Census of Population and Housing - Counts of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, 2021

50 years since the 1971 Census

The 2021 Census marks 50 years since the 1971 Census – the first Census to include all Australians following the 1967 Referendum. The 1967 Referendum changed the Constitution to allow Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to be included in official Census population counts.

In 1971, 115,953 people identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander in the Census. In 2021, that number grew to 812,728 people.

Useful links

National snapshot

In 2021:

812,728 people identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander – up from 649,171 in 2016. This represents a 25.2% increase
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people represented 3.2% of the total population – up from 2.8% in 2016 and 2.5% in 2011.

Figure 1. Change in Census Counts, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons, 2011-2021

Image

Description

In the 2011 Census, 548,368 people or 2.5% of the total population identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. In the 2016 Census, that number increased to 649,171 (2.8% of the total population). In the 2021 Census, 812,728 people or 3.2% of the total population identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.

Indigenous status

Of the 812,728 people who identified as being of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander origin in 2021:

91.4% identified as Aboriginal
4.2% identified as Torres Strait Islander
4.4% identified as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander.

Where people lived

Just over one-third (34.2%) of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people lived in New South Wales in 2021. A further 29.2% lived in Queensland and 10.9% lived in Western Australia.

The proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who lived in the Northern Territory decreased from 9.0% in 2016 to 7.5% in 2021.

Graph 1. Distribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons by State and Territory, 2011-2021
	2011 (%)	2016 (%)	2021 (%)
NSW	31.5	33.3	34.2
VIC	6.9	7.4	8.1
QLD	28.4	28.7	29.2
SA	5.5	5.3	5.2
WA	12.7	11.7	10.9
TAS	3.6	3.6	3.7
NT	10.4	9.0	7.5
ACT	0.9	1.0	1.1

Graph 1. Distribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons by State and Territory, 2011-2021

["","2011","2016","2021"]

[["NSW","VIC","QLD","SA","WA","TAS","NT","ACT"],[[31.5],[6.9],[28.4],[5.5],[12.7],[3.6],[10.4],[0.9]],[[33.3],[7.4],[28.7],[5.3],[11.7],[3.6],[9],[1]],[[34.2],[8.1],[29.2],[5.2],[10.9],[3.7],[7.5],[1.1]]]

[]

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[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"%","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(%)","table_units":"(%)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"40","tick_interval":"5","precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Data is based on place of usual residence. Excludes overseas visitors.

Please note that there are small random adjustments 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 table totals.

Source: Census of Population and Housing, 2011, 2016 and 2021.

Data available in table 3.1 in ‘Australia’ from ‘Data downloads’.

State and Territory intercensal change

All states and territories recorded an increase in the number of people who identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander between 2016 and 2021. The increases between 2016 and 2021 were larger than those recorded between 2011 and 2016.

Between 2016 and 2021, the largest increases were in:

Australian Capital Territory (up 37.5%)
Victoria (up 37.4%)
New South Wales (up 28.6%).

Table 1. Census counts and intercensal change by State/Territory, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons, 2011-2021
	2011 (no.)	2016 (no.)	2021 (no.)	Change between 2011 and 2016 (%)	Change between 2016 and 2021 (%)
New South Wales	172,625	216,176	278,043	25.2	28.6
Victoria	37,992	47,788	65,646	25.8	37.4
Queensland	155,826	186,482	237,303	19.7	27.3
South Australia	30,432	34,184	42,562	12.3	24.5
Western Australia	69,664	75,978	88,693	9.1	16.7
Tasmania	19,625	23,572	30,186	20.1	28.1
Northern Territory	56,779	58,248	61,115	2.6	4.9
Australian Capital Territory	5,184	6,508	8,949	25.5	37.5
Australia(a)	548,368	649,171	812,728	18.4	25.2

Data is based on place of usual residence. Excludes overseas visitors.

a. Includes Other Territories (Jervis Bay, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Christmas Island and Norfolk Island).

Please note that there are small random adjustments 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 table totals.

Source: Census of Population and Housing, 2011, 2016 and 2021.

Data available in table 2 in ‘Australia’ from ‘Data downloads’.

Age and sex profile

Between 2016 and 2021:

there were minor changes in the age distribution. All age groups reported very small changes (less than 0.8 percentage points)
median age increased from 23 years to 24 years
the ratio of males to females was steady. In 2016 there were 98.5 males per 100 females. In 2021 there were 98.7 males per 100 females.

Graph 2. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by age and sex, Australia 2016 and 2021
Age group (years)	Males 2016 (%)	Males 2021 (%)	Females 2016 (%)	Females 2021 (%)
0-4	11.7	11.0	10.9	10.2
5-9	12.0	11.4	11.3	10.5
10-14	11.3	11.4	10.6	10.8
15-19	10.5	10.1	9.9	9.5
20-24	9.1	8.8	8.6	8.5
25-29	7.5	7.9	7.3	7.8
30-34	6.2	6.7	6.4	6.8
35-39	5.3	5.6	5.6	5.9
40-44	5.5	4.9	5.9	5.2
45-49	5.2	4.9	5.9	5.3
50-54	4.6	4.7	5.1	5.2
55-59	3.8	3.9	4.2	4.4
60-64	2.9	3.3	3.1	3.6
65-69	2.0	2.4	2.2	2.6
70-74	1.2	1.6	1.3	1.7
75+	1.1	1.5	1.7	1.9

Graph 2. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by age and sex, Australia 2016 and 2021

["Age group (years)","Males 2016","Males 2021","Females 2016","Females 2021"]

[["0-4","5-9","10-14","15-19","20-24","25-29","30-34","35-39","40-44","45-49","50-54","55-59","60-64","65-69","70-74","75+"],[[11.7],[12],[11.3],[10.5],[9.1],[7.5],[6.2],[5.3],[5.5],[5.2],[4.6],[3.8],[2.9],[2],[1.2],[1.1]],[[11],[11.4],[11.4],[10.1],[8.8],[7.9],[6.7],[5.6],[4.9],[4.9],[4.7],[3.9],[3.3],[2.4],[1.6],[1.5]],[[10.9],[11.3],[10.6],[9.9],[8.6],[7.3],[6.4],[5.6],[5.9],[5.9],[5.1],[4.2],[3.1],[2.2],[1.3],[1.7]],[[10.2],[10.5],[10.8],[9.5],[8.5],[7.8],[6.8],[5.9],[5.2],[5.3],[5.2],[4.4],[3.6],[2.6],[1.7],[1.9]]]

[]

[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"","axis_min":"","axis_max":"","axis_title":"","precision":-1,"axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"Males (%)","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(%)","table_units":"(%)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"15","tick_interval":"5","precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false},{"value":"1","axis_id":"1","axis_title":"Females (%)","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(%)","table_units":"(%)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"15","tick_interval":"5","precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Data is based on place of usual residence. Excludes overseas visitors.

Please note that there are small random adjustments 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 table totals.

Source: Census of Population and Housing, 2016 and 2021.

Data available in table 4.1 in ‘Australia’ from ‘Data downloads’.

New South Wales

The number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in New South Wales (NSW) increased from 216,176 in 2016 to 278,043 in 2021.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people represented 3.4% of all people in NSW in 2021.

One-third (32.7%) of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in NSW lived in Greater Sydney in 2021.

Age and sex profile

Between 2016 and 2021:

there were minor changes in the age distribution. All age groups reported very small changes (1.0 percentage points or less)
median age increased from 22 years to 23 years
the ratio of males to females was steady. In 2016 there were 98.7 males per 100 females. In 2021 there were 98.8 males per 100 females.

Graph 3. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons by age and sex, NSW, 2016 and 2021
Age group (years)	Males 2016 (%)	Males 2021 (%)	Females 2016 (%)	Females 2021 (%)
0-4	12.1	11.3	11.0	10.5
5-9	12.1	11.8	11.4	10.6
10-14	11.5	11.5	10.6	10.9
15-19	10.6	10.2	10.1	9.6
20-24	9.0	8.8	8.5	8.5
25-29	7.0	7.6	7.0	7.6
30-34	5.7	6.2	6.0	6.4
35-39	4.9	5.3	5.2	5.6
40-44	5.1	4.5	5.9	4.9
45-49	5.1	4.7	5.8	5.3
50-54	4.7	4.6	5.2	5.1
55-59	4.0	4.0	4.4	4.5
60-64	3.1	3.5	3.3	3.8
65-69	2.3	2.5	2.4	2.8
70-74	1.3	1.8	1.5	1.9
75+	1.4	1.8	1.9	2.2

Graph 3. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons by age and sex, NSW, 2016 and 2021

["Age group (years)","Males 2016","Males 2021","Females 2016","Females 2021"]

[["0-4","5-9","10-14","15-19","20-24","25-29","30-34","35-39","40-44","45-49","50-54","55-59","60-64","65-69","70-74","75+"],[[12.1],[12.1],[11.5],[10.6],[9],[7],[5.7],[4.9],[5.1],[5.1],[4.7],[4],[3.1],[2.3],[1.3],[1.4]],[[11.3],[11.8],[11.5],[10.2],[8.8],[7.6],[6.2],[5.3],[4.5],[4.7],[4.6],[4],[3.5],[2.5],[1.8],[1.8]],[[11],[11.4],[10.6],[10.1],[8.5],[7],[6],[5.2],[5.9],[5.8],[5.2],[4.4],[3.3],[2.4],[1.5],[1.9]],[[10.5],[10.6],[10.9],[9.6],[8.5],[7.6],[6.4],[5.6],[4.9],[5.3],[5.1],[4.5],[3.8],[2.8],[1.9],[2.2]]]

[]

[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"","axis_min":"","axis_max":"","axis_title":"","precision":-1,"axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"Males (%)","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(%)","table_units":"(%)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"15","tick_interval":"5","precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false},{"value":"1","axis_id":"1","axis_title":"Females (%)","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(%)","table_units":"(%)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"15","tick_interval":"5","precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Data is based on place of usual residence. Excludes overseas visitors.

