7469, TAS

The community is far older than the national average, with the typical resident aged 50 and seniors making up 21.6% of the population. It also has a much higher proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (6.6%) compared to the rest of Australia.

Most residents were born in Australia, though the share of people born overseas has risen to 13.0% since 2011. English is the most common ancestry after Australian.

English is the dominant language, and the area has a much lower rate of people using another language at home (4.1%) than the national figure.

A majority of people (52.5%) report having no religion, a figure that has risen sharply by 26 points since 2011 and is far above the national average.

Education levels are among the lowest in the region, with only 7.2% of adults holding a bachelor degree and just 26.1% completing Year 12, both far below national figures.

Incomes are very low, with a typical weekly household earning $949. Only 8.5% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, which is far below the national average of 22.6%.

Health challenges are common here, as 37.3% of people have a long-term health condition and 15.4% have a mental health condition, both well above national levels.

There is a high rate of people providing unpaid care (15.1%) and those doing significant housework, although the number of people caring for children is much lower than in most areas.

Living alone is very common, with 41.8% of people in single-person homes, which is far above the national average. This helps explain why the typical home has only 2.0 people.

Most people live in separate houses, and 41.5% own their home outright. Rent is much lower than elsewhere, with a typical weekly payment of $160.

Public transport is almost non-existent, with 0.0% of people using it to commute and only one bus route serving the area.

The area has seen some movement, with 38.1% of residents moving in the last five years, though recent overseas arrivals (9.0%) are well below the national figure.

Mining is the biggest employer, with 35.7% of workers in the industry. However, the unemployment rate is 10.4%, which is well above both state and national figures.

The area is ranked among the most disadvantaged in the country, scoring at the lowest level for access to money, resources, and job skills.

Despite the lack of transport, many homes are within a 15-minute walk of health services, groceries, and parks, making the area somewhat walkable.