Plantagenet

The community is significantly older than most areas, with seniors aged 65 and over making up 24.0% of the population. In contrast, children under 15 represent 16.6%, a figure that has fallen by 2.9 percentage points since 2011.

Most residents were born in Australia, and those with overseas backgrounds are far fewer than the state average. English is the most common ancestry at 46.4%, followed by Australian at 37.9%.

English is the primary language for 82.1% of the population. Only 6.3% of people use another language at home, which is far below the national figure of 22.3%.

A large number of residents report having no religion, accounting for 47.8% of the population. This figure has risen by 17 percentage points since 2011 and is well above the national average.

Education levels are much lower than most areas, with only 12.1% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Just 41.0% of residents have completed Year 12, which is far below the state average of 58.0%.

Incomes in Plantagenet are much lower than the national average. The typical weekly family income is $1,491, and only 11.2% of households earn $3,000 or more per week.

Health challenges are more common here than in most areas, with 32.1% of people living with a long-term health condition. Arthritis is the most reported issue, affecting 11.8% of residents.

Volunteerism is very high, with 24.8% of people volunteering, far above the national figure of 14.1%. There is also a strong presence of former Defence Force members at 4.0%.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 3.4% of the population. In this group, the unemployment rate is 6.6%, which is well below the national figure of 12.3%.

Homes are smaller than average with 2.3 people per dwelling. About 27.5% of people live alone, a figure that has risen since 2011.

Housing is dominated by separate houses, making up 96.9% of all dwellings. Home ownership is very high, with 44.7% of homes owned outright and renting sitting far below the national average at 19.1%.

The area is heavily reliant on cars, with 60.0% of people driving to work and only 0.5% using public transport. Almost every home has a vehicle, as only 2.2% of households are without one.

The population is relatively stable, with only 30.7% of people moving in the last five years. This is far below the national average of 40.7%.

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing are the primary industries, employing 25.8% of the workforce. Full-time employment stands at 55.7%, which is well below the state average.

The region faces some economic challenges, with an overall advantage score of 929, which is lower than about 79% of similar areas.

The climate is milder than much of the state, with an average maximum temperature of 21.4 degrees and annual rainfall of 614mm, which is far above the Western Australian average.

The area is very car-dependent, with a low walkability score of 1.9. Only 20.0% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries, far below the state figure of 61.5%.