Please note that there are small random adjustments 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 table totals.

Source: Census of Population and Housing, 2016 and 2021.

Data available in table 1.1 in ‘New South Wales’ from ‘Data downloads’.

Indigenous Locations, Indigenous Areas and Indigenous Regions

There are 294 Indigenous Locations (ILOCs) in NSW in the 2021-2026 Indigenous Structure. These ILOCs combine to form 109 Indigenous Areas (IAREs) which combine to form 9 Indigenous Regions (IREGs)¹.

The NSW ILOCs with the largest number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in 2021 were:

Wollongong (6,945 people, up from 5,349 in 2016)
Maitland (6,739 people, up from 4,090 in 2016)
Wyong-North-East (6,610 people, up from 4,612 in 2016)
Tamworth (6,201 people, up from 4,640 in 2016).

The NSW IAREs with the largest number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in 2021 were:

Blacktown (11,812 people, up from 9,526 in 2016)
Lake Macquarie (11,527 people, up from 7,882 in 2016)
Penrith (10,987 people, up from 7,785 in 2016)
Wyong (10,983 people, up from 7,896 in 2016).

There were three IAREs in NSW where more than one-quarter of people identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander:

Brewarrina (52.1%, down from 61.5% in 2016)
Coonamble (34.0%, up from 30.2% in 2016)
Bourke (30.3%, down from 31.6% in 2016).

North-Western NSW (18.6%) and Dubbo (15.7%) IREGs reported the highest proportion of people who identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.

Graph 4. Distribution of persons by Indigenous Status, NSW Indigenous Regions, 2021
	Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander (%)	Non-Indigenous (%)	Not stated (%)
North-Western NSW	18.6	68.2	13.1
Dubbo	15.7	75.3	9.0
North-Eastern NSW	11.5	79.9	8.5
Riverina - Orange	6.4	87.1	6.6
NSW Central and North Coast	5.9	89.2	5.0
South-Eastern NSW	4.6	89.7	5.7
Sydney - Wollongong	1.6	94.1	4.2

Graph 4. Distribution of persons by Indigenous Status, NSW Indigenous Regions, 2021

["","Aboriginal and\/or Torres Strait Islander","Non-Indigenous","Not stated"]

[["North-Western NSW","Dubbo","North-Eastern NSW","Riverina - Orange","NSW Central and North Coast","South-Eastern NSW","Sydney - Wollongong"],[[18.6],[15.7],[11.5],[6.4],[5.9],[4.6],[1.6]],[[68.2],[75.3],[79.9],[87.1],[89.2],[89.7],[94.1]],[[13.1],[9],[8.5],[6.6],[5],[5.7],[4.2]]]

[]

[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"","axis_min":"","axis_max":"","axis_title":"","precision":-1,"axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"%","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(%)","table_units":"(%)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"100","tick_interval":"10","precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Data is based on place of usual residence. Excludes overseas visitors.

Please note that there are small random adjustments 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 table totals.

Source: Census of Population and Housing, 2021.

Data available in table 2.4 in ‘New South Wales’ from ‘Data downloads’

Local Government Areas

Victoria

The number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Victoria increased from 47,788 in 2016 to 65,646 in 2021.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people represented 1.0% of all people in Victoria in 2021.

Half (50.2%) of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Victoria lived in Greater Melbourne in 2021.

Age and sex profile

Between 2016 and 2021:

there were minor changes in the age distribution. All age groups reported very small changes (1.1 percentage points or less)
median age increased from 23 years to 24 years
the ratio of males to females increased. In 2016 there were 97.8 males per 100 females. In 2021 there were 100.2 males per 100 females.

Graph 5. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons by age and sex, Victoria, 2016 and 2021
Age group (years)	Males 2016 (%)	Males 2021 (%)	Females 2016 (%)	Females 2021 (%)
0-4	11.7	10.8	11.3	10.6
5-9	11.6	11.0	11.0	10.5
10-14	10.8	10.9	10.2	10.4
15-19	10.2	9.3	10.0	9.0
20-24	9.2	9.0	8.6	9.0
25-29	7.5	8.6	7.7	8.1
30-34	6.1	7.0	6.0	7.1
35-39	5.2	5.8	5.5	5.6
40-44	5.5	4.8	5.7	5.1
45-49	5.6	4.9	5.8	5.1
50-54	4.6	5.0	5.1	5.1
55-59	3.9	4.0	4.1	4.4
60-64	3.2	3.3	3.3	3.5
65-69	2.3	2.4	2.4	2.7
70-74	1.2	1.7	1.4	1.7
75+	1.3	1.6	1.9	1.9

Graph 5. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons by age and sex, Victoria, 2016 and 2021

["Age group (years)","Males 2016","Males 2021","Females 2016","Females 2021"]

[["0-4","5-9","10-14","15-19","20-24","25-29","30-34","35-39","40-44","45-49","50-54","55-59","60-64","65-69","70-74","75+"],[[11.7],[11.6],[10.8],[10.2],[9.2],[7.5],[6.1],[5.2],[5.5],[5.6],[4.6],[3.9],[3.2],[2.3],[1.2],[1.3]],[[10.8],[11],[10.9],[9.3],[9],[8.6],[7],[5.8],[4.8],[4.9],[5],[4],[3.3],[2.4],[1.7],[1.6]],[[11.3],[11],[10.2],[10],[8.6],[7.7],[6],[5.5],[5.7],[5.8],[5.1],[4.1],[3.3],[2.4],[1.4],[1.9]],[[10.6],[10.5],[10.4],[9],[9],[8.1],[7.1],[5.6],[5.1],[5.1],[5.1],[4.4],[3.5],[2.7],[1.7],[1.9]]]

[]

[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"","axis_min":"","axis_max":"","axis_title":"","precision":-1,"axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"Males (%)","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(%)","table_units":"(%)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"15","tick_interval":"5","precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false},{"value":"1","axis_id":"1","axis_title":"Females (%)","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(%)","table_units":"(%)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"15","tick_interval":"5","precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Data is based on place of usual residence. Excludes overseas visitors.

Please note that there are small random adjustments 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 table totals.

Source: Census of Population and Housing, 2016 and 2021.

Data available in table 1.1 in ‘Victoria’ from ‘Data downloads’.

Indigenous Locations, Indigenous Areas and Indigenous Regions

There are 91 Indigenous Locations (ILOCs) in Victoria in the 2021-2026 Indigenous Structure. These ILOCs combine to form 41 Indigenous Areas (IAREs) which combine to form 4 Indigenous Regions (IREGs)¹.

The Victorian ILOCs with the largest number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in 2021 were:

Geelong – Queenscliff (3,572 people, up from 2,415 in 2016)
Shepparton (2,699 people, up from 2,193 in 2016)
Mildura (2,621 people, up from 2,065 in 2016).

The Victorian IAREs with the largest proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in 2021 were:

Mildura (4.6%, up from 3.8% in 2016)
Swan Hill (4.5%, up from 4.0% in 2016)
Campaspe – Shepparton – Moira (3.3%, up from 2.7% in 2016).

Graph 6. Distribution of persons by Indigenous Status, selected Victoria Indigenous Areas, 2021
	Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander (%)	Non-Indigenous (%)	Not stated (%)
Mildura	4.6	88.1	7.3
Swan Hill	4.5	87.4	8.1
Campaspe - Shepparton - Moira	3.3	90.1	6.7
Gippsland	2.8	90.3	6.9
Southern Grampians - Glenelg	2.7	91.4	6.0
Bendigo	2.3	92.6	5.2
Wodonga	2.3	92.2	5.4
Wallan - Seymour	2.2	92.3	5.6
Latrobe	2.1	91.0	6.9
Warrnambool	2.0	93.1	4.9

Graph 6. Distribution of persons by Indigenous Status, selected Victoria Indigenous Areas, 2021

["","Aboriginal and\/or Torres Strait Islander","Non-Indigenous","Not stated"]

[["Mildura","Swan Hill","Campaspe - Shepparton - Moira","Gippsland","Southern Grampians - Glenelg","Bendigo","Wodonga","Wallan - Seymour","Latrobe","Warrnambool"],[[4.6],[4.5],[3.3],[2.8],[2.7],[2.3],[2.3],[2.2],[2.1],[2]],[[88.1],[87.4],[90.1],[90.3],[91.4],[92.6],[92.2],[92.3],[91],[93.1]],[[7.3],[8.1],[6.7],[6.9],[6],[5.2],[5.4],[5.6],[6.9],[4.9]]]

[]

[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"","axis_min":"","axis_max":"","axis_title":"","precision":-1,"axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"%","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(%)","table_units":"(%)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"100","tick_interval":"10","precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Data is based on place of usual residence. Excludes overseas visitors.

Please note that there are small random adjustments 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 table totals.

Source: Census of Population and Housing, 2021.

Data available in 2.3 in ‘Victoria’ from ‘Data downloads’.

Just over half (51.0%) of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people lived in the Victoria (excluding Melbourne) IREG and 48.3% lived in Melbourne IREG. The remainder (0.7%) were in migratory-offshore-shipping and no-usual address special purpose codes.

Local Government Areas

Queensland

The number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Queensland increased from 186,482 in 2016 to 237,303 in 2021.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people represented 4.6% of all people in Queensland in 2021.

One-third (32.4%) of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Queensland lived in Greater Brisbane in 2021.

Age and sex profile

Between 2016 and 2021:

there were minor changes in the age distribution. All age groups reported very small changes (1.0 percentage points or less)
median age increased from 22 years to 23 years
the ratio of males to females was steady. In 2016 there were 97.7 males per 100 females. In 2021 there were 97.4 males per 100 females.

