Council (LGA) · Area profile
Whyalla
1,071 km²
A mix of older residents and single-person households defines Whyalla, where the typical person is 41. The community is more likely to be Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander than most Australian areas, and its population has shrank by 3.8% since 2011. It is a place where many people live alone and a large number of residents report long-term health conditions. Despite some economic challenges, the town is highly walkable, with most homes within a short stroll of schools and parks.
Explore Whyalla by topic
The population is noticeably older than the national figure, and 18.9% of residents are seniors. About 5.5% of the community is Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, a figure that has risen since 2011.
Most residents were born in Australia, though 17.9% were born overseas, which is higher than in most similar areas. English and Australian are the most common ancestries.
English is the dominant language here, with only 6.4% of people using another language at home. This is far below both the state and national figures.
More than half of the population (53.4%) report having no religion, which is far above the national figure. This trend has grown significantly since 2011.
Education levels are much lower than most areas, with only 9.9% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. However, the proportion of people completing Year 12 rose to 38.8% since 2011.
Typical incomes are well below the national figure, with a typical weekly household income of $1,188. While this is much lower than most areas, household earnings have risen since 2011.
Health challenges are common here, with 35.3% of people living with a long-term health condition. This is well above the national figure, and 7.8% of residents need help with daily activities.
Providing unpaid care is more common here than in most similar areas. However, the number of volunteers has fallen since 2011.
First Nations residents face significant hurdles, with an unemployment rate of 21.2% and a typical personal income of $448, which is much lower than most areas.
One-parent families are much more common here than elsewhere, at 20.2%. This is consistent with a high number of people living alone, who make up 36.4% of households.
Renting is very common, with 39.5% of households renting at a typical weekly cost of $180, which is far below the national figure. Detached houses are less common here than in other parts of the state.
Most people drive to work, and only 1.9% work from home. While 12.3% of homes have no vehicle, there is a high number of public transport stops relative to the population.
The area is less mobile than the rest of the country, with fewer people moving in the last five years and a lower rate of recent overseas arrivals.
Manufacturing and health care are the main industries. While full-time employment is slightly above the national figure, the unemployment rate of 7.6% is much higher than most areas.
The area is ranked among the most disadvantaged in the country across education, job skills, and access to resources. Population growth has also been negative since 2021.
The area receives 262mm of annual rainfall, which is far above the South Australian average. Temperatures are slightly lower than the state average.
The town is very walkable, with a score of 6.5. This is reflected in the fact that 93.2% of homes are within a 10-minute walk of public transport.