Port Hedland

The community is noticeably younger than the rest of the state, with 23.7% of people under 15 and only 3.8% aged 65 and over. De facto relationships are far more common here than in the national average, while the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population has risen to 7.3%.

Most residents were born in Australia (66%), though 20.7% were born overseas, which is well below the national figure. English, Australian, and Irish are the most common ancestries.

English is the main language for 75.5% of the community. Those using another language at home make up 10.9% of the population, which is far below the national average.

People with no religion make up 46.9% of the community, a figure that has risen by 12 points since 2016 and is well above the national average.

Qualifications are often tied to industry, with 26.7% of degrees in engineering and 33.8% of adults holding a Certificate III or IV. Those with a bachelor degree or higher make up 19.3% of adults, which is well below the national figure.

Earnings are among the highest in the country, with typical weekly household incomes reaching $3,402. Over half of all households earn $3,000 or more a week, far above the state and national figures.

Residents are generally healthier than those in most other areas. Only 15.4% have a long-term health condition, and just 1.4% need help with daily activities, both of which are far below national levels.

Unpaid childcare is much more common here than in most areas, affecting 30.1% of people. While 16% of residents volunteer, the proportion of people providing unpaid care is among the lowest at this level.

First Nations residents in Port Hedland have a much lower unemployment rate (5.9%) and higher typical personal incomes ($1,196) than the national average. Around 18.8% speak a First Nations language, which is well above the national figure.

Most homes are headed by couples with children (67.9%), though 27.9% of people live alone, which is slightly above the national average. The typical home holds 2.5 people.

Renting is very common, with 67% of households renting, far above the national figure. Very few people own their homes outright (8.2%), and typical weekly rents are much lower than the national average at $210.

The area is heavily car-dependent, with 72.9% of people driving to work and only 0.9% using public transport. Very few people work from home (2.7%), which is far below the national average.

The population is highly transient, with 62.3% of people moving in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals make up 18.9% of the community, a figure well above the national average.

The workforce is very active, with 74.1% of adults working or looking for work and a very low unemployment rate of 2.2%. Mining is the dominant industry, employing 26.8% of the population.

The area is considered highly advantaged, scoring 8 out of 10 overall. However, the population has recently fallen, with a growth rate of -2.9% since 2021, far below the state average.

The climate is hot and dry, with an average maximum temperature of 34.4 degrees and annual rainfall of 295mm, both of which are higher than the Western Australian averages.

The area is mostly car-dependent with a low walkability score of 3.5. While many homes are near public transport, almost no homes are within a 15-minute walk of health services.