Western Australia - Outback (North)

2016 Census Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people QuickStats
Area code 510
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people 22,612
Male 49.7%
Female 50.3%
Median age 25
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander households 6,062
Average people per household 3.5
Median weekly household income $1,104
Median monthly mortgage repayments $2,167
Median weekly rent $120

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People

demographics & education | cultural & language diversity | employment

Demographics & education

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

People Western Australia - Outback (North) % Western Australia - Outback (North) Western Australia % Western Australia Australia % Australia
Aboriginal 21,575 95.4 72,920 96.0 590,062 90.9
Torres Strait Islander 416 1.8 1,433 1.9 32,344 5.0
Both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 621 2.7 1,623 2.1 26,767 4.1

For the 2016 Census in Western Australia - Outback (North), there were 22,612 Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people. Of these, 49.7% were male and 50.3% were female.

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

Age Western Australia - Outback (North) % Western Australia - Outback (North) Western Australia % Western Australia Australia % Australia
Median age 25 -- 23 -- 23 --
0-4 years 2,475 10.9 8,409 11.1 73,265 11.3
5-14 years 4,717 20.9 16,962 22.3 147,134 22.7
15-24 years 3,873 17.1 14,074 18.5 123,719 19.1
25-34 years 3,779 16.7 11,452 15.1 88,861 13.7
35-44 years 2,935 13.0 8,860 11.7 72,394 11.2
45-54 years 2,454 10.9 7,894 10.4 67,415 10.4
55-64 years 1,498 6.6 5,136 6.8 45,433 7.0
65 years and over 885 3.9 3,192 4.2 30,952 4.8

In Western Australia - Outback (North), the median age of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people was 25 years. Of the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people 31.8% were children aged 0 to 14 years and 3.9% were people aged 65 years and over.

View the data quality statement for Age (AGEP)
Registered marital status
People aged 15 years and over
Western Australia - Outback (North) % Western Australia - Outback (North) Western Australia % Western Australia Australia % Australia
Married 3,352 21.7 11,239 22.2 105,086 24.5
Separated 601 3.9 2,212 4.4 19,112 4.5
Divorced 472 3.1 2,587 5.1 28,796 6.7
Widowed 510 3.3 1,610 3.2 13,794 3.2
Never married 10,483 68.0 32,956 65.1 261,980 61.1

In Western Australia - Outback (North), 21.7% of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people were married and 7.0% were either divorced or separated.

View the data quality statement for Registered marital status (MSTP)
Social marital status
People aged 15 years and over
Western Australia - Outback (North) % Western Australia - Outback (North) Western Australia % Western Australia Australia % Australia
Registered marriage 2,139 17.0 7,947 19.2 86,716 23.1
De facto marriage 3,194 25.3 8,309 20.1 60,051 16.0
Not married 7,274 57.7 25,162 60.8 228,281 60.9

In Western Australia - Outback (North), 17.0% of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people were in a registered marriage and 25.3% were in a de facto marriage.

View the data quality statement for Social marital status (MDCP)
Education attendance Western Australia - Outback (North) % Western Australia - Outback (North) Western Australia % Western Australia Australia % Australia
Pre-school 436 5.4 1,590 5.2 16,698 6.4
Primary 2,946 36.8 10,756 35.4 97,859 37.5
Secondary 1,812 22.6 7,314 24.0 65,208 25.0
Technical or further education institution 249 3.1 1,155 3.8 14,227 5.5
University or tertiary institution 122 1.5 1,243 4.1 15,489 5.9
Other 103 1.3 479 1.6 5,047 1.9
Not stated 2,332 29.1 7,887 25.9 46,428 17.8

Of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people in Western Australia - Outback (North), 35.4% were attending an educational institution. Of these, 36.8% were attending a primary school, 22.6% were attending a secondary school and 4.6% were attending a tertiary or technical institution.

