5454, SA

Children are well represented here, with 23.5% of the population under 15, a figure far above the national average. The area also has a higher proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people than most, rising to 5.1% in 2021.

The community is overwhelmingly Australian-born, with 85.4% born here and very few residents born overseas. This is far below the national figure of 27.7%.

English is the primary language for 90.3% of the population. Only 2.3% use another language at home, which is far below the South Australian average.

Nearly half the population (49.4%) reports having no religion, a figure far above the national average. This represents a significant increase of 22 percentage points since 2011.

Education levels are lower than in most areas, with only 6.6% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. However, more residents have completed Year 12 than in 2011, now at 40.8%.

Typical incomes are much lower than the national figures, with a typical weekly household earning $1,112. While the number of high-earners has risen since 2011, 48.2% of people still earn under $650 a week.

Long-term health conditions are more common here than in most areas, affecting 32.2% of residents. Mental health conditions are also slightly more frequent than the national average.

This is a highly active community where 34.8% of people volunteer, far above the national rate. Unpaid care is also common, with 18.7% of residents providing support to others.

Families with children make up 51.7% of households. People living alone are less common here (23.5%) than in the rest of the state.

Housing is dominated by separate houses, which make up 99.3% of all homes. A large number of residents own their homes outright (47.7%), and typical weekly rents are very low at $150.

The area is entirely reliant on cars, as 100% of homes have at least one vehicle. Public transport is rarely used, and the drive time to the city is very long, averaging 130 minutes.

The population is relatively stable, with only 25.7% of people moving in the last five years. Interestingly, recent arrivals from overseas have jumped to 47.8% since 2011.

Agriculture and forestry is the main employer, accounting for 43.4% of jobs. The unemployment rate is 7.1%, which is higher than both the state and national figures.

The area ranks lower than most for overall advantage, with a score of 926. This reflects challenges in access to money, resources, and job skills compared to other regions.

The area has a higher rate of recorded offences than most, with property damage being the most frequent issue. Property damage rates are much higher than in most similar areas.

The area is mostly car-dependent with a low walkability score of 2.9. Most homes are far from health services, parks, and groceries, with no health services within a 15-minute walk.