Council (LGA) · Area profile
Port Pirie
1,761 km²
An older population defines Port Pirie, where the typical resident is 44 and seniors make up nearly a quarter of the community. This South Australian regional centre is a predominantly Australian-born town with deep roots, as very few residents were born overseas compared to the rest of the state. It is a place where many people live alone or in single-parent families, and where typical incomes sit well below the national figure. The town's character is shaped by a workforce focused on health, manufacturing and trades.
Port Pirie's schools draw a more advantaged community than the area overall.
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Residents are noticeably older than the state and national averages, with 23.1% aged 65 and over, a figure that has risen since 2011. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population makes up 4.7% of the community, which is a little above the national figure.
The area is overwhelmingly Australian-born, with 86.2% born here. This results in a much lower proportion of overseas-born residents (7.8%) compared to South Australia and the rest of the country.
English is the primary language for almost everyone, with only 4.4% of people using another language at home. This is far below the national figure of 22.3%.
A significant shift has occurred since 2011, with those reporting no religion rising by 20 points to 47.8%. This is well above the national figure of 38.9%.
Educational attainment is much lower than in most areas, with only 8.6% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Year 12 completion is also far below the national figure at 34.2%, though this has risen since 2011.
Typical incomes are well below the national figure, with a typical weekly household earning $1,063. Only 9.6% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, which is much lower than most other areas.
Health challenges are more common here than in most areas; 37.5% of people have a long-term health condition and 12.8% have a mental health condition, both of which are well above the national average.
Local residents are more likely to provide unpaid care (13.8%) than people in other areas. Volunteering is higher than the national figure, though it has fallen since 2011.
The First Nations community is noticeably younger, with a typical age of 19. However, they face significant disadvantage, with an unemployment rate of 18.3% and a typical personal income of $426, both well below national figures.
Homes here are smaller than usual, with a typical size of 2.2 people. There is a much higher proportion of people living alone (35.0%) and one-parent families (19.7%) compared to most areas.
Housing is mostly made up of separate houses (85.5%), and typical weekly rents at $185 are far below the national figure. While 80.2% of homes have three or more bedrooms, people per bedroom is lower than in most areas.
The town is heavily reliant on cars, with only 0.4% of people commuting by public transport. However, there are more public transport stops per 1,000 people here than in most similar areas.
The community is relatively stable, as the proportion of people who moved in the last five years (29.9%) is much lower than the national figure of 40.7%.
Working or looking for work is much less common here than in other areas, with a rate of 51.9%. The unemployment rate of 7.1% is a little above the national average.
The area is among the most disadvantaged in the country, ranking in the lowest 10% for overall advantage. Population growth has also been stagnant, falling by 0.5% since 2021.
The climate is characterized by low rainfall, with an annual average of 358mm, which is far above the state average of 143mm.
The town is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 3.8. Access to essentials is limited, as only 34.6% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries, far below the state figure of 64.4%.