View the data quality statement for Educational Institution Attendee Status (TYSTAP)
Level of highest educational attainment
People aged 15 years and over
Western Australia - Outback (North) % Western Australia - Outback (North) Western Australia % Western Australia Australia % Australia
Bachelor Degree level and above 358 2.3 2,154 4.3 24,911 5.8
Advanced Diploma and Diploma level 371 2.4 1,880 3.7 23,795 5.5
Certificate level IV 298 1.9 1,436 2.8 14,308 3.3
Certificate level III 1,589 10.3 5,480 10.8 56,625 13.2
Year 12 2,153 14.0 6,950 13.7 59,949 14.0
Year 11 1,695 11.0 4,983 9.8 34,674 8.1
Year 10 3,203 20.8 10,472 20.7 77,265 18.0
Certificate level II 32 0.2 92 0.2 1,215 0.3
Certificate level I 10 0.1 20 0.0 241 0.1
Year 9 or below 1,944 12.6 6,343 12.5 64,604 15.1
No educational attainment 416 2.7 708 1.4 4,256 1.0
Not stated 3,081 20.0 9,070 17.9 56,698 13.2

Of people aged 15 and over in Western Australia - Outback (North), 14.0% reported having completed Year 12 as their highest level of educational attainment, 12.2% had completed a Certificate III or IV and 2.4% had completed an Advanced Diploma or Diploma.

View the data quality statement for Level of highest educational attainment (HEAP)

Cultural & language diversity

Australian Indigenous language, top responses Western Australia - Outback (North) % Western Australia - Outback (North) Western Australia % Western Australia Australia % Australia
Kriol 2,320 10.3 2,367 3.1 7,108 1.1
Martu Wangka 521 2.3 709 0.9 720 0.1
Yindjibarndi 361 1.6 371 0.5 373 0.1
Bardi 306 1.4 314 0.4 318 0.0
Manyjilyjarra 295 1.3 307 0.4 310 0.0
 null  null  null  null  null  null  null
English only spoken at home 13,833 61.2 59,629 78.5 544,491 83.9

English was the only language spoken at home by 61.2% of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people in Western Australia - Outback (North). Indigenous languages spoken at home include Kriol 10.3%, Martu Wangka 2.3%, Yindjibarndi 1.6%, Bardi 1.4% and Manyjilyjarra 1.3%.

View the data quality statement for Language spoken at home (LANP)
Ancestry, top responses Western Australia - Outback (North) % Western Australia - Outback (North) Western Australia % Western Australia Australia % Australia
Australian Aboriginal 10,982 40.5 20,368 20.4 140,480 15.8
Australian 9,661 35.6 45,794 45.9 399,843 45.0
English 2,257 8.3 14,567 14.6 152,758 17.2
Irish 508 1.9 3,490 3.5 45,887 5.2
Scottish 431 1.6 2,659 2.7 30,843 3.5

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 Western Australia - Outback (North) (including those who did not state an ancestry).

For Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people in Western Australia - Outback (North), the most common ancestries were Australian Aboriginal 40.5%, Australian 35.6%, English 8.3%, Irish 1.9% and Scottish 1.6%.

View the data quality statement for Ancestry (ANCP)

Employment

Employment
People who reported being in the labour force, aged 15 years and over
Western Australia - Outback (North) % Western Australia - Outback (North) Western Australia % Western Australia Australia % Australia
Worked full-time 3,205 48.0 11,109 47.1 106,960 48.0
Worked part-time 1,354 20.3 5,385 22.8 61,049 27.4
Away from work 592 8.9 1,871 7.9 14,143 6.4
Unemployed 1,527 22.9 5,241 22.2 40,486 18.2
Not in the labour force 7,737 50.2 24,363 48.1 190,132 44.3

There were 6,678 people who reported being in the labour force in the week before Census night in Western Australia - Outback (North). Of these 48.0% were employed full time, 20.3% were employed part-time and 22.9% 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.