Graph 7. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons by age and sex, Queensland, 2016 and 2021
Age group (years)	Males 2016 (%)	Males 2021 (%)	Females 2016 (%)	Females 2021 (%)
0-4	12.1	11.3	11.4	10.4
5-9	12.7	11.7	11.9	10.9
10-14	11.8	12.1	11.1	11.2
15-19	10.7	10.2	10.1	9.7
20-24	9.1	8.7	8.6	8.6
25-29	7.1	7.7	7.1	7.7
30-34	5.9	6.4	6.2	6.5
35-39	5.3	5.5	5.6	5.8
40-44	5.5	4.8	5.9	5.2
45-49	5.1	4.9	5.7	5.3
50-54	4.5	4.6	4.8	5.1
55-59	3.6	3.9	4.0	4.2
60-64	2.7	3.2	3.0	3.4
65-69	1.9	2.2	2.1	2.5
70-74	1.0	1.5	1.3	1.6
75+	1.0	1.3	1.5	1.8

Graph 7. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons by age and sex, Queensland, 2016 and 2021

["Age group (years)","Males 2016","Males 2021","Females 2016","Females 2021"]

[["0-4","5-9","10-14","15-19","20-24","25-29","30-34","35-39","40-44","45-49","50-54","55-59","60-64","65-69","70-74","75+"],[[12.1],[12.7],[11.8],[10.7],[9.1],[7.1],[5.9],[5.3],[5.5],[5.1],[4.5],[3.6],[2.7],[1.9],[1],[1]],[[11.3],[11.7],[12.1],[10.2],[8.7],[7.7],[6.4],[5.5],[4.8],[4.9],[4.6],[3.9],[3.2],[2.2],[1.5],[1.3]],[[11.4],[11.9],[11.1],[10.1],[8.6],[7.1],[6.2],[5.6],[5.9],[5.7],[4.8],[4],[3],[2.1],[1.3],[1.5]],[[10.4],[10.9],[11.2],[9.7],[8.6],[7.7],[6.5],[5.8],[5.2],[5.3],[5.1],[4.2],[3.4],[2.5],[1.6],[1.8]]]

[]

[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"","axis_min":"","axis_max":"","axis_title":"","precision":-1,"axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"Males (%)","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(%)","table_units":"(%)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"15","tick_interval":"5","precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false},{"value":"1","axis_id":"1","axis_title":"Females (%)","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(%)","table_units":"(%)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"15","tick_interval":"5","precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Data is based on place of usual residence. Excludes overseas visitors.

Please note that there are small random adjustments 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 table totals.

Source: Census of Population and Housing, 2016 and 2021.

Data available in 1.1 in ‘Queensland’ from ‘Data downloads’.

Indigenous Locations, Indigenous Areas and Indigenous Regions

There are 206 Indigenous Locations (ILOCs) in Queensland in the 2021-2026 Indigenous Structure. These ILOCs combine to form 87 Indigenous Areas (IAREs) which combine to form 10 Indigenous Regions (IREGs)¹.

The Queensland ILOCs with the largest number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in 2021 were:

Logan - Surrounds (8,989 people, up from 5,561 in 2016)
Ipswich (7,758 people, up from 5,423 in 2016)
Thuringowa (7,570 people, up from 6,114 in 2016)
Townsville (7,375 people, up from 5,915 in 2016).

The Queensland IAREs with the largest number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in 2021 were:

Brisbane City (22,940 people, up from 17,074 in 2016)
Cairns (15,728 people, up from 13,706 in 2016)
Logan (14,520 people, up from 9,817 in 2016)
Gold Coast (13,593 people, up from 9,283 in 2016).

There were 12 IAREs in Queensland where most people identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. These include:

Cherbourg (96.4%, down from 98.4% in 2016)
Yarrabah (95.9%, down from 97.3% in 2016)
Kulkalgal - Central Islands (92.4%, down from 95.6% in 2016)
Palm Island (91.4%, down from 93.9% in 2016).

The Torres Strait (80.9%) and Cape York (51.7%) IREGs reported the highest proportion of people who identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.

Graph 8. Distribution of persons by Indigenous Status, Queensland Indigenous Regions, 2021
	Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander (%)	Non-Indigenous (%)	Not stated (%)
Torres Strait	80.9	13.8	5.3
Cape York	51.7	36.6	11.7
Mount Isa	27.6	62.4	10.0
Cairns - Atherton	10.9	80.4	8.7
Townsville - Mackay	7.9	84.0	8.2
Toowoomba - Roma	6.3	87.1	6.6
Rockhampton	6.2	86.2	7.6
Brisbane	2.8	92.7	4.5

Graph 8. Distribution of persons by Indigenous Status, Queensland Indigenous Regions, 2021

["","Aboriginal and\/or Torres Strait Islander","Non-Indigenous","Not stated"]

[["Torres Strait","Cape York","Mount Isa","Cairns - Atherton","Townsville - Mackay","Toowoomba - Roma","Rockhampton","Brisbane"],[[80.9],[51.7],[27.6],[10.9],[7.9],[6.3],[6.2],[2.8]],[[13.8],[36.6],[62.4],[80.4],[84],[87.1],[86.2],[92.7]],[[5.3],[11.7],[10],[8.7],[8.2],[6.6],[7.6],[4.5]]]

[]

[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"","axis_min":"","axis_max":"","axis_title":"","precision":-1,"axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"%","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(%)","table_units":"(%)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"100","tick_interval":"10","precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Data is based on place of usual residence. Excludes overseas visitors.

Please note that there are small random adjustments 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 table totals.

Source: Census of Population and Housing, 2021.

Data available in 2.4 in ‘Queensland’ from ‘Data downloads’.

Local Government Areas

The Torres Strait Region

The Torres Strait Region is part of Queensland (see Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS)). It includes 20 communities divided into five traditional Island groups and two Northern Peninsula Area (NPA) communities:

Inner Islands
Top Western Islands
Western Islands
Central Islands
Eastern Islands
Bamaga and surrounds (NPA community)
Seisia (NPA community).

For a map of the Region, see Torres Strait Regional Authority, Regional Map.

Over half (57.9%) of people living in the Torres Strait Region identified as Torres Strait Islander in 2021. A further 20.4% identified as both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and 1.8% identified as Aboriginal.

Graph 9. Indigenous status of people in the Torres Strait Region, 2011-2021
	2011 (%)	2016 (%)	2021 (%)
Torres Strait Islander	64.4	64.1	57.9
Both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander	12.6	15.5	20.4
Aboriginal	1.8	1.8	1.8
Non-Indigenous	16.5	14.3	14.0
Not stated	4.6	4.2	6.0

Graph 9. Indigenous status of people in the Torres Strait Region, 2011-2021

["","2011","2016","2021"]

[["Torres Strait Islander","Both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander","Aboriginal","Non-Indigenous","Not stated"],[[64.4],[12.6],[1.8],[16.5],[4.6]],[[64.1],[15.5],[1.8],[14.3],[4.2]],[[57.9],[20.4],[1.8],[14],[6]]]

[]

[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"","axis_min":"","axis_max":"","axis_title":"","precision":-1,"axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"%","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(%)","table_units":"(%)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"70","tick_interval":"10","precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Data is based on place of usual residence. Excludes overseas visitors.

Please note that there are small random adjustments 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 table totals.

Source: Census of Population and Housing, 2011, 2016 and 2021.

Data available in 4.1 in ‘Queensland’ from ‘Data downloads’.

Just over one-third of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the region lived in the Inner Islands (36.2%, up from 35.0% in 2016). The Inner Islands includes: Hammond Island, Horn Island, Muralag and Inner Islands, Port Kennedy (Thursday Island) and TRAWQ (Thursday Island).

A further 17.1% lived in the Western Islands. The Western Islands includes: Badu Island, Kubin (Moa Island), Mabuiag Island and St Pauls (Moa Island).

Graph 10. Distribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons, Torres Strait Region, 2011-2021
	2011 (%)	2016 (%)	2021 (%)
Inner Islands	32.9	35.0	36.2
Top Western Islands	9.7	10.3	8.3
Western Islands	19.5	17.1	17.1
Central Islands	13.1	12.2	12.8
Eastern Islands	10.6	10.4	10.0
Northern Peninsula Area	14.3	14.9	15.6

Graph 10. Distribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons, Torres Strait Region, 2011-2021

["","2011","2016","2021"]

[["Inner Islands","Top Western Islands","Western Islands","Central Islands","Eastern Islands","Northern Peninsula Area"],[[32.9],[9.7],[19.5],[13.1],[10.6],[14.3]],[[35],[10.3],[17.1],[12.2],[10.4],[14.9]],[[36.2],[8.3],[17.1],[12.8],[10],[15.6]]]

[]

[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"","axis_min":"","axis_max":"","axis_title":"","precision":-1,"axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"%","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(%)","table_units":"(%)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"40","tick_interval":"5","precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Data is based on place of usual residence. Excludes overseas visitors.

Please note that there are small random adjustments 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 table totals.

Source: Census of Population and Housing, 2011, 2016 and 2021.

Data available in 4.1 in ‘Queensland’ from ‘Data downloads’.

South Australia

The number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in South Australia (SA) increased from 34,184 in 2016 to 42,562 in 2021.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people represented 2.4% of all people in SA in 2021.

Over half (55.8%) of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in SA lived in Greater Adelaide in 2021.

Age and sex profile

Between 2016 and 2021:

there were minor changes in the age distribution. All age groups reported very small changes (1.0 percentage points or less)
median age increased from 23 years to 24 years
the ratio of males to females increased slightly. In 2016 there were 97.7males per 100 females. In 2021 there were 98.7 males per 100 females.

