Mid-Western Regional

The population is older than the national figure, with the typical resident aged 42 and 20.7% being seniors. First Nations people make up 6.8% of the community, which is well above the state and national averages.

The area is very culturally uniform, with 83.9% of people born in Australia and only 8.1% born overseas, a figure far below the national average.

English is the primary language for almost everyone, as only 3.3% of residents use another language at home, which is far below the state and national figures.

Over half of the population identifies as Christian, while those with no religion now make up 34.7% of the community, a figure that has risen 19 points since 2011.

Education levels are lower than the national average, with only 13.4% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher, though Year 12 completion rose to 39.4% since 2011.

Typical weekly family incomes are $1,966, which is a little below the state figure. However, there has been a notable increase in wealth, with households earning $3,000 or more a week rising by 12 points since 2011.

Health challenges are more common here than in most areas, with 31.0% of people reporting a long-term health condition and 9.2% living with a mental health condition.

Unpaid work is common, as residents are more likely to provide childcare and housework than people in most other areas. Volunteering has fallen to 16.1% since 2011.

The First Nations community is relatively young, with a typical age of 22, and an unemployment rate of 8.1% which is well below the national figure.

Family life is typical for the region, with 54.2% of homes consisting of couples with children and 28.3% of people living alone.

Housing is dominated by separate detached houses, which make up 91.4% of dwellings. Homes here are generally larger than average, with 78.7% having three or more bedrooms.

The area is heavily reliant on cars, with only 0.3% of people using public transport to get to work and 10.5% working from home.

Movement into the area is higher than most places, with 39.7% of people having moved in the last five years, although recent arrivals from overseas remain low at 9.3%.

Mining is a major employer for 15.9% of the workforce. The unemployment rate is 4.0%, which is a little below the national figure.

The region has a decent level of access to money and resources, though its score for education and job skills is lower than about 60% of similar areas.

The local climate is cooler and wetter than the state average, with annual rainfall of 739mm and a typical minimum temperature of 7.7 degrees.

The area has a much lower rate of burglary and theft than most areas, although sexual offence rates are much higher.

The community is mostly car-dependent, as walkability is far below the state average and only 34.2% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of basic amenities.