idc-logo
svg rectangle color
Northern Beaches CouncilCommunity profile

Northern Beaches Council area

Proficiency in English

reset

In 2021, there were 3,096 people in the Northern Beaches Council who were born overseas and reported difficulty speaking English.

Proficiency in English is an important indicator for the Overseas-born population. This may indicate the level to which translation services or communication in other languages is required for each culturally diverse community.

Typically, populations which migrated many years ago may have better English proficiency than recent migrants, and naturally migrants from English speaking countries (or countries where English is widely spoken as a second language) could be expected to have good English proficiency. Proficiency is a self-assessment by the respondent or their family, there is no objective review of this characteristic, so numbers should be treated as a guide only. To further build this story, English proficiency should be looked at in conjunction with Year of Arrival, Language Spoken at Home and Age Structure.

Q:

Derived from the Census question:

'How well does the person speak English?'

Proficiency in English
Northern Beaches Council area - People born overseas20212016Change
English proficiencyNumber%Northern Beaches Council area - Total population %Number%Northern Beaches Council area - Total population %2016 to 2021
Speaks English only49,49862.181.044,94661.579.8+4,552
Speaks English well or very well26,70933.514.224,54833.613.6+2,161
Speaks English not well or not at all3,0963.91.63,1154.31.7-19
Not stated3770.53.24670.65.0-90
Total people79,680100.0100.073,076100.0100.0+6,604
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2016 and 2021. Compiled and presented by .id (informed decisions).
Please refer to specific data notes for more information

Dominant groups

Analysis of the proficiency in English data of the people born overseas in Northern Beaches Council area in 2021 compared to the total population in the Northern Beaches Council shows that there was a lower proportion of people who spoke English only, and a higher proportion of people who spoke another language and English not well or not at all.

Overall, 62.1% of people born overseas spoke English only, and 3.9% spoke another language and English not well or not at all, compared with 81.0% and 1.6% respectively for the total population in the Northern Beaches Council.

Emerging groups

The most significant changes in the proficiency in English of the people born overseas in the Northern Beaches Council between 2016 and 2021 were:

  • Speaks English only (+4,552 persons)
  • Speaks English well or very well (+2,161 persons)
  • Not stated (-90 persons)

DISCLAIMER: While all due care has been taken to ensure that the content of this website is accurate and current, there may be errors or omissions in it and no legal responsibility is accepted for the information and opinions in this website.

Please view our Privacy Policy, Terms of use and Legal notices.

ABS Data and the copyright in the ABS Data remains the property of the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The copyright in the way .id has modified, transformed or reconfigured the ABS Data as published on this website remains the property of .id. ABS Data can be accessed from the Australian Bureau of Statistics at www.abs.gov.au. ABS data can be used under license - terms published on ABS website. intermediary.management@abs.gov.au if you have any queries or wish to distribute any ABS data.