Graph 11. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons by age and sex, South Australia, 2016 and 2021
Age group (years)	Males 2016 (%)	Males 2021 (%)	Females 2016 (%)	Females 2021 (%)
0-4	11.8	11.2	10.5	10.2
5-9	12.0	11.3	11.3	10.6
10-14	10.9	11.3	10.5	10.9
15-19	10.8	10.0	10.0	9.2
20-24	8.8	8.7	8.8	8.6
25-29	7.7	8.0	7.6	7.9
30-34	6.6	6.8	6.5	7.2
35-39	5.0	5.9	5.4	5.9
40-44	5.4	4.7	5.9	4.9
45-49	5.3	4.7	6.0	5.3
50-54	4.8	4.8	5.1	5.4
55-59	3.8	3.9	4.3	4.4
60-64	3.0	3.5	3.1	3.7
65-69	1.8	2.4	2.1	2.6
70-74	1.1	1.6	1.3	1.6
75+	1.2	1.4	1.6	1.7

Graph 11. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons by age and sex, South Australia, 2016 and 2021

["Age group (years)","Males 2016","Males 2021","Females 2016","Females 2021"]

[["0-4","5-9","10-14","15-19","20-24","25-29","30-34","35-39","40-44","45-49","50-54","55-59","60-64","65-69","70-74","75+"],[[11.8],[12],[10.9],[10.8],[8.8],[7.7],[6.6],[5],[5.4],[5.3],[4.8],[3.8],[3],[1.8],[1.1],[1.2]],[[11.2],[11.3],[11.3],[10],[8.7],[8],[6.8],[5.9],[4.7],[4.7],[4.8],[3.9],[3.5],[2.4],[1.6],[1.4]],[[10.5],[11.3],[10.5],[10],[8.8],[7.6],[6.5],[5.4],[5.9],[6],[5.1],[4.3],[3.1],[2.1],[1.3],[1.6]],[[10.2],[10.6],[10.9],[9.2],[8.6],[7.9],[7.2],[5.9],[4.9],[5.3],[5.4],[4.4],[3.7],[2.6],[1.6],[1.7]]]

[]

[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"","axis_min":"","axis_max":"","axis_title":"","precision":-1,"axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"Males (%)","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(%)","table_units":"(%)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"15","tick_interval":"5","precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false},{"value":"1","axis_id":"1","axis_title":"Females (%)","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(%)","table_units":"(%)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"15","tick_interval":"5","precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Data is based on place of usual residence. Excludes overseas visitors.

Please note that there are small random adjustments 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 table totals.

Source: Census of Population and Housing, 2016 and 2021.

Data available in 1.1 in ‘South Australia’ from ‘Data downloads’.

Indigenous Locations, Indigenous Areas and Indigenous Regions

There are 89 Indigenous Locations (ILOCs) in South Australia in the 2021-2026 Indigenous Structure. These ILOCs combine to form 34 Indigenous Areas (IAREs) which combine to form 5 Indigenous Regions (IREGs)¹.

The SA ILOCs with the largest number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in 2021 were:

Port Augusta – Central (1,702 people, up from 1,433 in 2016)
Onkaparinga – Central North (1,637 people, up from 1,335 in 2016)
Playford – Elizabeth (1,624 people, up from 1,296 in 2016).

The SA IAREs with the highest proportion of people who identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander in 2021 were:

Anangu Pitjantjatjara (88.5%, up from 83.7%% in 2016)
Ceduna (24.8%, up from 21.7% in 2016)
Port Augusta (20.4%, up from 18.3% in 2016).

Graph 12. Distribution of persons by Indigenous Status, selected South Australia Indigenous Areas, 2021
	Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander (%)	Non-Indigenous (%)	Not stated (%)
Anangu Pitjantjatjara	88.5	9.3	2.4
Ceduna	24.8	68.5	6.4
Port Augusta	20.4	72.4	7.2
Coober Pedy - Umoona	15.1	68.8	16.3
Eyre	8.7	78.8	12.5
Port Lincoln	6.6	87.4	6.0
Murray Bridge	5.6	89.0	5.4
Berri - Barmera	5.5	89.4	5.0
Whyalla	5.5	88.5	6.1
Ceduna - West Coast	4.6	88.2	7.1

Graph 12. Distribution of persons by Indigenous Status, selected South Australia Indigenous Areas, 2021

["","Aboriginal and\/or Torres Strait Islander","Non-Indigenous","Not stated"]

[["Anangu Pitjantjatjara","Ceduna","Port Augusta","Coober Pedy - Umoona","Eyre","Port Lincoln","Murray Bridge","Berri - Barmera","Whyalla","Ceduna - West Coast"],[[88.5],[24.8],[20.4],[15.1],[8.7],[6.6],[5.6],[5.5],[5.5],[4.6]],[[9.3],[68.5],[72.4],[68.8],[78.8],[87.4],[89],[89.4],[88.5],[88.2]],[[2.4],[6.4],[7.2],[16.3],[12.5],[6],[5.4],[5],[6.1],[7.1]]]

[]

[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"","axis_min":"","axis_max":"","axis_title":"","precision":-1,"axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"%","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(%)","table_units":"(%)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"100","tick_interval":"10","precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Data is based on place of usual residence. Excludes overseas visitors.

Please note that there are small random adjustments 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 table totals.

Source: Census of Population and Housing, 2021.

Data available in 2.3 in ‘South Australia’ from ‘Data downloads’.

Nearly three-quarters (73.4%%) of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people lived in the Adelaide IREG. A further 19.5% lived in the Port Augusta and 6.2% lived in Port Lincoln – Ceduna. The remainder (0.9%) were in migratory-offshore-shipping and no-usual address special purpose codes.

Local Government Areas

Western Australia

The number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Western Australia (WA) increased from 75,978 in 2016 to 88,693 in 2021.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people represented 3.3% of all people in WA in 2021.

Almost half (47.4%) of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in WA lived in Greater Perth in 2021.

Age and sex profile

Between 2016 and 2021:

there were minor changes in the age distribution. All age groups reported very small changes (0.9 percentage points or less)
median age increased from 23 years to 24 years
the ratio of males to females increased. In 2016 there were 100.2 males per 100 females. In 2021 there were 101.7 males per 100 females.

Graph 13. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons by age and sex, Western Australia, 2016 and 2021
Age group (years)	Males 2016 (%)	Males 2021 (%)	Females 2016 (%)	Females 2021 (%)
0-4	11.4	10.9	10.7	10.0
5-9	11.6	11.2	11.2	10.3
10-14	11.0	10.8	10.9	11.0
15-19	10.1	9.7	9.4	9.5
20-24	9.1	8.7	8.4	8.2
25-29	8.4	8.0	7.7	7.9
30-34	7.0	7.5	7.0	7.1
35-39	5.8	6.3	5.9	6.3
40-44	5.8	5.5	5.8	5.5
45-49	5.2	5.2	6.0	5.2
50-54	4.5	4.5	5.0	5.3
55-59	3.6	3.9	4.1	4.4
60-64	2.6	3.1	3.1	3.5
65-69	1.8	2.1	2.1	2.5
70-74	1.0	1.4	1.2	1.7
75+	0.9	1.2	1.5	1.8

Graph 13. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons by age and sex, Western Australia, 2016 and 2021

["Age group (years)","Males 2016","Males 2021","Females 2016","Females 2021"]

[["0-4","5-9","10-14","15-19","20-24","25-29","30-34","35-39","40-44","45-49","50-54","55-59","60-64","65-69","70-74","75+"],[[11.4],[11.6],[11],[10.1],[9.1],[8.4],[7],[5.8],[5.8],[5.2],[4.5],[3.6],[2.6],[1.8],[1],[0.9]],[[10.9],[11.2],[10.8],[9.7],[8.7],[8],[7.5],[6.3],[5.5],[5.2],[4.5],[3.9],[3.1],[2.1],[1.4],[1.2]],[[10.7],[11.2],[10.9],[9.4],[8.4],[7.7],[7],[5.9],[5.8],[6],[5],[4.1],[3.1],[2.1],[1.2],[1.5]],[[10],[10.3],[11],[9.5],[8.2],[7.9],[7.1],[6.3],[5.5],[5.2],[5.3],[4.4],[3.5],[2.5],[1.7],[1.8]]]

[]

[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"","axis_min":"","axis_max":"","axis_title":"","precision":-1,"axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"Males (%)","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(%)","table_units":"(%)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"15","tick_interval":"5","precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false},{"value":"1","axis_id":"1","axis_title":"Females (%)","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(%)","table_units":"(%)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"15","tick_interval":"5","precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Data is based on place of usual residence. Excludes overseas visitors.

Please note that there are small random adjustments 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 table totals.

Source: Census of Population and Housing, 2016 and 2021.

Data available in 1.1 in ‘Western Australia’ from ‘Data downloads’.

Indigenous Locations, Indigenous Areas and Indigenous Regions

There are 218 Indigenous Locations (ILOCs) in WA in the 2021-2026 Indigenous Structure. These ILOCs combine to form 71 Indigenous Areas (IAREs) which combine to form 10 Indigenous Regions (IREGs)¹.

The WA ILOCs with the largest number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in 2021 were:

Mandurah (2,771 people, up from 1,846 in 2016)
South Hedland (2,454 people, up from 1,904 in 2016)
Kalgoorlie (2,228 people, up from 2,137 in 2016).

The WA IAREs with the largest number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in 2021 were:

Swan (5,170 people, up from 3,662 in 2016)
Geraldton (3,736 people, up from 3,585 in 2016)
Rockingham (3,579 people, up from 2,552 in 2016).

The WA IAREs with the highest proportion of people who identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander in 2021 were:

Fitzroy River (92.6% people, up from 90.8% in 2016)
Kalumburu (88.4% people, down from 90.5% in 2016)
Warburton (84.3% people, unchanged from 84.7% in 2016).

West Kimberley (60.2%) and Kununurra (48.0%) IREGs reported the highest proportion of people who identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.

Graph 14. Distribution of persons by Indigenous Status, Western Australia Indigenous Regions, 2021
	Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander (%)	Non-Indigenous (%)	Not stated (%)
West Kimberley	60.2	25.4	14.4
Kununurra	48.0	38.5	13.5
Broome	28.6	59.2	12.3
South Hedland	14.0	69.6	16.5
Geraldton	10.0	78.5	11.4
Kalgoorlie	9.5	78.6	11.9
South-Western WA	3.3	90.1	6.6
Perth	1.9	93.9	4.1

Graph 14. Distribution of persons by Indigenous Status, Western Australia Indigenous Regions, 2021

["","Aboriginal and\/or Torres Strait Islander","Non-Indigenous","Not stated"]

[["West Kimberley","Kununurra","Broome","South Hedland","Geraldton","Kalgoorlie","South-Western WA","Perth"],[[60.2],[48],[28.6],[14],[10],[9.5],[3.3],[1.9]],[[25.4],[38.5],[59.2],[69.6],[78.5],[78.6],[90.1],[93.9]],[[14.4],[13.5],[12.3],[16.5],[11.4],[11.9],[6.6],[4.1]]]

[]

[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"","axis_min":"","axis_max":"","axis_title":"","precision":-1,"axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"%","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(%)","table_units":"(%)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"100","tick_interval":"10","precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Data is based on place of usual residence. Excludes overseas visitors.

