Narrogin

Narrogin is noticeably older than the state and national average, with a senior population that rose 7.7 percentage points since 2011. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 6.0% of the residents, which is much higher than most similar areas.

Most residents were born in Australia, though the proportion of people born overseas rose to 17.1% by 2021. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, with English ancestry at 39.9%.

English is the primary language for 79.6% of the community. While the number of people using another language at home rose to 9.5% since 2011, those who speak little or no English remain far below the national figure.

Christianity is the most common faith at 46.9%. The proportion of people reporting no religion rose significantly by 14 percentage points since 2011 to reach 39.0%.

Educational attainment is much lower than in most similar areas, with only 12.5% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Year 12 completion also sits far below the national figure at 41.3%.

Typical incomes are lower than those across the state, with the usual household earning $1,294 a week. This is well below the Western Australian figure of $1,815.

More people here live with long-term health conditions compared to most areas, at 30.4%. This includes a higher-than-average rate of mental health conditions at 10.0%.

Volunteering is very common here, with 23.7% of people helping out, a figure well above the national average. However, the proportion of people caring for children unpaid is much lower than in most areas.

The First Nations community in Narrogin faces significant challenges, with an unemployment rate of 21.3%, which is well above the national figure. Typical household income for First Nations people is also among the lowest for similar areas.

Single-person households are very common, with 36.1% of people living alone. This helps explain why the average home contains only 2.2 people, which is lower than most areas.

Separate houses are the norm for 91.0% of residents, and 35.6% of homes are owned outright. While typical weekly rent is much lower than the national figure at $240, the rental rate is higher than in most similar areas.

The town is heavily reliant on cars, with only 1.3% of people commuting by public transport. This is consistent with a lack of infrastructure, as there are only two public transport stops for the whole area.

Recent arrivals from overseas make up 16.8% of the population, which is well above the national average. Conversely, the proportion of people who moved in the last five years fell since 2011.

Full-time employment is slightly higher than the national figure at 60.5%, though the overall rate of people working or looking for work is lower than in most areas.

Narrogin scores low for overall advantage, ranking as a 3 out of 10 compared to other areas. Population growth since 2021 has been very slow at 0.9%, well below the state average.

The area is relatively cool, with an average minimum temperature of 9.7 degrees, which is much lower than most areas. Annual rainfall is also among the lowest for its level.

The town is somewhat walkable, with many homes within a 15-minute walk of groceries or health services. However, very few residents live within 10 minutes of public transport.