Council (LGA) · Area profile
Gnowangerup
4,265 km²
A high rate of full-time employment and strong volunteerism set Gnowangerup apart from most similar areas. This rural community has a shrinking population of 1,215 people and a high proportion of children, which is consistent with the many large family homes found here. While the area is predominantly Australian and English in ancestry, it has seen a rise in overseas arrivals and people using languages other than English since 2011. It is a place where most people live in detached houses and a large number of residents own their homes outright.
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The community is younger than most similar areas, with 21.4% of residents being children under 15. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 7.7% of the population, which is well above the national figure of 3.2%.
While 75.9% of people were born in Australia, the proportion of overseas-born residents rose to 14.9% by 2021. Filipino ancestry is notably present at 4.6%.
English is the main language for 84.4% of residents. Those using another language at home rose to 7.3% since 2011, though this remains far below the national figure.
The community is split almost evenly between those with no religion (43.8%) and those identifying as Christian (43.9%). The number of people reporting no religion rose by 19 points since 2011.
Year 12 completion is higher than most similar areas at 48.6%, though this is still well below the state average. Qualification levels rose since 2011, with 13.6% of adults now holding a bachelor degree or higher.
Typical personal weekly income is $911, which is much higher than most similar areas and a little above the national figure. Typical family income rose by $727 since 2011 to reach $2,034 per week.
About 26.3% of residents have a long-term health condition, which is a little below the national figure. Mental health conditions are reported by 9.7% of the population, a rate higher than most similar areas.
Volunteerism is very high at 40%, far above the national average of 14.1%. Unpaid care is also common, with 30.4% of people caring for children and 28.0% doing significant unpaid housework.
First Nations residents are far older than the national average, with a typical age of 33. However, they face significant disadvantage, with an unemployment rate of 25.8% and a typical personal income of $405.
Families tend to be larger than in most areas, with 2.5 people per home. This is reflected in the high percentage of couples with children, who make up 60.6% of households.
Housing is dominated by detached houses (97.3%) and large homes, with 84.9% having three or more bedrooms. Rent and mortgage payments are much lower than the state and national figures.
The area is heavily reliant on cars, as only 0.5% of people use public transport to commute. This is reflected in the fact that 60% of homes have three or more vehicles.
Recent arrivals from overseas are much more common here than in most similar areas, reaching 18.2%. However, the general population is less mobile, with fewer people moving in the last five years compared to the state average.
Agriculture, forestry and fishing is the main industry, employing 46.2% of the workforce. Full-time employment is much higher than most similar areas at 65.4%.
The area is generally advantaged, ranking higher than 70% of similar areas for overall advantage. Residents typically have better access to money and resources than those in 80% of similar areas.
The area is cooler and wetter than the state average, with an average maximum temperature of 22.9 degrees and annual rainfall of 358mm.
The town is somewhat walkable with a score of 4.3. While most people can walk to groceries, fewer can easily reach a park or school compared to the state average.