For information on the Community Development Programme (CDP) please refer to the Census Data Dictionary. CDP data is available in TableBuilder.

View the data quality statement for Labour force status (LFSP)
Occupation, top responses
Employed people aged 15 years and over
Western Australia - Outback (North) % Western Australia - Outback (North) Western Australia % Western Australia Australia % Australia
Machinery Operators and Drivers 888 17.2 2,631 14.3 16,774 9.2
Community and Personal Service Workers 846 16.4 2,831 15.4 30,991 17.0
Professionals 757 14.7 2,482 13.5 24,339 13.4
Technicians and Trades Workers 718 13.9 2,736 14.9 24,399 13.4
Labourers 656 12.7 2,440 13.3 27,814 15.3
Clerical and Administrative Workers 549 10.6 2,247 12.2 23,174 12.7
Managers 294 5.7 1,149 6.3 12,844 7.1
Sales Workers 179 3.5 1,139 6.2 15,791 8.7

For Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people in Western Australia - Outback (North), the most common occupations were Machinery Operators and Drivers 17.2%, Community and Personal Service Workers 16.4%, Professionals 14.7%, Technicians and Trades Workers 13.9%, Labourers 12.7%, Clerical and Administrative Workers 10.6%, Managers 5.7% and Sales Workers 3.5%.

View the data quality statement for Occupation (OCCP)
Industry of employment, top responses
Employed people aged 15 years and over
Western Australia - Outback (North) % Western Australia - Outback (North) Western Australia % Western Australia Australia % Australia
Iron Ore Mining 958 18.9 1,777 9.7 1,970 1.1
Primary Education 177 3.5 586 3.2 4,897 2.7
Combined Primary and Secondary Education 152 3.0 376 2.1 2,639 1.4
Other Social Assistance Services 129 2.5 389 2.1 5,302 2.9
Secondary Education 106 2.1 367 2.0 3,079 1.7

For Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people in Western Australia - Outback (North), the most common industries of employment were Iron Ore Mining 18.9%, Primary Education 3.5%, Combined Primary and Secondary Education 3.0%, Other Social Assistance Services 2.5% and Secondary Education 2.1%.

View the data quality statement for Industry of employment (INDP)
Median weekly incomes
People aged 15 years and over
Western Australia - Outback (North) % Western Australia - Outback (North) Western Australia % Western Australia Australia % Australia
Personal 358 -- 398 -- 441 --
Household 1,104 -- 1,210 -- 1,203 --

The median weekly personal income for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people in Western Australia - Outback (North) was $358 and the median weekly household income was $1,104.

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

Unpaid work
People aged 15 years and over
Western Australia - Outback (North) % Western Australia - Outback (North) Western Australia % Western Australia Australia % Australia
Did unpaid domestic work (last week) 9,164 59.5 28,306 55.9 263,334 61.4
Cared for child/children (last two weeks) 5,638 36.6 15,384 30.4 136,079 31.7
Provided unpaid assistance to a person with a disability (last two weeks) 2,177 14.1 6,219 12.3 58,541 13.7
Did voluntary work through an organisation or group (last 12 months) 1,870 12.1 6,249 12.3 63,303 14.8

In Western Australia - Outback (North), of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, 59.5% did unpaid domestic work in the week before the Census. During the two weeks before the Census, 36.6% provided care for children and 14.1% assisted family members or others due to a disability, long term illness or problems related to old age. In the year before the Census, 12.1% 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)

Dwellings

dwelling characteristics | dwelling structure

Dwelling characteristics

Dwelling tables exclude visitor only and other non-classifiable households

Dwelling characteristics
Occupied private dwellings where at least one person was Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
Western Australia - Outback (North) % Western Australia - Outback (North) Western Australia % Western Australia Australia % Australia
Average number of people per household 3.5 -- 3.3 -- 3.2 --
Average number of persons per bedroom 1.2 -- 1 -- 1 --
Average number of registered motor vehicles per dwelling 1.3 -- 1.7 -- 1.7 --

There has been change in methodology used to calculate the average number of persons per bedroom. To compare the time series for average number of persons per bedroom please refer to Understanding the Census and Census Data

In Western Australia - Outback (North), for dwellings occupied by Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, the average household size was 3.5 persons, with 1.2 persons per bedroom and 1.3 registered motor vehicles per dwelling.

