Council (LGA) · Area profile
Busselton
1,454 km²
Between the coast and the hinterland of Western Australia sits Busselton, a growing hub that has added over 10,000 people since 2011. It is a notably older community than the state average, with a high proportion of seniors and a significant number of people who own their homes outright. This shift towards an older population is reflected in the local landscape, which features large family homes and a strong culture of volunteering. The area is generally well-off and continues to attract new residents from across the country.
A fast-growing area where schools haven't kept pace per child.
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The population is noticeably older than the national figure, with a typical resident aged 45 and over 23% of people aged 65 or more. While the number of children under 15 remains about the same as the state average, the senior population has risen by 7.2 percentage points since 2011.
People born overseas make up 19.4% of the community, which is well below the national figure of 27.7%. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, and the proportion of overseas-born residents rose slightly since 2011.
English is the dominant language, with 89% of people using it only at home. Only 5.2% of residents use another language, a figure far below both the state and national averages.
Nearly half of the population (49.9%) reports having no religion, which is far above the national figure. This represents a significant shift in the community, with the number of people claiming no religion rising 21 percentage points since 2011.
About 50.4% of residents have completed Year 12, an increase of 8.8 percentage points since 2011. Those with a bachelor degree or higher make up 17.6% of the population, which is well below the state average.
Typical weekly household income is $1,459, which is a little below the national figure of $1,746. However, there has been a notable increase in wealth, with the share of households earning $3,000 or more per week rising 10 percentage points since 2011.
Long-term health conditions are slightly more common here than in the rest of the state, affecting 29.6% of people. Arthritis is the most reported condition, affecting 10.3% of the population.
Residents are much more likely to volunteer than those in other similar areas, with 21.1% doing so. Unpaid housework and childcare are also more common here than the national average.
The First Nations community is noticeably younger than other groups, with a typical age of 20. Education outcomes are strong, with 43% completing Year 12, which is far above the state average of 32.5%.
Homes tend to be larger, with 2.5 people per household. This is consistent with a high proportion of couples with children (53.6%) and a low percentage of people living alone compared to most areas.
Detached houses are the norm for 88.3% of residents, and 86% of homes have three or more bedrooms. Renting is less common here than in the rest of the state, and 36.2% of homes are owned outright.
The area is heavily reliant on cars, with 62.8% of people driving to work and only 1.2% using public transport. Very few homes lack a motor vehicle, with only 3.1% of households owning none.
The community is quite mobile, with 41.3% of people having moved house in the last five years. However, the number of recent arrivals from overseas has fallen significantly since 2011.
The unemployment rate is 3.1%, which is much lower than most areas. While full-time employment is lower than the state average, the most common industries are healthcare, accommodation and food, and construction.
Busselton is a high-advantage area, scoring an 8 out of 10 for overall advantage. It has strong access to money and resources and has seen population growth of 9.9% since 2021.
The local climate is cooler and wetter than the state average, with an average annual rainfall of 676mm and a typical maximum temperature of 23.5 degrees.
The area is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 3.3. Most residents live far from essential services, with only 11.7% within a 15-minute walk of health services.