Far North

Demographics & education

People tables are based on a person's place of usual residence on Census night

In the 2016 Census, there were 32,390 people in Far North. Of these 52.9% were male and 47.1% were female. Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people made up 53.6% of the population.

The median age of people in Far North was 31 years. Children aged 0 - 14 years made up 25.5% of the population and people aged 65 years and over made up 8.7% of the population.

Of people in Far North aged 15 years and over, 32.2% were married and 9.3% were either divorced or separated.

In Far North, of people aged 15 years and over, 29.4% of people were in a registered marriage and 22.8% were in a de facto marriage.

In Far North 34.8% of people were attending an educational institution. Of these, 31.5% were in primary school, 16.5% in secondary school and 5.7% in a tertiary or technical institution.

Of people aged 15 and over in Far North, 13.9% reported having completed Year 12 as their highest level of educational attainment, 18.2% had completed a Certificate III or IV and 5.5% had completed an Advanced Diploma or Diploma.

Cultural & language diversity

The most common ancestries in Far North were Australian 19.2%, Torres Strait Islander 18.6%, Australian Aboriginal 18.3%, English 12.6% and Irish 4.3%.

Respondents had the option of reporting up to two ancestries on their Census form, and this is captured by the Ancestry Multi Response (ANCP) variable used in this table. Therefore, the total responses count will not equal the persons count for this area. Calculated percentages represent a proportion of all responses from people in Far North (including those who did not state an ancestry).

In Far North, 83.5% of people were born in Australia. The most common countries of birth were England 1.3%, New Zealand 1.3%, Papua New Guinea 1.0%, Italy 0.5% and Philippines 0.4%.

In Far North, 71.6% of people had both parents born in Australia and 9.3% of people had both parents born overseas.

In Far North, the most common countries of birth for male parents were Australia 75.3%, England 2.2%, Papua New Guinea 1.6%, New Zealand 1.4% and Italy 1.2%.

In Far North, the most common countries of birth for female parents were Australia 75.2%, England 2.0%, Papua New Guinea 1.7%, New Zealand 1.6% and Italy 1.1%.

The most common responses for religion in Far North were Anglican 24.1%, No Religion, so described 19.8%, Not stated 15.2%, Catholic 14.0% and Pentecostal 6.5%. In Far North, Christianity was the largest religious group reported overall (73.8%) (this figure excludes not stated responses).

In Far North 49.6% of people only spoke English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Yumplatok (Torres Strait Creole) 14.2%, Cape York Peninsula Languages, nec 2.5%, Kalaw Kawaw Ya/Kalaw Lagaw Ya 2.3%, Guugu Yimidhirr 2.2% and Wik Mungkan 1.3%.

Employment

There were 12,553 people who reported being in the labour force in the week before Census night in Far North. Of these 57.9% were employed full time, 23.4% were employed part-time and 12.4% were unemployed.

The ABS Labour Force Survey provides the official estimates of Australia's unemployment rate. More information about Census and labour force status is provided in Understanding the Census and Census Data.

Of employed people in Far North, 8.7% worked 1 to 15 hours, 6.7% worked 16 to 24 hours and 50.0% worked 40 hours or more.

The most common occupations in Far North included Professionals 15.1%, Technicians and Trades Workers 14.7%, Labourers 14.1%, Managers 14.0%, Community and Personal Service Workers 13.6%, Clerical and Administrative Workers 10.6%, Machinery Operators and Drivers 10.2% and Sales Workers 5.0%.

Of the employed people in Far North, the most common responses for industry of employment included Local Government Administration 10.5%, Bauxite Mining 8.1%, Hospitals (except Psychiatric Hospitals) 5.4%, Primary Education 4.5% and Beef Cattle Farming (Specialised) 3.8%.

The median weekly personal income for people aged 15 years and over in Far North was $494.

View the data quality statements for: Total personal income (INCP) Total family income (FINF) Total household income (HIND)

In Far North, on the day of the Census, the most common methods of travel to work for employed people included Car, as driver 46.9%, Walked only 20.9%, Car, as passenger 7.7%, Worked at home 7.0% and Other 2.5%. On the day, 1.8% of employed people used public transport (train, bus, ferry, tram/light rail) as at least one of their methods of travel to work and 55.8% used car (either as driver or as passenger).

