Council (LGA) · Area profile
Mount Remarkable
3,423 km²
A far older population than the state average defines Mount Remarkable, where the typical resident is 55. This is a stable, predominantly Australian-born community with a high proportion of seniors and very few children. The area is characterized by a slow pace of life, with a strong tradition of home ownership and a workforce deeply rooted in agriculture. It is a place where residents tend to stay for a long time, reflected in the very low number of people moving into the area recently.
Mount Remarkable is well supplied with schools for its relatively small share of children.
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The community is ageing rapidly, with 30% of people aged 65 and over, a figure far above the national average. This shift is reflected in the youth population, as children under 15 make up only 13.7%, which is well below the South Australian and national figures.
The area is overwhelmingly Australian-born, with 82.1% born here. Those born overseas make up only 8.3% of the population, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%.
English is the primary language for almost everyone, with only 1.8% of people using another language at home. This is among the lowest rates in the region and far below the national average.
Nearly half of the population identifies as Christian, while 40.3% report no religion. The number of people with no religion has risen significantly by 18 points since 2011.
Education levels are lower than the state and national averages, with only 35.2% of residents completing Year 12. Those with a bachelor degree or higher make up 11.8%, which is far below the national figure of 26.3%.
Incomes are much lower than most other areas, with a typical weekly household income of $1,119. Only 8.3% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, which is well below the South Australian average.
Health challenges are more common here than in most areas, with 34.9% of people living with a long-term health condition. This is well above the national average, and 7.2% of residents need help with daily activities.
Volunteering is very common, with 32.5% of people giving their time, a figure far above the national average. Unpaid care is also more frequent than usual, with 14.4% of people providing such support.
The First Nations community is small, with 97 people. This group is noticeably older than the national average, with a typical age of 27, and has a lower unemployment rate of 8.1% compared to the national figure.
Households tend to be small, with a typical 2.2 people per home. About 29.6% of people live alone, and couples without children make up nearly 45% of families.
Home ownership is very high, with 56.7% of homes owned outright, far exceeding the national average. Most people live in separate houses (96.7%), and typical weekly rents are much lower than average at $180.
The area is heavily reliant on cars, with only 0.5% of people using public transport to commute. Most homes have multiple vehicles, and only 2.4% of households have no motor vehicle.
The population is very settled, with only 22% of people having moved in the last five years, far below the national rate of 40.7%. Recent arrivals from overseas are also very rare at 4.2%.
Agriculture, forestry and fishing are the main industries, employing 26% of the workforce. While full-time employment is steady at 58.8%, fewer adults are working or looking for work compared to the state average.
The area has a moderate level of overall advantage, ranking around the middle for most areas. However, population growth has fallen by 2% since 2021, which is well below the state trend.
The area receives much more rain than the state average, with an annual total of 361mm. Average minimum temperatures are lower than the state figure.
The area is mostly car-dependent, with a low walkability score of 2.2. Very few homes are within a 15-minute walk of health services (7.2%) or schools (17.6%), both of which are far below the state averages.