61,115
The number of people who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
Northern Territory · State / Territory
First Nations in Northern Territory
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.
A far higher proportion of First Nations people speak a traditional language in the Northern Territory than in the rest of the country, with 60.1% doing so. The territory is home to 61,115 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This group is slightly older than the national average, with a typical age of 26.
61,115
- 224–289: 1 area
- 289–373: 0 areas
- 373–481: 0 areas
- 481–620: 0 areas
- 620–799: 0 areas
- 799–1,031: 0 areas
- 1,031–1,330: 0 areas
- 1,330–1,715: 0 areas
- 1,715–2,212: 0 areas
- 2,212–2,852: 0 areas
- 2,852–3,679: 0 areas
- 3,679–4,744: 0 areas
- 4,744–6,119: 0 areas
- 6,119–7,892: 0 areas
- 7,892–10,178: 1 area
- 10,178–13,127: 0 areas
- 13,127–16,930: 0 areas
- 16,930–21,835: 0 areas
- 21,835–28,161: 0 areas
- 28,161–36,320: 1 area
- 36,320–46,843: 1 area
- 46,843–60,414: 0 areas
- 60,414–77,918: 2 areas
- 77,918–100,492: 1 area
- 100,492–129,606: 0 areas
- 129,606–167,156: 0 areas
- 167,156–215,584: 0 areas
- 215,584–278,043: 2 areas
All state / territory areas, 2021. The marker is Northern Territory.
Population & age
How many people identify as First Nations, and the typical age.
The typical First Nations resident is 26 years old, which is a little older than the Australian figure of 24.
26 yrs
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 much lower here than in most other areas, with only 23.2% of First Nations people finishing Year 12. This is far below the national figure of 37%.
23.2%
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 20.8%, which is among the highest for this level and well above the national figure of 12.3%.
20.8%
Unemployed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as a share of the First Nations labour force (aged 15+).
Income
Personal and household incomes.
Typical personal income is far below the national figure, at $323 compared to $540. Household incomes are also lower than most areas, at $1,318.
$323
Median total personal income per week for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15+.
$1,318
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.
Maintaining cultural connections is common, as 60.1% of First Nations people speak a traditional language. This is far above the Australian figure of 12.3%.
60.1%
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 Northern Territory
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). First Nations in Northern Territory [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/ste/7/northern-territory/topic/first-nations