1,918
Higher than 90% of suburb / locality areas.
The number of people who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
Palm Island · Suburb / Locality
First Nations in Palm Island
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.
Nearly 2,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people live on Palm Island, where cultural heritage remains a central part of daily life. While the community is relatively young, it faces significant challenges with low school completion rates and incomes that are well below the national figures.
1,918
- 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 Palm Island — higher than 90% of areas.
| Palm Island | 1,918 |
|---|---|
| Queensland | 237,303 |
Population & age
How many people identify as First Nations, and the typical age.
The First Nations population totals 1,918, which is among the largest for areas of this type. The typical person here is 25, making them a little older than the national figure of 24.
25 yrs
Younger than 54% 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.
Education levels are low, with only 25.9% of First Nations residents finishing Year 12. This is far below the 37% seen across Australia.
25.9%
Lower than 82% 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.
The unemployment rate for First Nations people is 12.0%. This is about the same as the national figure of 12.3%.
12.0%
Higher than 58% 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.
Typical earnings are much lower than in most areas, with personal income at $365 and household income at $950. Both figures are well below the Queensland and national averages.
$365
Lower than 87% of suburb / locality areas.
Median total personal income per week for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15+.
$950
Lower than 84% 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.
Traditional culture is strong here, as 44.4% of First Nations people speak a First Nations language. This is far above the 12.3% recorded across Australia.
44.4%
Higher than 92% 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 Palm Island
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). First Nations in Palm Island [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL32260/palm-island/topic/first-nations