Council (LGA) · Area profile
Kangaroo Island
4,401 km²
A significantly older population than most similar areas defines Kangaroo Island, where the typical resident is 50 years old. This South Australian community is characterised by a high proportion of seniors and a strong preference for detached housing, with nearly 95% of homes being separate houses. The area is largely residential and rural, with a population of 4,894 that has grown by 11% since 2011. It is a place where many people own their homes outright and a third of the community regularly volunteers.
Kangaroo Island's schools draw a more advantaged community than local incomes would suggest.
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The population is far older than the national figure, with 27.1% of residents aged 65 and over. This senior presence has grown significantly, rising 10 points since 2011, while the proportion of children under 15 has fallen slightly to 15.9%.
Most residents were born in Australia, though 14.5% were born overseas, which is higher than in most similar areas. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, accounting for 44.6% and 40.5% respectively.
English is the dominant language, with 87.7% of people using it only. The proportion of people using another language at home is 4.1%, which is far below the South Australian figure of 17.8%.
A majority of residents report no religion (56.3%), a figure that is far above the national average. This trend has accelerated, with the number of people reporting no religion rising 19 points since 2011.
While 17.2% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, this is well below the national figure of 26.3%. However, Year 12 completion has improved, rising 6.6 points since 2011 to reach 44.7%.
Typical incomes are much lower than in most areas, with the typical household earning $1,128 a week. Only 9.5% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, which is far below the national figure of 22.6%.
About 30.8% of residents have a long-term health condition, which is about the same as the state average. Arthritis is the most common reported condition, affecting 10.7% of the population.
Volunteerism is very high here, with 33% of people volunteering, far above the national figure of 14.1%. Additionally, 27.5% of people spend 15 or more hours a week on unpaid housework, which is well above the state average.
The First Nations community is small, with 82 people. While unemployment is much higher than most areas at 20.5%, Year 12 completion is far above the national figure at 50%.
Homes are generally small, with 2.2 people per household, and 33.9% of people live alone. This is well above the national figure of 25.6% for those living by themselves.
Home ownership is strong, with 43.5% of homes owned outright, far above the national figure. Rent is also much lower than usual, with a typical weekly rent of $208.
The community is highly dependent on cars, with 56.6% of people driving to work. Working from home is more common here than in most areas, accounting for 13.8% of commutes.
Migration is moderate, with 34% of people having moved in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas have fallen, dropping 6.4 points since 2011 to 6.9%.
Agriculture, forestry and fishing is the largest industry, employing 21.2% of the workforce. The unemployment rate is 3.6%, which is lower than both the state and national figures.
The area has an overall advantage score of 6, placing it above about 60% of similar areas. There are 778 businesses operating across the island.
The climate is milder than the state average, with an average maximum temperature of 20.0 degrees. Annual rainfall is 572mm, which is far above the South Australian average of 143mm.
The area is mostly car-dependent, with a low walkability score of 2.4. Only 25.6% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries, which is far below the state average of 64.4%.