Statistical Area 2 (SA2) · Area profile
Karratha
134 km²
A typical day in Karratha involves a young, high-earning workforce where cars are essential and family life is central. The typical resident is just 32 years old, and the community is notably young, with children under 15 making up 26.5% of the population. This is a wealthy hub where nearly half of all households earn over $3,000 a week, reflecting a strong presence of mining and trade professionals. It is a transient but growing place, with over half the population having moved here in the last five years.
Despite high local incomes, the area's schools serve a less advantaged intake.
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The area is much younger than the national figure, with very few seniors and a high proportion of de facto couples at 21.7%. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 9.0% of the population, which is well above the national average of 3.2%.
Most residents were born in Australia, while 20.2% were born overseas, which is well below the national figure of 27.7%. The most common ancestries are Australian and English.
English is the primary language for 72.3% of people. Those using another language at home make up 12.3%, which is well below the national figure of 22.3%.
People with no religion make up 47.8% of the community, a figure that rose 12 points since 2016. This is well above the national figure of 38.9%.
Qualifications are often practical, with 35.1% of people holding a Certificate III or IV. The proportion of adults with a bachelor degree or higher is 16.9%, which is well below the national figure of 26.3%.
Incomes are far above the national average, with the typical household earning $3,194 a week. Nearly 30% of people earn $2,000 or more weekly, and 49% of households earn over $3,000 a week.
Residents are generally healthy, with only 1.4% needing help with daily activities and 14.7% having a long-term health condition, both of which are far below national figures.
Unpaid care for children is common here at 32.8%, which is well above the national figure. However, volunteering fell 5 points since 2016 to 15.4%.
First Nations residents in Karratha earn much more than those in similar areas, with a typical personal income of $910. About 15.7% speak a First Nations language, and the unemployment rate is 10.0%, which is a little below the national figure.
Families tend to be larger, with 2.8 people per home. Couples with children make up 70.6% of households, while only 21.8% of people live alone.
Renting is very common at 60%, though this fell 17 points since 2016. Very few people own their homes outright (6.2%), which is far below the national figure of 31.0%.
Cars are essential, as 70.4% of people drive to work and only 2.1% use public transport. Public transport is sparse, with only 10 stops for the whole area.
The population is highly mobile, with 55.1% of people having moved in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 15.2% of the community.
The workforce is very active, with 72.9% of adults working or looking for work. Mining (20.4%) and construction (11.4%) are the main industries, and the unemployment rate is very low at 2.8%.
Karratha is an advantaged area with an overall score of 8 out of 10. It has seen strong growth, with the population increasing by 9.9% since 2021.
The climate is hot and dry, with an average maximum temperature of 33.3 degrees and average annual rainfall of 270mm.
The area is only somewhat walkable, with a score of 4.0. While 81% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of a school, only 40.1% are within that distance of groceries.
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