Council (LGA) · Area profile
Wickepin
2,041 km²
A far older population than the national average defines Wickepin, where the typical resident is 47. This rural community is marked by a strong trend towards home ownership and a workforce heavily tied to the land. While the population has shrunk by 8% since 2011, the area remains a stable environment where over half of all homes are owned outright. It is a place of quiet routines and high volunteer rates, situated in the heart of Western Australia's agricultural region.
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The community is aging, with seniors aged 65 and over making up 22.3% of the population, which is well above the national figure. While children under 15 are slightly more common than across Australia, the total population fell to 690 people by 2021.
Most residents were born in Australia, and only 7.1% were born overseas, a figure far below the state and national averages. The strongest ancestral ties are to Australia and England.
English is the dominant language here, with only 2.6% of people using another language at home. This is far below the national figure, and there are no residents who speak little or no English.
A significant shift has occurred in faith, as the proportion of people with no religion rose 15 points since 2011 to 46.1%. This is now well above the national figure.
Educational attainment is lower than in most areas, with only 8.5% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. This is far below the national average of 26.3%.
Typical weekly household incomes are well below the national figure at $1,256. However, there has been a trend toward higher earnings, with the number of households earning $3,000 or more a week rising since 2011.
Health statistics are generally positive, as those needing help with daily activities (4.3%) and those with a mental health condition (5.8%) are both below the national average.
Volunteerism is very high here, with 32.1% of people volunteering—far above the national figure of 14.1%. Unpaid care for others is also more common than in most areas.
The First Nations community is small, consisting of 20 people. This group is far younger than the state and national averages, with a typical age of just 13.
Family structures are stable, with 50.4% of households consisting of couples with children. One-parent families are much less common here than in most other areas.
Housing is dominated by separate houses, which make up 97.4% of dwellings. Home ownership is very high, with 52.4% of homes owned outright, far above the national average.
The area is almost entirely car-dependent, as 0.0% of people commute by public transport. However, nearly 20% of the workforce works from home, which is far above the state average.
Residents tend to stay put, with only 22.3% moving in the last five years—among the lowest rates for similar areas. Recent overseas arrivals are also few at 8.2%.
Agriculture, forestry and fishing is the primary industry, employing 47.8% of the workforce. The unemployment rate is 3.6%, which is a little below the national figure.
The area is rated as having a high level of overall advantage, ranking better than about 70% of all areas. This is supported by a high score for access to money and resources.
Wickepin experiences much lower rainfall than most areas, though its average minimum temperature of 9.9 degrees is well below the state figure.
The area is mostly car-dependent, with a low walkability score of 2.4. Very few homes are within a 15-minute walk of health services or public transport.