Please note that there are small random adjustments 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 table totals.

Source: Census of Population and Housing, 2021.

Data available in 2.4 in ‘Western Australia’ from ‘Data downloads’.

Local Government Areas

Tasmania

The number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Tasmania increased from 23,572 in 2016 to 30,186 in 2021.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people represented 5.4% of all people in Tasmania in 2021.

Just over one-third (37.2%) of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Tasmania lived in Greater Hobart in 2021.

Age and sex profile

Between 2016 and 2021:

there were minor changes in the age distribution. All age groups reported very small changes (1.5 percentage points or less)
median age increased from 24 years to 25 years
the ratio of males to females decreased slightly. In 2016 there were 96.5 males per 100 females. In 2021 there were 95.7 males per 100 females.

Graph 15. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons by age and sex, Tasmania Australia, 2016 and 2021
Age group (years)	Males 2016 (%)	Males 2021 (%)	Females 2016 (%)	Females 2021 (%)
0-4	10.6	10.3	10.0	8.8
5-9	12.3	10.8	11.4	10.1
10-14	11.2	12.0	10.5	11.1
15-19	10.9	10.2	9.4	8.9
20-24	8.4	8.4	7.9	7.8
25-29	6.5	6.7	6.8	7.1
30-34	5.6	6.1	6.8	6.8
35-39	4.6	5.4	5.6	6.3
40-44	4.9	4.4	5.6	5.4
45-49	5.5	4.7	6.2	5.1
50-54	4.6	5.1	5.4	5.7
55-59	4.6	4.1	4.9	5.0
60-64	3.9	4.2	3.5	4.4
65-69	2.8	3.1	2.7	3.0
70-74	1.6	2.2	1.4	2.3
75+	1.8	2.2	2.1	2.3

Graph 15. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons by age and sex, Tasmania Australia, 2016 and 2021

["Age group (years)","Males 2016","Males 2021","Females 2016","Females 2021"]

[["0-4","5-9","10-14","15-19","20-24","25-29","30-34","35-39","40-44","45-49","50-54","55-59","60-64","65-69","70-74","75+"],[[10.6],[12.3],[11.2],[10.9],[8.4],[6.5],[5.6],[4.6],[4.9],[5.5],[4.6],[4.6],[3.9],[2.8],[1.6],[1.8]],[[10.3],[10.8],[12],[10.2],[8.4],[6.7],[6.1],[5.4],[4.4],[4.7],[5.1],[4.1],[4.2],[3.1],[2.2],[2.2]],[[10],[11.4],[10.5],[9.4],[7.9],[6.8],[6.8],[5.6],[5.6],[6.2],[5.4],[4.9],[3.5],[2.7],[1.4],[2.1]],[[8.8],[10.1],[11.1],[8.9],[7.8],[7.1],[6.8],[6.3],[5.4],[5.1],[5.7],[5],[4.4],[3],[2.3],[2.3]]]

[]

[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"","axis_min":"","axis_max":"","axis_title":"","precision":-1,"axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"Males (%)","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(%)","table_units":"(%)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"15","tick_interval":"5","precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false},{"value":"1","axis_id":"1","axis_title":"Females (%)","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(%)","table_units":"(%)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"15","tick_interval":"5","precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Data is based on place of usual residence. Excludes overseas visitors.

Please note that there are small random adjustments 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 table totals.

Source: Census of Population and Housing, 2016 and 2021.

Data available in 1.1 in ‘Tasmania’ from ‘Data downloads’.

Indigenous Locations, Indigenous Areas and Indigenous Regions

There are 36 Indigenous Locations (ILOCs) in Tasmania in the 2021-2026 Indigenous Structure. These ILOCs combine to form 13 Indigenous Areas (IAREs) which combine to form 3 Indigenous Regions (IREGs)¹.

The Tasmanian ILOCs with the largest number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in 2021 were:

Launceston (2,839 people, up from 2,275 in 2016)
Glenorchy (2,708 people, up from 2,250 in 2016)
Clarence (2,617 people, up from 1,937 in 2016).

The Tasmanian IAREs with the highest proportion of people who identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander in 2021 were:

Huon Valley (10.2%, up from 9.2% in 2016)
Tasmania – West Coast (9.8%, up from 8.5% in 2016)
Central Coast – Devonport (7.9%, up from 6.6% in 2016).

Graph 16. Distribution of persons by Indigenous Status, Tasmania Indigenous Areas, 2021
	Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander (%)	Non-Indigenous (%)	Not stated (%)
Huon Valley	10.2	83.5	6.3
Tasmania - West Coast	9.8	84.1	6.0
Central Coast - Devonport	7.9	87.7	4.4
Central Tasmania	5.2	88.9	5.8
Tasmania - North-East Coast	5.0	88.8	6.2
Tasmania - South-East Coast	4.9	89.0	6.1
Greater Hobart	4.5	91.5	3.9
Meander Valley - Kentish	4.3	90.9	4.9
Launceston	4.2	91.3	4.6
Kingborough	4.0	93.0	3.0
West Tamar - Latrobe	3.7	92.1	4.2

Graph 16. Distribution of persons by Indigenous Status, Tasmania Indigenous Areas, 2021

["","Aboriginal and\/or Torres Strait Islander","Non-Indigenous","Not stated"]

[["Huon Valley","Tasmania - West Coast","Central Coast - Devonport","Central Tasmania","Tasmania - North-East Coast","Tasmania - South-East Coast","Greater Hobart","Meander Valley - Kentish","Launceston","Kingborough","West Tamar - Latrobe"],[[10.2],[9.8],[7.9],[5.2],[5],[4.9],[4.5],[4.3],[4.2],[4],[3.7]],[[83.5],[84.1],[87.7],[88.9],[88.8],[89],[91.5],[90.9],[91.3],[93],[92.1]],[[6.3],[6],[4.4],[5.8],[6.2],[6.1],[3.9],[4.9],[4.6],[3],[4.2]]]

[]

[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"","axis_min":"","axis_max":"","axis_title":"","precision":-1,"axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"%","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(%)","table_units":"(%)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"100","tick_interval":"10","precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Data is based on place of usual residence. Excludes overseas visitors.

Please note that there are small random adjustments 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 table totals.

Source: Census of Population and Housing, 2021.

Data available in 2.3 in ‘Tasmania’ from ‘Data downloads’

Almost all (99.5%) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people lived in the Tasmania IREG. The remainder (0.5%) were in migratory-offshore-shipping and no-usual address special purpose codes.

Local Government Areas

Northern Territory

The number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Northern Territory (NT) increased from 58,248 in 2016 to 61,115 in 2021.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people represented 26.3% of all people in the NT in 2021.

Nearly one-quarter (23.8%) of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the NT lived in Greater Darwin in 2021.

Age and sex profile

Between 2016 and 2021:

there were minor changes in the age distribution. All age groups reported very small changes (1.0 percentage points or less)
median age increased from 25 years to 26 years
the ratio of males to females decreased slightly. In 2016 there were 100.0 males per 100 females. In 2021 there were 98.4 males per 100 females.

Graph 17. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons by age and sex, Northern Territory Australia, 2016 and 2021
Age group (years)	Males 2016 (%)	Males 2021 (%)	Females 2016 (%)	Females 2021 (%)
0-4	10.0	9.2	9.2	8.3
5-9	10.7	9.9	10.0	9.0
10-14	10.6	10.2	9.6	9.5
15-19	10.0	10.1	9.3	9.2
20-24	9.8	9.5	9.0	8.7
25-29	8.9	8.8	8.3	8.5
30-34	8.0	8.0	7.9	8.1
35-39	6.6	6.9	6.8	7.3
40-44	6.4	6.3	6.7	6.2
45-49	5.7	5.6	6.4	5.9
50-54	4.6	5.0	5.3	5.9
55-59	3.3	3.8	4.0	4.3
60-64	2.4	2.8	3.0	3.6
65-69	1.4	1.9	1.9	2.4
70-74	0.9	1.0	1.2	1.5
75+	0.8	1.0	1.4	1.5

Graph 17. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons by age and sex, Northern Territory Australia, 2016 and 2021

["Age group (years)","Males 2016","Males 2021","Females 2016","Females 2021"]

[["0-4","5-9","10-14","15-19","20-24","25-29","30-34","35-39","40-44","45-49","50-54","55-59","60-64","65-69","70-74","75+"],[[10],[10.7],[10.6],[10],[9.8],[8.9],[8],[6.6],[6.4],[5.7],[4.6],[3.3],[2.4],[1.4],[0.9],[0.8]],[[9.2],[9.9],[10.2],[10.1],[9.5],[8.8],[8],[6.9],[6.3],[5.6],[5],[3.8],[2.8],[1.9],[1],[1]],[[9.2],[10],[9.6],[9.3],[9],[8.3],[7.9],[6.8],[6.7],[6.4],[5.3],[4],[3],[1.9],[1.2],[1.4]],[[8.3],[9],[9.5],[9.2],[8.7],[8.5],[8.1],[7.3],[6.2],[5.9],[5.9],[4.3],[3.6],[2.4],[1.5],[1.5]]]

[]

[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"","axis_min":"","axis_max":"","axis_title":"","precision":-1,"axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"Males (%)","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(%)","table_units":"(%)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"15","tick_interval":"5","precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false},{"value":"1","axis_id":"1","axis_title":"Females (%)","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(%)","table_units":"(%)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"15","tick_interval":"5","precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Data is based on place of usual residence. Excludes overseas visitors.

Please note that there are small random adjustments 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 table totals.

Source: Census of Population and Housing, 2016 and 2021.

Data available in 1.1 in ‘Northern Territory’ from ‘Data downloads’.

Indigenous Locations, Indigenous Areas and Indigenous Regions

There are 189 Indigenous Locations (ILOCs) in the Northern Territory in the 2021-2026 Indigenous Structure. These ILOCs combine to form 64 Indigenous Areas (IAREs) which combine to form 9 Indigenous Regions (IREGs)¹.

The NT ILOCs with the largest number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in 2021 were:

Maningrida (2,297 people, up from 2,064 in 2016)
Galiwinku (2,027 people, up from 1,970 in 2016)
Katherine exc. Town Camps (1,927 people, up from 1,581 in 2016).

The NT IAREs with the largest number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in 2021 were:

Palmerston (4,844 people, up from 3,809 in 2016)
Alice exc. Town Camps (4,288 people, up from 3,377 in 2016)
Maningrida and Outstations (2,664 people, up from 2,368 in 2016).

There were 30 IAREs in the NT where most people identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. The IAREs with highest proportion were:

Alice Springs Town Camps (96.2% people, down from 95.0% in 2016)
Alpurrutulam (95.7%, up from 92.1% in 2016)
Laynhapuy – Gumatj Homelands (95.5%, down from 97.4% in 2016).

Jabiru - Tiwi (77.7%) and Apatula (78.0%) IREGs reported the highest proportion of people who identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.

Graph 18. Distribution of persons by Indigenous Status, Northern Territory Indigenous Regions, 2021
	Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander (%)	Non-Indigenous (%)	Not stated (%)
Apatula	78.0	16.5	5.5
Jabiru - Tiwi	77.7	16.8	5.6
Nhulunbuy	65.9	25.8	8.2
Tennant Creek	62.5	31.3	6.4
Katherine	47.8	40.3	11.8
Alice Springs	20.6	73.1	6.3
Darwin	10.6	81.3	8.2

Graph 18. Distribution of persons by Indigenous Status, Northern Territory Indigenous Regions, 2021

["","Aboriginal and\/or Torres Strait Islander","Non-Indigenous","Not stated"]

[["Apatula","Jabiru - Tiwi","Nhulunbuy","Tennant Creek","Katherine","Alice Springs","Darwin"],[[78],[77.7],[65.9],[62.5],[47.8],[20.6],[10.6]],[[16.5],[16.8],[25.8],[31.3],[40.3],[73.1],[81.3]],[[5.5],[5.6],[8.2],[6.4],[11.8],[6.3],[8.2]]]

[]

[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"","axis_min":"","axis_max":"","axis_title":"","precision":-1,"axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"%","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(%)","table_units":"(%)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"100","tick_interval":"10","precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Data is based on place of usual residence. Excludes overseas visitors.

Please note that there are small random adjustments 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 table totals.

Source: Census of Population and Housing, 2021.

Data available in 2.4 in ‘Northern Territory’ from ‘Data downloads’.

Local Government Areas

Australian Capital Territory

The number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) increased from 6,508 in 2016 to 8,949 in 2021.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people represented 2.0% of all people in the ACT in 2021.

Age and sex profile

Between 2016 and 2021:

there were minor changes in the age distribution. All age groups reported very small changes (1.5 percentage points or less)
median age increased from 23 years to 24 years
the ratio of males to females increased. In 2016 there were 101.0 males per 100 females. In 2021 there were 103.1 males per 100 females.

Graph 19. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons by age and sex, Australian Capital Territory Australia, 2016 and 2021
Age group (years)	Males 2016 (%)	Males 2021 (%)	Females 2016 (%)	Females 2021 (%)
0-4	11.7	10.2	10.7	9.8
5-9	11.3	10.8	9.5	10.2
10-14	9.6	10.5	9.6	8.2
15-19	10.1	9.7	10.8	10.2
20-24	11.6	10.3	9.7	10.6
25-29	8.6	9.8	9.2	9.0
30-34	6.4	7.5	7.6	8.3
35-39	5.5	6.3	6.4	6.3
40-44	5.3	5.0	6.1	6.3
45-49	5.7	5.0	5.3	4.9
50-54	4.9	4.4	5.3	4.9
55-59	3.5	3.8	4.0	3.5
60-64	3.0	2.3	2.5	3.3
65-69	1.3	2.2	1.4	1.9
70-74	0.8	0.9	1.0	1.0
75+	0.5	1.1	1.1	1.5

Graph 19. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons by age and sex, Australian Capital Territory Australia, 2016 and 2021

["Age group (years)","Males 2016","Males 2021","Females 2016","Females 2021"]

[["0-4","5-9","10-14","15-19","20-24","25-29","30-34","35-39","40-44","45-49","50-54","55-59","60-64","65-69","70-74","75+"],[[11.7],[11.3],[9.6],[10.1],[11.6],[8.6],[6.4],[5.5],[5.3],[5.7],[4.9],[3.5],[3],[1.3],[0.8],[0.5]],[[10.2],[10.8],[10.5],[9.7],[10.3],[9.8],[7.5],[6.3],[5],[5],[4.4],[3.8],[2.3],[2.2],[0.9],[1.1]],[[10.7],[9.5],[9.6],[10.8],[9.7],[9.2],[7.6],[6.4],[6.1],[5.3],[5.3],[4],[2.5],[1.4],[1],[1.1]],[[9.8],[10.2],[8.2],[10.2],[10.6],[9],[8.3],[6.3],[6.3],[4.9],[4.9],[3.5],[3.3],[1.9],[1],[1.5]]]

[]

[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"","axis_min":"","axis_max":"","axis_title":"","precision":-1,"axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"Males (%)","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(%)","table_units":"(%)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"15","tick_interval":"5","precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false},{"value":"1","axis_id":"1","axis_title":"Females (%)","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(%)","table_units":"(%)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"15","tick_interval":"5","precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Data is based on place of usual residence. Excludes overseas visitors.

Please note that there are small random adjustments 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 table totals.

Source: Census of Population and Housing, 2016 and 2021.

Data available in 1.1 in ‘Australian Capital Territory’ from ‘Data downloads’.

Indigenous Locations, Indigenous Areas and Indigenous Regions

There are 8 Indigenous Locations (ILOCs) in the ACT in the 2021-2026 Indigenous Structure. These ILOCs combine to form 5 Indigenous Areas (IAREs) which combine to form 3 Indigenous Regions (IREGs)¹.

The ACT ILOCs with the largest number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in 2021 were:

Tuggeranong (2,728 people, up from 2,088 in 2016)
Belconnen (2,207 people, up from 1,611 in 2016)
Narrabundah – Weston (1,358 people, up from 1,181 in 2016)
Gungahlin (1,434 people, up from 948 in 2016).

Graph 20. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons, ACT Indigenous Locations, 2021
	2011 (no.)	2016 (no.)	2021 (no.)
Stromlo - Namadgi	3.0	46.0	145.0
Braddon - Kowen	545.0	609.0	855.0
Gungahlin	576.0	948.0	1,434.0
Narrabundah - Weston	1,075.0	1,181.0	1,538.0
Belconnen	1,157.0	1,611.0	2,207.0
Tuggeranong	1,800.0	2,088.0	2,728.0

Graph 20. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons, ACT Indigenous Locations, 2021

["","2011","2016","2021"]

[["Stromlo - Namadgi","Braddon - Kowen","Gungahlin","Narrabundah - Weston","Belconnen","Tuggeranong"],[[3],[545],[576],[1075],[1157],[1800]],[[46],[609],[948],[1181],[1611],[2088]],[[145],[855],[1434],[1538],[2207],[2728]]]

[]

[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"","axis_min":"","axis_max":"","axis_title":"","precision":-1,"axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"no.","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(no.)","table_units":"(no.)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"3000","tick_interval":"500","precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Data is based on place of usual residence. Excludes overseas visitors.

Please note that there are small random adjustments 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 table totals.

Source: Census of Population and Housing, 2011,2016 and 2021.

Data available in 2.2 in ‘Australian Capital Territory’ from ‘Data downloads’.

Almost all (99.5%) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people lived in the Tasmania IREG. The remainder (0.5%) were in migratory-offshore-shipping and no-usual address special purpose codes.

Remoteness Areas

The Remoteness Structure of the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) defines Remoteness Areas for the purpose of releasing and analysing statistics. Remoteness Areas are derived from the Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia Plus (ARIA+) produced by the university of Adelaide.

Remoteness Areas divide Australia into five classes of remoteness on the basis of a measure of relative access to services. The five remoteness classes are:

Major Cities of Australia
Inner Regional Australia
Outer Regional Australia
Remote Australia
Very Remote Australia

More information is available in Methodology.

In 2021, the majority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people lived in non-remote areas (84.7% or 688,262 people). This includes:

41.1% in Major Cities of Australia (334,259 people)
25.1% in Inner Regional Australia (203,876 people)
18.5% in Outer Regional Australia (150,118 people).

One in seven (14.5% or 118,205 people) lived in remote areas. This includes:

5.4% in Remote Australia (44,072 people)
9.1% in Very Remote Australia (74,135 people).

Between 2016 and 2021:

The proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in Major Cities and Inner Regional Australia increased
The proportion living in Outer Regional, Remote and Very Remote Australia decreased.

Graph 21. Distribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons by Remoteness Areas, 2011-2021
	2011 (%)	2016 (%)	2021 (%)
Major Cities	34.4	37.4	41.1
Inner Regional Australia	22.1	24	25.1
Outer Regional Australia	21.6	19.7	18.5
Remote Australia	7.2	6.2	5.4
Very Remote	14.1	12.2	9.1

Graph 21. Distribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons by Remoteness Areas, 2011-2021

["","2011","2016","2021"]

[["Major Cities","Inner Regional Australia","Outer Regional Australia","Remote Australia","Very Remote"],[[34.4],[22.1],[21.6],[7.2],[14.1]],[[37.4],[24],[19.7],[6.2],[12.2]],[[41.1],[25.1],[18.5],[5.4],[9.1]]]

[]

[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"","axis_min":"","axis_max":"","axis_title":"","precision":-1,"axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"%","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(%)","table_units":"(%)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"50","tick_interval":"5","precision":"-1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Data is based on place of usual residence. Excludes overseas visitors.

Please note that there are small random adjustments 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 table totals.

Source: Census of Population and Housing, 2011, 2016 and 2021.

Data available in table 1 in ‘Remoteness Areas’ from ‘Data downloads’.

Between 2016 and 2021 all remoteness areas except Very Remote Australia recorded an increase in the number of people who identified as being of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander origin. The increases between 2016 and 2021 were larger than those recorded between 2011 and 2016.

Table 2. Census counts and intercensal change by Remoteness Areas, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons, 2011-2021
	2011 (no.)	2016 (no.)	2021 (no.)	Change between 2011 and 2016 (%)	Change between 2016 and 2021 (%)
Non-remote	428,323	526,009	688,262	22.8	30.8
Major Cities	188,548	242,529	334,259	28.6	37.8
Inner Regional	121,293	155,602	203,876	28.3	31.0
Outer Regional	118,483	127,874	150,118	7.9	17.4
Remote	117,244	119,595	118,205	2.0	-1.2
Remote Australia	39,755	40,210	44,072	1.1	9.6
Very Remote Australia	77.489	79,383	74,135	2.4	-6.6
Australia(a)	548,368	649,171	812,728	18.4	25.2

Data is based on place of usual residence. Excludes overseas visitors.

a. Includes Migratory, Offshore and Shipping and No usual address.

Please note that there are small random adjustments 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 table totals.

Source: Census of Population and Housing, 2011, 2016 and 2021.

Data available in table 7 in ‘Remoteness Areas’ from ‘Data downloads’.

Indigenous Status

In 2021, Very Remote Australia had the highest proportion (40.6%) of people who identified as being of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander origin, followed by Remote Australia (15.3%).

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people represented 1.8% of all people living in Major Cities of Australia and 4.5% of all people living in Inner Regional Australia.

Graph 22. Distribution of persons by Indigenous Status, Remoteness Areas, 2021
	Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander (%)	Non-Indigenous (%)	Not stated (%)
Major Cities	1.8	94.1	4.1
Inner Regional	4.5	89.8	5.7
Outer Regional	7.3	84.6	8.1
Remote Australia	15.3	73.4	11.2
Very Remote Australia	40.6	47.1	12.3

Graph 22. Distribution of persons by Indigenous Status, Remoteness Areas, 2021

["","Aboriginal and\/or Torres Strait Islander","Non-Indigenous","Not stated"]

[["Major Cities","Inner Regional","Outer Regional","Remote Australia","Very Remote Australia"],[[1.8],[4.5],[7.3],[15.3],[40.6]],[[94.1],[89.8],[84.6],[73.4],[47.1]],[[4.1],[5.7],[8.1],[11.2],[12.3]]]

[]

[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"","axis_min":"","axis_max":"","axis_title":"","precision":-1,"axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"Remoteness (%)","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(%)","table_units":"(%)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"100","tick_interval":"10","precision":"-1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Data is based on place of usual residence. Excludes overseas visitors.

Please note that there are small random adjustments 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 totals.

Source: Census of Population and Housing, 2021.

Data available in table 1 in ‘Remoteness Areas’ from ‘Data downloads’.

States and territories

In 2021:

Over half of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in South Australia (54.7%) and Victoria (52.6%) were living in Major Cities.
The Northern Territory had the highest proportion living in Very Remote Australia (49.9%) followed by Western Australia (19.9%).

Graph 23: Population distribution by state/territory by Remoteness, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons; 2021
	Major Cities (%)	Inner Regional Australia (%)	Outer Regional Australia (%)	Remote Australia (%)	Very Remote (%)
NSW	48.9	36.1	12.2	1.6	0.8
VIC	52.6	34.9	11.7	0.1	..
QLD	38.3	23	24.8	5.2	8.3
SA	54.7	8.5	22.6	3.9	9.4
WA	46	8.4	12.3	11.7	19.9
TAS	..	49.1	48	1.8	0.6
NT	..	..	23.8	24.2	49.9
ACT	99.3	0.2	..	..	..

Graph 23: Population distribution by state/territory by Remoteness, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons; 2021

["","Major Cities","Inner Regional Australia","Outer Regional Australia","Remote Australia","Very Remote"]

[["NSW","VIC","QLD","SA","WA","TAS","NT","ACT"],[[48.9],[52.6],[38.3],[54.7],[46],[null],[null],[99.3]],[[36.1],[34.9],[23],[8.5],[8.4],[49.1],[null],[0.2]],[[12.2],[11.7],[24.8],[22.6],[12.3],[48],[23.8],[null]],[[1.6],[0.1],[5.2],[3.9],[11.7],[1.8],[24.2],[null]],[[0.8],[null],[8.3],[9.4],[19.9],[0.6],[49.9],[null]]]

[]

[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"","axis_min":"","axis_max":"","axis_title":"","precision":-1,"axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"%","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(%)","table_units":"(%)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"100","tick_interval":"10","precision":"-1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Data is based on place of usual residence. Excludes overseas visitors.

.. Not applicable.

Please note that there are small random adjustments 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 totals.

Source: Census of Population and Housing, 2021.

Data available in table 7 in ‘Remoteness Areas’ from ‘Data downloads’.

Age and sex profile

In 2021:

Non-remote areas had a higher proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged under 25 years than remote areas (51.9% compared with 47.5%)
Remote areas had a higher proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 25-64 years (46.9% compared with 42.1%)
Median age for males and females was higher in remote areas (25 and 27 years respectively) than non-remote areas (22 and 24 years respectively)
The ratio of males to females was slightly higher in non-remote areas (98.7 males per 100 females) than remote areas (97.4 males per 100 females).

Graph 24. Population distribution by Age and Sex by Remoteness, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons, 2021
	Non-remote (%)	Remote (%)	Non-remote (%)	Remote (%)
	M	M	F	F
0-4	11.2	9.8	10.4	9
5-9	11.6	10.8	10.7	9.7
10-14	11.7	10.6	11.1	9.7
15-19	10.1	9.8	9.6	8.9
20-24	8.9	8.4	8.6	8.3
25-29	7.9	7.8	7.7	8.1
30-34	6.5	7.4	6.6	7.7
35-39	5.5	6.4	5.7	6.9
40-44	4.7	5.8	5	5.9
45-49	4.8	5.4	5.2	5.7
50-54	4.5	5.3	5.1	5.8
55-59	3.9	4.2	4.3	4.5
60-64	3.3	3.4	3.6	3.8
65-69	2.4	2.3	2.6	2.5
70-74	1.6	1.4	1.8	1.7
75+	1.5	1.3	2	1.8

Graph 24. Population distribution by Age and Sex by Remoteness, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons, 2021

["","Non-remote","Remote","Non-remote","Remote"]

[["","0-4","5-9","10-14","15-19","20-24","25-29","30-34","35-39","40-44","45-49","50-54","55-59","60-64","65-69","70-74","75+"],[[null],[11.2],[11.6],[11.7],[10.1],[8.9],[7.9],[6.5],[5.5],[4.7],[4.8],[4.5],[3.9],[3.3],[2.4],[1.6],[1.5]],[[null],[9.8],[10.8],[10.6],[9.8],[8.4],[7.8],[7.4],[6.4],[5.8],[5.4],[5.3],[4.2],[3.4],[2.3],[1.4],[1.3]],[[null],[10.4],[10.7],[11.1],[9.6],[8.6],[7.7],[6.6],[5.7],[5],[5.2],[5.1],[4.3],[3.6],[2.6],[1.8],[2]],[[null],[9],[9.7],[9.7],[8.9],[8.3],[8.1],[7.7],[6.9],[5.9],[5.7],[5.8],[4.5],[3.8],[2.5],[1.7],[1.8]]]

[]

[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"","axis_min":"","axis_max":"","axis_title":"","precision":-1,"axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"Males (%)","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(%)","table_units":"(%)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"12","tick_interval":"2","precision":"-1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false},{"value":"1","axis_id":"1","axis_title":"Females (%)","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(%)","table_units":"(%)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"12","tick_interval":"2","precision":"-1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Data is based on place of usual residence. Excludes overseas visitors.

Please note that there are small random adjustments 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 totals.

Source: Census of Population and Housing, 2021.

Data available in table 5 in ‘Remoteness Areas’ from ‘Data downloads’.

Empowered Communities Regions

Empowered Communities is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander led initiative that involves Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and governments working together to set priorities, improve services and apply funding effectively at a regional level. It spans ten regions across urban, regional and remote Australia:

Cape York, Queensland
Central Coast, New South Wales
East Kimberley, Western Australia
Far West Coast, South Australia
Goulburn-Murray, Victoria
Inner Sydney, New South Wales
Ngarrindjeri, South Australia
North East Arnhem Land (NEAL), Northern Territory
Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (NPY) Lands, Central Australia
West Kimberley, Western Australia

See Empowered Communities for further information.

The Central Coast Empowered Community Region had the highest number (17,272) of people who identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander followed by Inner Sydney (12,050 people) and Cape York (10,027 people).

Table 3. Census counts by sex, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons in Empowered Communities Regions, 2021
	Males (no.)	Females (no.)	Total (no.)	Sex ratio (a) (%)
Cape York	4,917	5,111	10,027	96.2
Central Coast	8,508	8,765	17,272	97.1
East Kimberley	2,556	2,762	5,319	92.5
Far West Coast SA	585	639	1,219	91.5
Goulburn Murray	3,706	3,851	7,558	96.2
Inner Sydney	6,100	5,952	12,050	102.5
Ngarrindjeri	1,057	988	2,048	107
North East Arnhem Land	3,898	4,037	7,936	96.6
NPY Lands	2,076	2,268	4,344	91.5
West Kimberley	4,516	4,571	9,082	98.8

Data is based on place of usual residence. Excludes overseas visitors.

a. Sex ratio is the number of males per 100 females. The formula for calculating the sex ratio is: (number of males / number of females)*100.

Please note that there are small random adjustments 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 table totals.

Source: Census of Population and Housing, 2021.

Data available in 2 and 3 in ‘Empowered Communities Regions’ from ‘Data downloads’.

The ratio of males to females varied in each region. In Far West Coast SA and NPY lands there were 91.5 males per 100 females and in Ngarrindjeri there were 107.0 males per 100 females.

The North East Arnhem Land Empowered Community Region had the highest proportion (86.1%) of people who identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander followed by NPY Lands (74.5%) and East Kimberley (48.0%).

Graph 25. Distribution of persons by Indigenous Status, Empowered Communities Regions, 2021
	Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander (%)	Non-Indigenous (%)	Not Stated (%)
North East Arnhem Land	86.1	10.1	3.8
NPY Lands	74.5	19.2	6.2
East Kimberley	48.0	38.5	13.5
Cape York	41.5	47.3	11.2
West Kimberley	37.8	49.3	12.9
Far West Coast SA	31.1	62.9	6.1
Central Coast	4.9	90.6	4.4
Ngarrindjeri	3.6	91.4	5.0
Goulburn Murray	2.9	90.4	6.7
Inner Sydney	1.3	94.2	4.5

Graph 25. Distribution of persons by Indigenous Status, Empowered Communities Regions, 2021

["","Aboriginal and\/or Torres Strait Islander","Non-Indigenous","Not Stated"]

[["North East Arnhem Land","NPY Lands","East Kimberley","Cape York","West Kimberley","Far West Coast SA","Central Coast","Ngarrindjeri","Goulburn Murray","Inner Sydney"],[[86.1],[74.5],[48],[41.5],[37.8],[31.1],[4.9],[3.6],[2.9],[1.3]],[[10.1],[19.2],[38.5],[47.3],[49.3],[62.9],[90.6],[91.4],[90.4],[94.2]],[[3.8],[6.2],[13.5],[11.2],[12.9],[6.1],[4.4],[5],[6.7],[4.5]]]

[]

[{"axis_id":"0","tick_interval":"","axis_min":"","axis_max":"","axis_title":"","precision":-1,"axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"","table_units":"","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

[{"value":"0","axis_id":"0","axis_title":"%","axis_units":"","tooltip_units":"(%)","table_units":"(%)","axis_min":"0","axis_max":"100","tick_interval":"10","precision":"1","data_unit_prefix":"","data_unit_suffix":"","reverse_axis":false}]

Data is based on place of usual residence. Excludes overseas visitors.

Please note that there are small random adjustments 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 table totals.

Source: Census of Population and Housing, 2021.

Data available in 1 in ‘Empowered Communities Regions’ from ‘Data downloads’.

Age profile

There was slight variation in the age distribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across the Empowered Communities Regions:

The Central Coast had the highest proportion of children aged 0-4 years (11.4%) followed by Goulburn Murray (11.1%). North East Arnhem Land (7.6%) and NPY Lands (8.0%) had the lowest
Goulburn Murray and Inner Sydney had the highest proportion of older people aged 75 years and over (2.5% respectively). Far West Coast SA and North East Arnhem Land had the lowest (0.9% respectively)
Inner Sydney had the highest median age of 28 years. Central Coast and Goulburn Murray had the youngest median age (23 years).

Age and sex distributions for each Empowered Community Region is available in ‘Empowered Communities’ in the Data Downloads section.

References

¹ Each level of the 2021-2026 Indigenous Structure includes two special purpose codes: Migratory-offshore-shipping and no usual address. These special purpose codes do not have a spatial value but are counted in the overall number of IREGs, IAREs and ILOCs. For further information on these codes, see special purpose codes in the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Edition 3.

² The overall number of LGAs includes two special purpose codes: Migratory-offshore-shipping and no usual address. These special purpose codes do not have a spatial value. For further information on these codes, see special purpose codes in the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Edition 3.

Available data

Information used in this publication is available in the Data Downloads section. Please see the table below for information about how to locate this information in the Data Downloads.

For more Census data, see Find Census data.

Australia

Topic	Disaggregations	Census years	Table
Census counts	Australia	1971, 1976, 1981, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016 and 2021	1
Census counts and intercensal change	State/Territory, Indigenous Status	2006, 2011, 2016 and 2021	2
Census counts, Place of Usual Residence	State/Territory, Indigenous Status	2006, 2011, 2016 and 2021	3.1
Census counts, Place of Enumeration	State/Territory, Indigenous Status	2006, 2011, 2016 and 2021	3.2
Census counts, age and sex	Age (including median age), Sex	2011, 2016 and 2021	4.1 4.2

States and Territory

Topic	Disaggregations	Census years	Table
Census counts, State/Territory	Age (including median age), sex	2011, 2016 and 2021	1.1
Sex ratio	Age, sex	2011, 2016 and 2021	1.2
Census counts, Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Indigenous Structure	Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Indigenous Structure, Indigenous Status	2011, 2016 and 2021	2.1 (Indigenous Structure Overview) 2.2 (Indigenous Locations) 2.3 (Indigenous Areas) 2.4 (Indigenous Regions)
Census counts, Local Government Areas	Local Government Areas, Indigenous Status	2011, 2016 and 2021	3.1 (2011) 3.2 (2016) 3.3 (2021)
Census counts, Greater Capital City Statistical Areas	Greater Capital City Statistical Areas, Indigenous Status	2011, 2016 and 2021	4

Topic	Disaggregations	Census years	Table
Census counts, State/Territory	Age (including median age), sex	2011, 2016 and 2021	1.1
Sex ratio	Age, sex	2011, 2016 and 2021	1.2
Census counts, Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Indigenous Structure	Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Indigenous Structure, Indigenous Status	2011, 2016 and 2021	2.1 (Indigenous Structure Overview) 2.2 (Indigenous Locations) 2.3 (Indigenous Areas) 2.4 (Indigenous Regions)
Census counts, Local Government Areas	Local Government Areas, Indigenous Status	2011, 2016 and 2021	3.1 (2011) 3.2 (2016) 3.3 (2021)
Census counts by Indigenous Status, Torres Strait Region	Torres Strait Region	2011, 2016 and 2021	4.1
Census counts, Torres Strait Islander persons, Torres Strait Region	Torres Strait Region	2011, 2016 and 2021	4.2
Census counts, Greater Capital City Statistical Areas	Greater Capital City Statistical Areas, Indigenous Status	2011, 2016 and 2021	5

Remoteness

Topic	Disaggregations	Census years	Table
Census counts by Indigenous status	Australia, Indigenous Status	2011, 2016 and 2021	1
Census counts by State/territory and sex	State/territory, sex	2021	2
Census counts by age and sex	Age, sex	2011, 2016 and 2021	3, 4 and 5
Sex ratio by age	Age (including median age), sex	2011, 2016 and 2021	6
Census counts by State/territory and Intercensal change	State/territory	2016 and 2021	7
Census counts by State/territory and SEIFA Index	State/territory, SEIFA Index	2021	8

Empowered Communities

Topic	Disaggregations	Census years	Table
Census counts by Indigenous status	Indigenous Status	2021	1
Census counts	Age (including median age), sex	2021	2
Sex ratio	Age, sex	2021	3

Data downloads

Download all (1.69 MB)

Data tables

Data files

Australia
Download xlsx [120.3 KB]
New South Wales
Download xlsx [461.61 KB]
Victoria
Download xlsx [242.88 KB]
Queensland
Download xlsx [452.68 KB]
South Australia
Download xlsx [236.23 KB]
Western Australia
Download xlsx [347.06 KB]
Tasmania
Download xlsx [186.67 KB]
Northern Territory
Download xlsx [299.36 KB]
Australian Capital Territory
Download xlsx [160.65 KB]
Remoteness Areas
Download xlsx [159.83 KB]
Empowered Communities
Download xlsx [76.04 KB]

Previous catalogue number

This release previously used catalogue number 2075.0.

Post release changes

20/06/2023 - added 2021, 2016 and 2011 Remoteness Areas data cube and commentary.

05/04/2023 - corrected the 1971 Census count figure in '50 years since the 1971 Census'.

APA

Census of Population and Housing - Counts of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians

APA

Key statistics

50 years since the 1971 Census

Useful links

National snapshot

Figure 1. Change in Census Counts, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons, 2011-2021

Indigenous status

Where people lived

State and Territory intercensal change

Age and sex profile

New South Wales

Age and sex profile

Indigenous Locations, Indigenous Areas and Indigenous Regions

Local Government Areas

Victoria

Age and sex profile

Indigenous Locations, Indigenous Areas and Indigenous Regions

Local Government Areas

Queensland

Age and sex profile

Indigenous Locations, Indigenous Areas and Indigenous Regions

Local Government Areas

The Torres Strait Region

South Australia

Age and sex profile

Indigenous Locations, Indigenous Areas and Indigenous Regions

Local Government Areas

Western Australia

Age and sex profile

Indigenous Locations, Indigenous Areas and Indigenous Regions

Local Government Areas

Tasmania

Age and sex profile

Indigenous Locations, Indigenous Areas and Indigenous Regions

Local Government Areas

Northern Territory

Age and sex profile

Indigenous Locations, Indigenous Areas and Indigenous Regions

Local Government Areas

Australian Capital Territory

Age and sex profile

Indigenous Locations, Indigenous Areas and Indigenous Regions

Remoteness Areas

Indigenous Status

States and territories

Age and sex profile

Empowered Communities Regions

Age profile

References

Available data

Australia

States and Territory

Remoteness

Empowered Communities

Data downloads

Data tables

Australia

New South Wales

Victoria

Queensland

South Australia

Western Australia

Tasmania

Northern Territory

Australian Capital Territory

Remoteness Areas

Empowered Communities

Previous catalogue number

Post release changes

Methodology

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