6410, WA

The community is far older than most areas, with 28.5% of people aged 65 and over. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 9.0% of the population, which is well above the national figure of 3.2%. Meanwhile, children under 15 have fallen to 13.6% since 2011.

Most residents were born in Australia (76.3%), though 12.3% were born overseas. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, and the share of people born abroad has risen slightly since 2011.

English is the main language for 85.9% of the population. Only 4.7% of people use another language at home, and there are no residents who speak little or no English.

The community is split almost evenly between those who identify as Christian (43.2%) and those with no religion (43.0%). The proportion of people reporting no religion has risen sharply by 21 points since 2011.

Educational attainment is much lower than in most areas, with only 7.8% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Just 31.7% of residents completed Year 12, which is far below the state and national figures.

Typical incomes are among the lowest at this level; the usual weekly household income is $958, far below the national figure of $1,746. Only 7.0% of households earn $3,000 or more per week.

Health needs are high here, as 12.3% of people need help with daily activities—among the highest for similar areas. Long-term health conditions are also much more common than the national average, with arthritis and asthma being the most frequent.

Volunteering is higher than in most areas at 22.4%, though this is down from 2011. A little more than 13% of people provide unpaid care, while those caring for children have fallen to 17.7%.

Living arrangements are often solitary, with 38.0% of people living alone, which is far above the national average. One-parent families are also much more common than in most areas at 16.9%.

The area is dominated by separate houses (92.2%) and has a high rate of outright home ownership at 43.1%. Rents and mortgage payments are both much lower than typical figures for the state.

Most people drive to work, and 8.7% of homes have no motor vehicle, which is much higher than most areas. Public transport is rare, with only 0.8% of people using it to commute.

The population is relatively stable, as only 21.8% of people moved in the last five years—among the lowest for its level. However, recent arrivals from overseas have risen slightly to 12.8%.

Working or looking for work is much less common here than in most areas, at 47.3%. Agriculture, forestry, and fishing are the biggest industries, with labouring and managing being the most common jobs.

This area is among the most disadvantaged at its level, ranking at the lowest possible score for access to money, resources, education, and job skills.

The area is somewhat walkable, with 80.5% of homes within a 15-minute walk of health services. Many homes are also close to groceries and schools, though few are near public transport.