Council (LGA) · Area profile
Flinders Ranges
4,070 km²
Set across a vast landscape of over 4,000 square kilometres, Flinders Ranges is a sparsely populated area with a shrinking population of 1,646 people. It is a notably older community, where the typical resident is 53 and nearly a third of the population are seniors. The region is distinctive for its strong First Nations presence and a high proportion of retirees, which helps explain why so many residents live alone or in small households.
Flinders Ranges is well supplied with schools for its relatively small share of children.
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This is an ageing community, with 30.3% of people aged 65 and over, a figure far above the national average. The population is also much more diverse in its heritage than most areas, with 12.8% of residents identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.
The area is overwhelmingly Australian-born, with 82% born here. This is far below the national figure for overseas-born residents, who make up only 7.5% of the population.
English is the primary language for 84.9% of residents. Very few people use another language at home, and 0.0% of the population speak little or no English, which is well below the national average.
A large number of people here report having no religion, at 44.6%, which is well above the national figure. This has risen significantly by 18 percentage points since 2011.
Education levels are much lower than in most areas, with only 34.1% of people having completed Year 12. Only 11% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, far below the national average of 26.3%.
Household incomes are well below the national average, with a typical family earning $1,489 a week. Only 8% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly, which is far below the national figure of 22.6%.
Health challenges are common here, as 34% of people have a long-term health condition, which is well above the national figure. Additionally, 8.3% of residents need help with daily activities, one of the highest rates for similar areas.
The community is highly active in volunteering, with 28.4% of people pitching in, far above the national average. There is also a high rate of unpaid care providers at 13.8%.
First Nations residents are more likely to speak a traditional language here (18.5%) than in most other areas. The unemployment rate for this group is 5.3%, which is far below the state and national figures.
Living arrangements are often solitary, with 36.8% of people living alone, far above the national figure of 25.6%. Because of this and an older population, households are smaller than usual, averaging 2.1 people.
Housing is dominated by separate houses, making up 92.1% of all homes. A high proportion of residents own their homes outright (44.1%), and typical weekly rents are far below the national average at $175.
The area is heavily reliant on cars, with 56% of people driving to work and very few using public transport (0.7%). Almost every home has a vehicle, with only 2.6% of households owning none.
The population is very stable, with only 25.1% of people having moved in the last five years. This is far below the national rate of 40.7%.
Many people work in agriculture, forestry, and fishing, which is a top industry alongside health care and hospitality. About 53.2% of adults are working or looking for work, which is well below the national average.
The region faces significant disadvantage, scoring 2 out of 10 for overall advantage compared to all areas. It is also seeing a population decline, with growth sitting at -1.4% since 2021.
The area is quite dry, with average annual rainfall of 217mm, though this is still well above the South Australian average. Maximum temperatures are slightly lower than the state average at 25.8 degrees.
The region is mostly car-dependent, with a low walkability score of 2.4. Access to amenities is limited, with only 34.9% of homes within a 15-minute walk of groceries.