Norfolk Island

The population is noticeably older than the rest of the territories and far older than the national figure, with 25.2% of people aged 65 and over. Recent data shows the population grew by 25% since 2016, adding about 440 people.

About 26.1% of residents were born overseas, though this is down from 30.9% in 2016. The most common ancestries are Australian (28.3%) and English (27.4%), and 14.7% of the community were born in New Zealand.

Language diversity is far above the national figure, with 36.0% of people using another language at home, although this fell from 48.7% in 2016. Very few people speak little or no English, at just 1.3%.

Nearly 36.2% of residents have no religion, which is 9.0 points higher than other territories. Christianity remains the most common affiliation at 47.9%.

Education levels are far below the national average, with 16.1% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Only 47.5% of residents completed Year 12, which is 11 points lower than the national figure.

Incomes are generally low, with a typical weekly household income of $1,184, which is well below the national figure of $1,746. Only 8.1% of households earn $3,000 or more per week.

About 24.9% of people live with a long-term health condition, though this is a little below the national figure. Mental health conditions are reported by 5.2% of residents, which is much lower than most areas.

Residents are highly active in their community, with 29.0% volunteering, a figure far above the national average. Unpaid housework is also common, with 25.6% of people spending 15 hours or more a week on these tasks.

There are 23 First Nations people in the area, who are far more likely to speak a First Nations language (52.2%) compared to other territories. The typical First Nations resident is 51, which is far older than the national typical age of 24.

Homes are smaller than usual, with 2.1 people per home. A high number of residents live alone—38.1%, which is far above the national figure of 25.6%.

Housing is dominated by separate houses (95.5%) and high levels of security, as 41.1% of homes are owned outright. Rent is much lower than the national figure, with a typical weekly cost of $240.

The community is entirely dependent on cars, with zero people commuting by public transport. Most homes have at least one vehicle, and 38.3% have two.

Movement into the area has increased, with 37.1% of people moving in the last five years. However, recent arrivals from overseas fell to 8.6% from 15.4% in 2016.

The local workforce is more active than in other territories, with 63.7% of adults working or looking for work. Many people work in accommodation and food (16.4%) or retail trade (13.7%).

Following a period of growth, the population estimate of 2,193 fell by 1.3% since 2021, which is well below the growth rate seen in other territories.

While 62.3% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of a park, the area remains mostly car-dependent. Access to groceries is poor, with only 31.9% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a shop.