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

Housing costs
Occupied private dwellings where at least one person was Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
Western Australia - Outback (North) % Western Australia - Outback (North) Western Australia % Western Australia Australia % Australia
Median weekly rent 120 -- 216 -- 250 --
Median monthly mortgage repayments 2,167 -- 1,830 -- 1,660 --

In Western Australia - Outback (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 $2,167.

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

Family household composition
Counts the types of families within family households at the dwelling level
Western Australia - Outback (North) % Western Australia - Outback (North) Western Australia % Western Australia Australia % Australia
One family household: Couple family with no children 793 13.1 4,014 15.1 42,536 16.2
One family household: Couple family with children 1,927 31.8 8,217 31.0 80,803 30.7
One family household: One parent family 1,426 23.5 6,970 26.3 67,528 25.7
One family household: Other family 246 4.1 740 2.8 5,547 2.1
Multiple family household: Couple family with no children 62 1.0 196 0.7 2,223 0.8
Multiple family household: Couple family with children 219 3.6 531 2.0 4,951 1.9
Multiple family household: One parent family 197 3.2 673 2.5 5,768 2.2
Multiple family household: Other family 39 0.6 76 0.3 471 0.2
Other household 1,153 19.0 5,123 19.3 53,195 20.2

In Western Australia - Outback (North), of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander households, 14.1% were a couple family with no children, 35.4% were a couple family with children and 26.8% were a one parent family.

In multiple family households, only the family composition of the primary family is recorded. Other household includes lone person households and group households.

View the data quality statement for Family Household Composition, dwelling level (HCFMD)

Dwelling structure

Dwelling structure
Occupied private dwellings where at least one person was Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
Western Australia - Outback (North) % Western Australia - Outback (North) Western Australia % Western Australia Australia % Australia
Separate house 5,129 85.6 22,121 83.8 211,205 80.7
Semi-detached, row or terrace house, townhouse etc 573 9.6 3,075 11.7 27,017 10.3
Flat or apartment 209 3.5 952 3.6 20,580 7.9
Other dwelling 80 1.3 241 0.9 2,897 1.1

In Western Australia - Outback (North) there were 6,062 private dwellings occupied by Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people. Where a dwelling type was stated, 85.6% were separate houses, 9.6% were semi-detached, row or terrace houses, townhouses etc, 3.5% were flats or apartments and 1.3% were other dwellings.

View the data quality statement for Dwelling structure (STRD)
Tenure
Occupied private dwellings where at least one person was Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
Western Australia - Outback (North) % Western Australia - Outback (North) Western Australia % Western Australia Australia % Australia
Owned outright 286 4.7 2,449 9.2 32,045 12.2
Owned with a mortgage 431 7.1 6,725 25.3 68,085 25.9
Rented 4,933 81.4 15,937 60.1 150,832 57.3
Other tenure type 72 1.2 220 0.8 1,888 0.7
Tenure type not stated 340 5.6 1,208 4.6 10,182 3.9

In Western Australia - Outback (North), of dwellings occupied by Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, 4.7% were owned outright, 7.1% were owned with a mortgage and 81.4% were rented.

View the data quality statement for Tenure type (TEND)

Small random adjustments have been made to all cell values to protect the confidentiality of data. These adjustments may cause the sum of rows or columns to differ by small amounts from the table totals. For further information, go to the User Guide for QuickStats.

Data reported for Australia and Other Territories now includes Norfolk Island, following an amendment to the Acts Interpretation Act, 1901. Because Norfolk Island has not previously been included in the Census, any 2011 benchmarks will not include Norfolk Island.