islands
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). First Nations in Torres Strait Islands [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/sa2/315011402/torres-strait-islands/topic/first-nations