South Hedland

The community is noticeably younger than the state average, with a typical resident aged 32 and over a quarter of the population being children under 15. First Nations people make up 22.2% of residents, a figure far above the national average.

About 20.9% of people were born overseas, which is well below the national figure. Australian and English are the most common ancestries, while New Zealand and the Philippines are the most frequent overseas birthplaces.

English is the main language for 67.4% of residents. Around 15.9% use another language at home, which is a little below the Western Australian average, though very few people speak little or no English.

A large proportion of the community—42.8%—reports having no religion, which is well above the national figure. This number has risen by 9.8 percentage points since 2016.

Education levels are much lower than most areas, with only 10.4% of adults holding a bachelor degree. Many residents hold trade qualifications, with 37.3% having a Certificate III or IV.

Incomes are very high here; the typical weekly family income is $3,024, which is well above the national figure. Nearly 38% of households earn $3,000 or more each week, a trend that has risen since 2016.

Residents are generally healthier than those in most other areas. The proportion of people with a long-term health condition (16.8%) is far below the national average of 27.7%.

While 29% of people care for children unpaid, other forms of community participation are low. Volunteer rates are well below the national average and have fallen since 2016.

There is a strong First Nations presence here, with 16.5% of the population speaking a First Nations language. Typical household incomes for First Nations families are well above the national figure.

Families tend to be larger than usual, with 2.7 people per home. Couples with children make up 62.6% of households, and there are more one-parent families than in most other areas.

The area is dominated by renters, with 67.3% of households renting—far above the national average. However, typical weekly rents at $240 are much lower than the national figure.

Most people rely on cars, with 72% driving to work. While public transport use is low, nearly all homes are within a short walk of a bus stop.

The population is very mobile, as 55.7% of residents moved house in the last five years. This is much higher than most other Australian areas.

Jobs are heavily concentrated in mining, which accounts for 25.7% of work. Full-time employment is far above the national average, and the unemployment rate is slightly lower than the state figure.

Despite high incomes, the area ranks lower than most for overall advantage and job skills. Population growth has remained strong, increasing by 10% since 2021.

The environment is very hot and dry, with an average maximum temperature of 34.5 degrees. This is a little higher than the state average.

While almost every home is within 15 minutes of a park or bus stop, walking to groceries or health services is difficult. Only 6.9% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of health services, far below the state average.