Council (LGA) · Area profile
Karoonda East Murray
4,416 km²
Daily life in Karoonda East Murray is centered around a quiet, aging community where over half of the residents are in their 50s or older. This rural area has a small population of 1,007 people and a very high proportion of seniors, with 26.7% aged 65 and over. Most people live in detached houses they own outright, and the community is distinguished by a strong spirit of service, as nearly a third of residents volunteer.
Plenty of schools here relative to how few children live in the area.
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The community is far older than the national figure, with a typical resident aged 50. This trend has strengthened since 2011, as the population has aged and the total number of people shrank slightly to 1,007.
Most residents were born in Australia, and the area has a much lower proportion of overseas-born people (6.5%) compared to the state and nation. Australian and English are the most common ancestries.
English is the dominant language, with only 2.3% of people using another language at home. This is far below the national figure, and there are almost no residents who speak little or no English.
Nearly 40% of people report having no religion, a figure that rose 22 points since 2011. Christianity remains the most common affiliation at 48.8%.
Educational attainment is much lower than in most areas, with only 7.7% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. However, the proportion of people who completed Year 12 rose to 33.8% since 2011.
Typical incomes are far below the national figure, with a typical household earning $912 a week. Only 5.3% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly, which is among the lowest for its level.
Health needs are higher here than in most areas, as 8.4% of people need help with daily activities. Long-term health conditions are also more common than the national average, particularly arthritis.
Volunteering is very common, with 30.9% of people participating—far above the national figure of 14.1%. Unpaid care for others is also more frequent than in most areas.
There are 15 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the area. This group is far older than the national average, with a typical age of 44.
Single-person households are very common, making up 37.9% of homes, which is far above the national figure. This helps explain why the typical number of people per home is low at 2.2.
Housing is overwhelmingly dominated by detached houses, 97.7% of which are separate dwellings. Half of all homes are owned outright, and rent is much lower than the national figure at just $160 a week.
The area is highly car-dependent, with no one commuting by public transport and a long drive time to the city. Interestingly, 26% of people work from home, which is far above the national figure.
The population is very stable, with 23.9% of people moving in the last five years—among the lowest for its level. There were no recent arrivals from overseas.
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing are the main industries, employing 51.4% of the workforce. Full-time employment is much higher than in most areas, at 64.2%.
The area has 185 businesses and has seen very little population growth since 2021. Overall, its advantage score is lower than about 67% of similar areas.
The area experiences lower temperatures than the South Australian average, with a typical minimum of 9.2 degrees. Annual rainfall is far above the state average at 285mm.
The community is car-dependent, with a very low walkability score. Most homes are far from groceries, health services, and schools, though parks are the most accessible amenity.