Wyalkatchem

The community is aging rapidly, with the typical resident now 54 and 33% of people aged 65 or over. This is far older than the national figure, while the proportion of children has fallen to 11.9% since 2011.

Most residents were born in Australia, though 14.5% were born overseas. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, and the number of people born abroad has risen slightly since 2011.

English is the primary language for 86.4% of the area. Only 4.3% of people use another language at home, which is far below the state and national figures.

Nearly half of the population identifies as Christian, while 38.7% of residents report no religion. This latter group has grown by 16 percentage points since 2011.

Educational attainment is lower than most areas, with only 36.2% of people completing Year 12. Only 10.8% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, which is far below the national average.

Typical weekly personal income is $582, which is well below the national figure of $805. Very few households earn $3,000 or more a week, though the number of high earners has risen since 2011.

Long-term health conditions are far more common here than elsewhere, affecting 39.4% of the population. Mental health conditions are also much higher than in most areas, at 10.2%.

Volunteering is very high, with 32.8% of residents giving their time, far above the national figure. Additionally, 3.9% of the community served in the Defence Force, which is much higher than most areas.

First Nations people make up 6.2% of the population and often speak a traditional language, with 37.9% doing so. This is far above the national average, although typical personal incomes for this group are much lower than most areas.

Living arrangements are distinctive, with 47.4% of people living alone. This is far above the national average and contributes to a low average of 1.9 people per home.

Housing is largely stable and detached, with 96.2% of homes being separate houses. Half of all homes are owned outright, and typical weekly rents are much lower than average at $150.

The area is entirely dependent on cars for commuting, with 0% of people using public transport. Most homes have at least one vehicle, as it takes over two hours to drive to the city.

The population is relatively stable, as 32.1% of people moved in the last five years, which is well below the national average. Recent overseas arrivals make up 11.8% of the community.

Agriculture is the dominant industry, employing 38.5% of the workforce. While full-time employment is higher than most areas, the overall percentage of adults working or looking for work is well below the state average.

The area faces significant challenges, with an overall advantage score that is smaller than about 84% of other areas. Population growth since 2021 has been low at 1.9%.

The climate is characterized by an average maximum temperature of 26.6 degrees. Annual rainfall is 276mm, which is well above the Western Australian average.

The town is mostly car-dependent with a low walkability score of 3.6. While 58% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of a park or health service, there is no access to public transport within walking distance.