West Daly

The community is notably young, with children under 15 making up 27.9% of the population, which is well above the national figure. Only 3.3% of residents are seniors, and de facto relationships are far more common here than in the rest of Australia.

The vast majority of residents were born in Australia, and very few people—just 1.9%—were born overseas, which is far below the state and national averages.

Language diversity is very high, as 84.3% of people use a language other than English at home, far above the national figure. However, the proportion of people who speak little or no English fell to 17.0% since 2016.

About half of the population identifies as Christian, while 27.6% of residents have no religion, though this figure has risen by 18 points since 2016.

Education levels are much lower than most areas, with only 32.1% of residents finishing Year 12, although this is a 14 point increase since 2016. Only 4.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Incomes are far below the national average, with the typical weekly household earning just $804. Only 7.2% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, which is among the lowest across similar areas.

Long-term health conditions are reported far less often here than across Australia, with only 11.8% of people having one, and mental health conditions are also well below the national figure.

Unpaid work is common, with 51.3% of people caring for children and 31.8% doing significant housework, both far above national levels. Conversely, volunteering is very low at 4.7%.

First Nations people make up the bulk of the community, and 90.6% speak a First Nations language, far above the national average. Unemployment is high at 27.6%, and typical personal income is very low at $173 a week.

Homes are much more crowded than in other areas, with an average of 4.9 people per dwelling and 42% of households containing six or more people. One-parent families are also more common here than elsewhere.

Renting is the primary tenure for 78.9% of households, far above the national figure. Crowding is severe, with nearly two people per bedroom, and typical weekly rent is very low at $50.

Car ownership is very low, with 64.9% of homes having no motor vehicle, far above the national figure. This is reflected in the workforce, where 43.6% of people walk to their jobs.

The population is relatively stable, as only 14.0% of people moved in the last five years, which is far below the national average. Recent overseas arrivals fell sharply to 21.4% since 2016.

Only 27.0% of adults are working or looking for work, which is far below the national figure. The unemployment rate is very high at 19.6%, and many residents work in education, training, or public administration.

The area faces significant challenges, ranking among the lowest for overall advantage and access to money and resources. There are only seven businesses in the entire region.

The climate is hot and wet, with an average annual rainfall of 1,293mm, which is far above the Northern Territory average. Temperatures remain high, with a typical minimum of 21.6 degrees.

While the area is mostly car-dependent, many homes are within a 15-minute walk of health services, groceries, and schools. However, there is no public transport within walking distance.