State Electorate · Area profile
Arafura
57,193 km²
Arafura is among the smallest and most distinctive areas in the region, where 82.6% of the population identifies as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. This young community has a typical resident aged just 29, far younger than the national figure of 38. It is a place of large households and deep cultural roots, where nearly 80% of people use a language other than English at home. While the population shrank slightly to 8,629 people since 2011, the community remains centered on young families.
14 schools within reach make Arafura convenient for families.
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The area is far younger than the rest of Australia, with children under 15 making up 23.8% of the population. Seniors are rare here, as only 3.8% of residents are aged 65 or over, which is far below the national figure.
The community is overwhelmingly Australian-born, with 91.3% born here. This is consistent with the very low proportion of people born overseas, which at 3.6% is far below the national average.
Language diversity is very high, as 79.0% of people use another language at home, far above the national figure of 22.3%. This includes 10.5% who speak little or no English, a figure that rose since 2016.
Most residents identify with Christianity, at 59.9%. Those with no religion make up 21.0% of the population, which is far below the national figure of 38.9%.
Education levels are much lower than the national average, with only 6.3% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. However, the proportion of people completing Year 12 rose to 29.2% since 2011.
Incomes are among the lowest in the country, with a typical weekly family income of just $730. This is far below the national figure of $2,120, and typical personal weekly income fell slightly to $272.
Health indicators are generally positive compared to other areas, with only 18.7% of people reporting a long-term health condition. This is well below the national figure of 27.7%.
Unpaid care for children is very common, involving 48.0% of people, which is far above the national figure. Conversely, volunteering is among the lowest at this level, falling to 6.4% since 2011.
Homes here are large, with an average of 3.9 people per household, well above the national figure of 2.5. One-parent families are also common, making up 21.9% of households.
Renting is the primary tenure for 76.5% of households, far above the national figure. The typical weekly rent is very low at $80, and only 3.3% of homes are owned outright.
Car ownership is low, with 52.2% of homes having no motor vehicle, far above the national figure. Because there are no public transport stops, 38.7% of workers walk to their jobs.
The population is quite stable, as only 18.1% of people moved in the last five years, which is far below the national figure. Recent overseas arrivals make up 22.2% of the community.
Job seekers face significant challenges, with an unemployment rate of 25.0%, far above the national figure of 5.1%. Only 39.0% of adults are working or looking for work, a figure that fell 14 points since 2011.
The area is mostly car-dependent with a walkability score of 3.5. While there are no public transport options, 77.8% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries.