Cocos (Keeling) Islands census data

Summary

• Total population: 593
• Median age: 40
• Most common ancestry: Australian
• Most common country of birth: Australia
• Most common religion: Islam
• Most common languages: Malay and English
• Median weekly personal income: $741
• Median weekly household income: $2,519
• Average household size: 3.8 people

Demographics¹

Population

The total population of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands² (CKI) in 2021 was 593. The population resides on two islands with approximately 147 people on West Island and 448 people on Home Island according to the 2021 Census data.

Of these, 50.8% were male and 49.2% were female. In 2016, 49.5% of the population were male and 50.5% were female.

In 2021, there were 154 families on island. For those with children, the average number was 2 children.

Chart shows the CKI population result for each Census from 1996. The population of CKI was 655 people in 1996, 621 in 2001, 572 in 2006, 550 in 2011, 544 in 2016 and 593 in 2021.

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Age

In 2021, the median age was 40, which is 2 years higher than the national median age. People aged 65 years and over made up 17.3% of the population. Children (0—14 years) made up 21.3% of the population.

The proportion of residents aged 65 and over has increased since 2011, where 9.5% of people were 65 years or older. At the same time, the proportion of residents aged 0—14 years has decreased from 23.5% in 2011 to 21.3% in 2021.

Cultural and language diversity

Ancestry

Australian ancestry is now the most common ancestry on the CKI.

In 2021, the most common ancestries were Australian (18.5%), Malay (15.9%), Indonesian (13.1%), English (11.7%) and Javanese (5.0%).

In 2016, the most common ancestries were Malay (16.6%), Australian (15.5%), Indonesian (14.3%), English (9.3%) and Javanese (5.6%).

Chart shows 16.6% of the CKI population identified as having Malay ancestry, 15.5% Australian, 14.3% Indonesian, 9.3% English and 5.6% Javanese.

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Country of Birth

In 2021, 73.5% of people on the CKI were Australian-born. Following Australia, the only other responses for country of birth were Malaysia (4.0%), England (1.3%), New Zealand (1.2%) and Singapore (0.5%).

64.9% of people had both parents born in Australia, while 6.9% of people had both parents born overseas. 4.2% of people had only their mother born overseas, while 9.0% had only their father born overseas.

Language Spoken at Home

In 2021, 70.5% of households on the CKI reported that a non-English language was spoken at home. 61.2% of people spoke Malay at home and 19.1% of people only spoke English at home.

Religion

In 2021, the most common religions on the CKI were Islam (65.6%), Catholic (2.0%) and Anglican (1.5%). 14.0% of the population identified as having No Religion.

Employment

Income

In 2021, the median weekly personal income for people aged 15 years and over on the CKI was $741. This figure is lower than the national median weekly personal income of $805.

The median weekly personal income on the CKI increased by 31.6% ($178) from 2016 to 2021, compared to 21.6% nationally. This increase is more than 2011 to 2016, which was 15.6% ($76), compared to 14.7% nationally.

The median weekly household income on the CKI was $2,519 , which was higher than the national median of $1,746. 6.7% of households had a weekly income of less than $650 and 36.2% of households had a weekly income of more than $3000.

Chart shows the increase of the CKI median weekly personal income. The CKI figure increased from $341 in 2006, to $487 in 2011, to $563 in 2016 and $741 in 2021.

Over the same time, the national median weekly personal income increased from $466 in 2006, to $577 in 2011, to $662 in 2016 and $805 in 2021.

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Unpaid Work

In the week before the 2021 Census, 43.1% of people aged 15 years and over did unpaid domestic work, this compares to the national median of 67.7%.

During the two weeks before the Census, 22.6% provided care for children (compared to 26.3% nationally) and 6.0% assisted family members or others due to a disability, long term illness or problems related to old age (compared to 11.9% nationally).

In the year before the Census, 15.5% of people did voluntary work through an organisation or a group, compared to 14.1% nationally.

Dwellings

Tenure and Household Composition

In 2021, 83.6% of private dwellings on the CKI were occupied and 15.8% were unoccupied. Of occupied private dwellings, 67.2% were rented, 9.0% were owned outright and 3.3% were owned with a mortgage. All occupied private dwellings were separate houses.

The average household size was 3.7 people. Of all households on the CKI, 94.6% were family households and 5.4% were single person households.

Mortgage and Rent

In 2021, median rent on the CKI was $231 per week, compared to the national median rent of $375 per week. 67.1% of households had rent payments less than 30% of household income (58.7% nationally), while households with rent payments greater than 30% of household income were 3.7% (33.2% nationally). Median rent was unable to be determined for 35.4% on CKI.

Median mortgage repayments were $1,972 per week, which is lower than the national median of $1,863.

Motor Vehicles

In 2021, 0% of occupied private dwellings on the CKI had no registered motor vehicles garaged or parked at their address, 27.1% had one registered motor vehicle garaged or parked at their address, 32.2% had two registered motor vehicles and 37.3% had three or more registered motor vehicles.