Urban Centre · Area profile
Milikapiti
11 km²
Extremely low typical incomes set Milikapiti apart as a community facing significant economic hardship. This small settlement of 414 people is overwhelmingly Aboriginal, with a population that is far younger than the national average. It is a place where almost no one owns their home and the majority of the community speaks a language other than English at home. These factors combine to create a distinctively traditional and tight-knit environment on the Tiwi Islands.
Explore Milikapiti by topic
The community is far younger than most of Australia, with a typical age of just 29 and a high proportion of children. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 94.2% of the population, a figure that has risen since 2011.
Almost every resident was born in Australia, and there were no people born overseas recorded in the 2021 census.
Language diversity is very high here, with 77.5% of people using another language at home, which is far above the national figure. This has risen sharply since 2011, though the number of people who speak little or no English has fallen slightly.
Christianity is the dominant faith for 85.5% of the community, while those reporting no religion are far fewer than in the rest of the Territory.
Educational qualifications are much lower than the national average, with only 2.5% of adults holding a bachelor degree. However, the proportion of people completing Year 12 rose by 10 points since 2011.
Weekly incomes are far below the national figure, with the typical family earning just $655. No households earn $3,000 or more per week, and the typical personal weekly income has fallen to $255.
Residents report fewer long-term health and mental health conditions than the national average, and only 1.2% need help with daily activities.
Unpaid childcare is common, with 35.3% of people caring for children, which is well above the national figure. Conversely, volunteering and unpaid housework are much lower than in most other areas.
Homes tend to be large, with an average of 3.4 people per dwelling. One-parent families are far more common here than across Australia, making up 26.4% of households.
The area is dominated by rentals, with 89.2% of homes rented at a typical weekly cost of just $70. No one owns their home outright, though 71.2% of dwellings now have three or more bedrooms.
Half of all homes have no motor vehicle, which is far above the national figure. This helps explain why 47.3% of the workforce walks to their jobs.
The population is very stable, with only 11.9% of people moving in the last five years, far lower than the national average of 40.7%.
Joblessness is a major issue, with an unemployment rate of 27.9% that is far above the national figure. Many who are employed work in public administration and safety or education.
Walkable amenities are far below the Northern Territory average, with most available services being schools or health facilities.