In Far North, of people aged 15 years and over, 63.4% did unpaid domestic work in the week before the Census. During the two weeks before the Census, 29.5% provided care for children and 9.7% assisted family members or others due to a disability, long term illness or problems related to old age. In the year before the Census, 18.4% of people did voluntary work through an organisation or a group.

View the data quality statements for: Unpaid domestic work (DOMP) Unpaid child care (CHCAREP) Unpaid assistance (UNCAREP) Voluntary work (VOLWP)

Of people who did unpaid domestic work in the week before the Census in Far North, 21.7% worked 5 to 14 hours, 9.9% worked 15 to 29 hours and 8.9% worked 30 hours or more.

Family composition

Of the families in Far North, 43.9% were couple families with children, 29.3% were couple families without children and 23.4% were one parent families.

In Far North, 19.8% of single parents were male and 80.2% were female.

Employment status of couple families

In Far North, of couple families with children, 24.7% had both partners employed full-time, 4.4% had both employed part-time and 14.9% had one employed full-time and the other part-time.

The ABS Labour Force Survey provides the official estimates of Australia's unemployment rate. More information about Census and labour force status is provided in Understanding the Census and Census Data.

Dwelling structure

Dwelling tables exclude visitor only and other non-classifiable households

In Far North, 85.6% of private dwellings were occupied and 14.4% were unoccupied.

View the data quality statements for: Dwelling type (DWTD) Dwelling Structure (STRD)

Of occupied private dwellings in Far North, 83.1% were separate houses, 7.6% were semi-detached, row or terrace houses, townhouses etc, 3.9% were flats or apartments and 4.6% were other dwellings.

In Far North, of occupied private dwellings 7.7% had 1 bedroom, 22.8% had 2 bedrooms and 37.1% had 3 bedrooms. The average number of bedrooms per occupied private dwelling was 2.9. The average household size was 3 people.

View the data quality statements for: Number of bedrooms in a private dwelling (BEDD) Number of persons usually resident in dwelling (NPRD)

Of occupied private dwellings in Far North, 19.2% were owned outright, 13.5% were owned with a mortgage and 60.4% were rented.

Household composition

In Far North, of all households, 71.6% were family households, 25.0% were single person households and 3.4% were group households.

In Far North, 26.3% of households had a weekly household income of less than $650 and 11.1% of households had a weekly income of more than $3000.

Mortgage & rent

Proportions are calculated using all tenure types for occupied private dwellings. This excludes visitor only and other non-classifiable households.

The number of households where rent payments were 30% or more of an imputed income measure are expressed in this table as a proportion of the total number of households in an area (including those households which were not renting, and excluding the small proportion of visitor only and other non-classifiable households). The nature of the income imputation means that the reported proportion may significantly overstate the true proportion.

The number of households where mortgage repayments were 30% or more of an imputed income measure are expressed in this table as a proportion of the total number of households in an area (including those households which were renting, and excluding the small proportion of visitor only and other non-classifiable households). The nature of the income imputation means that the reported proportion may significantly overstate the true proportion.

Number of motor vehicles

In Far North, 30.3% of occupied private dwellings had one registered motor vehicle garaged or parked at their address, 26.2% had two registered motor vehicles and 15.7% had three or more registered motor vehicles.

Internet connection

In Far North, 69.2% of households had at least one person access the internet from the dwelling. This could have been through a desktop/laptop computer, mobile or smart phone, tablet, music or video player, gaming console, smart TV or any other device.

People characteristics

In Far North, 51.1% of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people were male and 48.9% were female. The median age was 24 years.

View the data quality statements for: Place of Usual Residence (PURP) Indigenous status (INGP)

Dwelling characteristics

Dwelling tables exclude visitor only and other non-classifiable households. These tables represent occupied private dwellings where at least one Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait islander person was present.

In Far North, for dwellings occupied by Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, the average household size was 3.8 persons, with 1.2 persons per bedroom. The median household income was $996.

View the data quality statements for: Number of Bedrooms in Private Dwelling (BEDD) Household composition (HHCD) Indigenous household Indicator (INGDWTD)

In Far North, for dwellings occupied by Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, the median weekly rent was $120 and the median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733.

View the data quality statements for: Rent weekly payments (RNTD) Mortgage monthly repayments (MRED) Indigenous household Indicator (INGDWTD)