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Australia’s Catholics in 2006 – an extended profile
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Mass attenders, Catholic population and Australian population compared |
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2006 demographic characteristics for persons aged 15 and over |
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Mass
attenders |
Catholic
population |
Australian
population |
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Demographic characteristic |
(Aged 15 & over) |
(Aged 15 & over) |
(Aged 15 & over) |
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Median age (years) |
58 |
44 |
44 |
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% female |
61 |
53 |
51 |
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% degree or higher |
28 |
15 |
16 |
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% born overseas |
36 |
29 |
28 |
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% married |
68 |
51 |
50 |
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% in de facto relationship |
1 |
7 |
9 |
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% currently separated or divorced |
5 |
10 |
11 |
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% widowed |
10 |
6 |
6 |
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Number of persons |
595,264 |
4,045,626 |
15,918,082 |
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Notes: |
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Only persons aged 15 and over are included in this comparison as no demographic data is available for Mass attenders aged under 15. |
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The Catholic population includes the Mass attenders and the Australian population includes the Catholic population |
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% born overseas is for age 20+ in all three categories |
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Sources of data: National Church Life Survey 2006 and Australian Bureau of Statistics - 2006 Census of Population and Housing |
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Where Australia’s Catholics live
New South Wales is the State where Catholics made up the highest proportion of the population (28.2%), although it was only a little less (28.0%) in the ACT. Catholics made up only 18.4 per cent and 20.2 per cent of the population in Tasmania and South Australia respectively.
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Catholics by State and Territory |
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State / Territory |
Catholics |
Total
Persons |
Per cent Catholic |
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New South Wales |
1,845,360 |
6,549,527 |
28.2 |
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ACT |
90,855 |
324,130 |
28.0 |
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Victoria |
1,355,916 |
4,932,556 |
27.5 |
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Queensland |
936,595 |
3,904,373 |
24.0 |
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South Australia |
305,189 |
1,514,265 |
20.2 |
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Western Australia |
464,357 |
1,961,062 |
23.7 |
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Tasmania |
87,802 |
476,464 |
18.4 |
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Northern Territory |
40,810 |
192,911 |
21.2 |
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Australia |
5,126,884 |
19,855,288 |
25.8 |
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Source of data: Australian Bureau of Statistics - 2006 Census of Population and Housing |
The biggest and smallest parishes in Australia
The largest parishes in the country were Burleigh Heads, in Queensland, with over 28,000 Catholics, Narre Warren in Victoria, and Maroochydore, also in Queensland. Twenty-three parishes had Catholic populations in excess of 14,000. On the other hand, twenty-one parishes had fewer than 250 Catholics; Campbell Town in Tasmania was the smallest, with only 84 Catholics.
Australia's largest parishes |
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23 parishes with more than 14,000 Catholics |
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Parish |
Diocese |
Catholics |
Total
Persons |
Per cent Catholic |
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Burleigh Heads |
Brisbane |
28,061 |
116,636 |
24.1 |
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Narre Warren |
Sale |
20,054 |
67,082 |
29.9 |
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Maroochydore |
Brisbane |
19,312 |
92,512 |
20.9 |
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Camden |
Wollongong |
17,939 |
51,546 |
34.8 |
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Caloundra |
Brisbane |
17,566 |
87,984 |
20.0 |
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South Tuggeranong |
Canberra & Goulburn |
17,224 |
53,969 |
31.9 |
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Salisbury |
Adelaide |
17,213 |
79,640 |
21.6 |
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St Albans |
Melbourne |
17,018 |
38,800 |
43.9 |
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Surfers Paradise |
Brisbane |
16,967 |
71,009 |
23.9 |
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Southport |
Brisbane |
16,946 |
74,383 |
22.8 |
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Caboolture |
Brisbane |
16,042 |
78,573 |
20.4 |
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Werribee |
Melbourne |
15,705 |
44,804 |
35.1 |
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Gladstone Park |
Melbourne |
15,388 |
31,785 |
48.4 |
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Bonnyrigg |
Sydney |
15,127 |
35,777 |
42.3 |
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Mill Park |
Melbourne |
14,971 |
39,499 |
37.9 |
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Laverton |
Melbourne |
14,955 |
43,459 |
34.4 |
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Croydon |
Melbourne |
14,805 |
68,520 |
21.6 |
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Nowra |
Wollongong |
14,699 |
66,063 |
22.2 |
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Craigieburn |
Melbourne |
14,652 |
39,040 |
37.5 |
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Browns Plains |
Brisbane |
14,501 |
68,355 |
21.2 |
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Castle Hill |
Parramatta |
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