Council (LGA) · Area profile
Ngaanyatjarraku
159,816 km²
A shrinking population has marked Ngaanyatjarraku since 2011, with the community losing about 79 people over the decade. This is a predominantly First Nations community where the typical resident is just 30 years old. The area is deeply traditional, with the vast majority of people speaking a First Nations language. Life here is characterized by large households and lower incomes compared to the rest of the state.
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About 84.5% of residents are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, a figure far above the national average. The community is very young, with children under 15 making up 21.2% of the population, while only 5.1% are seniors aged 65 and over.
The community is overwhelmingly Australian-born, and very few people were born overseas at 2.9%, which is far below the Western Australian figure of 32.2%.
Language diversity is very high, with 82% of people using a language other than English at home, far exceeding the national figure of 22.3%.
Christianity is the most common faith at 35.8%, though the number of people reporting no religion has risen 14 points since 2011 to reach 27.8%.
Educational qualifications are much lower than most areas, with only 19.4% of residents completing Year 12 and just 6.2% holding a bachelor degree or higher.
Incomes are among the lowest in the country, with the typical personal weekly income of $369 sitting far below the national figure of $805.
Long-term health conditions are reported at 17.1%, which is well below the state average of 26.1%. Mental health conditions are also much lower than most areas at 2.7%.
Unpaid childcare is a major part of community life, with 48.4% of people caring for children, a rate far above the national figure of 26.3%.
First Nations people make up the heart of the community, with 96.4% speaking a First Nations language, though unemployment is very high at 40.5%.
Households are large, with 3.5 people per home, and one-parent families are very common at 33.3%, far above the national average of 14.1%.
Renting is the norm for 79.7% of households, and no homes are owned outright. Typical weekly rent is very low at just $65.
The area is highly car-dependent, with 63.4% of homes having no motor vehicle and no public transport services available.
The community is very stable, as only 15.2% of people moved in the last five years, far below the national average of 40.7%.
Only 28.3% of adults are working or looking for work, which is far below the state figure of 63.9%, and the unemployment rate is very high at 26.6%.
Ngaanyatjarraku is ranked among the most disadvantaged areas in the country, scoring a 1 out of 10 for overall advantage.
The climate is hot and dry, with an average maximum temperature of 32.3 degrees and annual rainfall of 200mm.
The area is completely car-dependent, with no residents living within a 15-minute walk of a school, health service, or grocery store.