474
Higher than 87% of suburb / locality areas.
The number of people who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
Cooktown · Suburb / Locality
First Nations in Cooktown
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.
Over a third of First Nations people in Cooktown speak a traditional language, reflecting a strong cultural connection in an area with 474 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents. This is one of the largest First Nations populations for an area of this size, though many face significant challenges with employment and income.
474
- 1–1: 6180 areas
- 1–2: 0 areas
- 2–3: 0 areas
- 3–4: 770 areas
- 4–5: 626 areas
- 5–7: 781 areas
- 7–9: 780 areas
- 9–12: 625 areas
- 12–17: 661 areas
- 17–23: 511 areas
- 23–32: 567 areas
- 32–44: 486 areas
- 44–60: 559 areas
- 60–82: 470 areas
- 82–113: 455 areas
- 113–155: 490 areas
- 155–212: 381 areas
- 212–291: 319 areas
- 291–398: 256 areas
- 398–546: 182 areas
- 546–748: 111 areas
- 748–1,025: 72 areas
- 1,025–1,404: 38 areas
- 1,404–1,924: 20 areas
- 1,924–2,637: 10 areas
- 2,637–3,613: 1 area
- 3,613–4,952: 0 areas
- 4,952–6,786: 1 area
All suburb / locality areas, 2021. The marker is Cooktown — higher than 87% of areas.
| Cooktown | 474 |
|---|---|
| Queensland | 237,303 |
Population & age
How many people identify as First Nations, and the typical age.
The typical First Nations resident is 24 years old, which is about the same as the national figure and just a little older than the Queensland average.
24 yrs
Younger than 57% of suburb / locality areas.
Median age of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people — half are older, half younger.
Education
School completion among First Nations people.
School completion rates are low, with only 33.4% of First Nations people finishing Year 12. This is well below the national figure and far below the Queensland rate of 43.6%.
33.4%
Lower than 66% of suburb / locality 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.
Finding work is difficult here, as the First Nations unemployment rate is 18.8%. This is much higher than most similar areas and well above the national figure of 12.3%.
18.8%
Higher than 82% of suburb / locality areas.
Unemployed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as a share of the First Nations labour force (aged 15+).
Income
Personal and household incomes.
Household incomes for First Nations families are much lower than most areas at $1,134, which is well below the Queensland figure. Typical personal incomes are also a little below both state and national levels.
$483
Lower than 70% of suburb / locality areas.
Median total personal income per week for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15+.
$1,134
Lower than 76% of suburb / locality 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.
Cultural heritage is prominent, with 34.2% of First Nations people speaking a traditional language. This is far above the national average of 12.3%.
34.2%
Higher than 90% of suburb / locality 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 Cooktown
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). First Nations in Cooktown [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL30675/cooktown/topic/first-nations