Council (LGA) · Area profile
Boyup Brook
2,826 km²
A growing population of 1,834 people marks the recent trajectory of Boyup Brook, which has expanded by 15% since 2011. This rural community is notably older than the state and national average, with a high proportion of seniors and a typical resident aged 47. It is a place where people predominantly own their homes outright and work in agriculture. The area is defined by a strong spirit of volunteering and a stable, long-term resident base.
Modest local incomes, but the area's schools serve a more advantaged intake.
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The community is far older than most Australian areas, with 23.9% of residents aged 65 and over, a figure that rose 5.3 points since 2011. While children under 15 make up 19.8% of the population, the typical age is 47, which is far older than the national figure of 38.
English and Australian ancestries are the most common, and 74.8% of residents were born in Australia. Only 13.0% of the population was born overseas, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%.
English is the dominant language, with only 2.2% of people using another language at home. This is far below the national average, and the number of people who speak little or no English is very low at 0.2%.
People with no religion now make up 43.8% of the community, a significant increase of 18 points since 2011. This is well above the national figure of 38.9%, while Christianity remains common at 42.1%.
Year 12 completion is higher than in most similar areas, though at 44.9% it remains far below the national figure. Around 12.3% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, a rate that has risen slightly since 2011.
Typical incomes are well below state and national figures, with the usual household earning $1,265 a week. However, the number of households earning $3,000 or more weekly has risen 8.0 points since 2011.
Long-term health conditions are reported by 28.7% of residents, with arthritis being the most common. The 4.7% of people needing help with daily activities is a little below the national figure.
Volunteering is very high here at 31.7%, far above the national figure of 14.1%. A large number of residents also perform significant unpaid housework, with 27.8% doing 15 hours or more per week.
The First Nations community is small, numbering 29 people. This group is far older than the state average with a typical age of 40, and personal incomes are far above the national figure.
Most homes are headed by couples, with 50.5% having children. People per home is 2.3, which is a little below the national figure of 2.5.
Housing is dominated by separate houses, and 50.2% of homes are owned outright, which is far above the national figure of 31.0%. Weekly rents are far below the national average at $220.
The community is highly reliant on cars, with only 1.1% of people using public transport to get to work. Conversely, 28.0% of people work from home, which is far above the state figure.
Residents tend to stay put, as only 26.4% moved in the last five years, far below the national figure of 40.7%. Recent arrivals from overseas are also very rare at just 1.3%.
Agriculture, forestry and fishing is the primary industry, employing 44.1% of the workforce. The unemployment rate is 4.0%, which is a little below the national figure.
Boyup Brook ranks higher than about 70% of similar areas in terms of overall advantage. This is supported by a relatively high score for access to money and resources.
The area has a cooler climate than the state average, with an average minimum temperature of 9.0 degrees. Annual rainfall is 488mm, which is far above the Western Australian average.
The area is very car-dependent with a low walkability score of 1.7. Only 27.0% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of a school or groceries, far below state figures.