Richest regions revealed

THE average income for people living in the Townsville City Council area pales in comparison to some mining areas in Australia – but it’s still higher than Australia’s average.

Figures released this week by the Australian Bureau of Statistics reveal the median income for people in the Townsville local government area was $ 52,134 in 2015- 16.

Ashburton in Western Australia’s Pilbara region remained Australia’s top local government area for personal income with a median income of $ 100,665.

The Shire of Ashburton is one of Australia’s biggest mining areas, with a large number of Rio Tinto iron ore mines there.

ABS head of labour statistics Bjorn Jarvis said WA had four of the top five local government areas with the highest median income.

In Queensland, local government areas with big mining communities were on the list of the highest median income earners. Weipa had the highest average at $ 81,123 and Mount Isa was next with $ 68,995.

Isaac Regional Council in the Bowen Basin, where a number of coal mines are, was third, with the Bulloo and Cloncurry areas rounding out the top five for the state.

The ABS statistics showed Australia’s median personal income was $ 47,692 in 2015- 16, up 1.8 per cent from the previous financial year.

Mr Jarvis said their publication provided a comprehensive set of income indicators, which gave a better understanding of income distribution across the country – and how that distribution was changing.