Sub-region (SA3) · Area profile

Kimberley

419,245 km²

A strong First Nations presence defines the Kimberley, where 41.1% of the population are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This is a remarkably young community, with a typical resident aged just 33 and children under 15 making up 23.4% of the population. These dynamics result in larger households and a higher proportion of one-parent families compared to the rest of the state. The region is largely car-dependent and sparsely populated across its vast landscape.

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📍 Kimberley, Sub-region (SA3)

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Demographics & Identity

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The area is much younger than the national average, and while the number of seniors is well below the state figure, children under 15 are well above. De facto relationships are also far more common here than across Australia.

Age groups

Young adults (25–44) 32.3%

Older adults (45–64) 24.0%

Children (0–14) 23.4%

Youth (15–24) 12.6%

Seniors (65+) 7.7%

35,092 Population —

33 yrs Median age — Here 33 yrs WA 38 yrs Aus 38 yrs

41.1% First Nations — Here 41.1% WA 3.3% Aus 3.2%

7.7% Aged 65+ — Here 7.7% WA 16.1% Aus 17.2%

23.4% Under 15 — Here 23.4% WA 19.0% Aus 18.2%

Ancestry & Birthplace

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Born-in-Australia figures are high at 73.9%, which is far above the national average, and the proportion of people born overseas is much lower than in most other areas.

11.6% Born overseas — Here 11.6% WA 32.2% Aus 27.7%

Language

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About 20.2% of residents use a language other than English at home, a figure slightly above the state average. This diversity is consistent with the high number of First Nations languages spoken in the region.

20.2% Other language — Here 20.2% WA 18.4% Aus 22.3%

1.9% Limited English ▼ -0.3% Here 1.9% WA 2.3% Aus 3.4%

Religion

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Christianity and those with no religion are the most common affiliations, with the latter making up 38.1% of the population after rising 7.0 percentage points since 2016.

Religion

Christianity 39%
No religion 38%
Not stated 21%
Other religions 1%
Buddhism 1%
Islam 0%
Hinduism 0%
Judaism 0%

38.1% No religion — Here 38.1% WA 42.9% Aus 38.9%

Education & Qualifications

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Educational attainment is much lower than in most areas, with only 40.9% of residents completing Year 12. Higher education is also less common, as the share of adults with a bachelor degree is far below the national figure.

15.8% Bachelor+ — Here 15.8% WA 23.8% Aus 26.3%

40.9% Year 12 — Here 40.9% WA 58.0% Aus 58.8%

45 Schools

5.48 Schools/1k kids

Income

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Typical weekly personal income is $864, which is about the same as the national figure. While weekly household income is also around the middle for its level, there has been a rise in the share of households earning $3,000 or more per week since 2016.

$1,762 Household income — Here $1,762 WA $1,815 Aus $1,746

$864 Personal income — Here $864 WA $848 Aus $805

$1,950 Family income — Here $1,950 WA $2,214 Aus $2,120

11.3% High earners Here 11.3% WA 14.7% Aus 12.5%

20.2% High-income homes Here 20.2% WA 23.2% Aus 22.6%

Health & Disability

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Residents report far fewer long-term health conditions and mental health issues than the state or national averages, and the proportion of people needing help with daily activities is among the lowest at this level.

16.3% Health condition Here 16.3% WA 26.1% Aus 27.7%

4.1% Mental health Here 4.1% WA 8.3% Aus 8.8%

2.9% Needs assistance — Here 2.9% WA 4.6% Aus 5.8%

Community Participation

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Unpaid childcare is more common here than in most areas, though the proportion of people providing other types of unpaid care is among the lowest at this level.

14.6% Volunteering — Here 14.6% WA 15.9% Aus 14.1%

8.6% Unpaid carers — Here 8.6% WA 10.7% Aus 11.9%

28.4% Unpaid child care — Here 28.4% WA 28.5% Aus 26.3%

2.0% Defence service Here 2.0% WA 2.9% Aus 2.8%

14.9% Housework 15h+ — Here 14.9% WA 20.1% Aus 20.7%

First Nations

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First Nations people make up a significant part of the community, and 37.0% speak a First Nations language, which is far above the national figure. However, this group faces challenges with a high unemployment rate of 20.0% and lower typical incomes.

14,408 First Nations people

26 yrs Median age Here 26 yrs WA 24 yrs Aus 24 yrs

25.2% Year 12 Here 25.2% WA 32.5% Aus 37.0%

20.0% Unemployment Here 20.0% WA 15.9% Aus 12.3%

$361 Median income Here $361 WA $481 Aus $540

$1,022 Household income Here $1,022 WA $1,480 Aus $1,507

Family & Households

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Homes are larger than usual, with 2.8 people per household. This is partly explained by the high number of children and a share of one-parent families that is far above the national average.

Family types

Couples with children 53%
One-parent families 24%
Couples without children 21%
Other families 2%

2.8 Household size —

23.9% One-parent — Here 23.9% WA 13.5% Aus 14.1%

26.0% Living alone — Here 26.0% WA 25.4% Aus 25.6%

Housing & Dwellings

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Renters make up 59.3% of the market, far above the state average, while outright home ownership is among the lowest at this level. Typical weekly rents are also far below the national figure at $200.

Tenure

Rented 59%
Owned with a mortgage 18%
Owned outright 13%
Other tenure 5%
Not stated 4%

$200 Rent — Here $200 WA $340 Aus $375

$2,167 Mortgage — Here $2,167 WA $1,842 Aus $1,863

1.00 People / bedroom — Here 1.00 WA 0.80 Aus 0.80

59.3% Renting — Here 59.3% WA 27.3% Aus 30.6%

13.2% Owned outright — Here 13.2% WA 29.2% Aus 31.0%

Transport & Vehicles

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The region is heavily dependent on cars, with no public transport routes and 18.3% of homes having no motor vehicle, which is far above the national average.

18.3% No car — Here 18.3% WA 5.0% Aus 7.4%

4.7% Work from home — Here 4.7% WA 7.5% Aus 21.0%

1.5% PT commute — Here 1.5% WA 4.7% Aus 3.1%

0 PT stops

0.00 Stops/1k Here 0.00 WA 5.48

Migration & Movement

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Movement is relatively steady, with 38.9% of people having moved in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas are much more common here than in most other areas.

38.9% Recent movers — Here 38.9% WA 39.0% Aus 40.7%

21.3% Recent arrivals — Here 21.3% WA 10.6% Aus 14.5%

Jobs & Industry

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While full-time employment is well above the national average, the overall number of adults working or looking for work is much lower than in most areas.

Industry

Health care & social assistance 18.0%

Education & training 14.0%

Public administration & safety 9.4%

Accommodation & food 8.1%

Retail trade 7.3%

6.1% Unemployment — Here 6.1% WA 5.1% Aus 5.1%

55.0% Participation — Here 55.0% WA 63.9% Aus 61.1%

68.1% Full-time — Here 68.1% WA 60.2% Aus 58.9%

Economy & Advantage

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The population has grown by 4.8% since 2021, though this is well below the state growth rate of 10.7%.

40,562 ERP

4.8% Growth Here 4.8% WA 10.7%

Environment & Climate

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The region is among the hottest in the country, with average maximum and minimum temperatures both a little above the state figures, and rainfall far above the Western Australian average.

806 Rainfall

35.0 Max temp

18.8 Min temp

Walkability

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The area is mostly car-dependent with a low walkability score of 3.2. No homes are within a 10-minute walk of public transport, though many are within a 15-minute walk of a park.

3.2 Walk score

3.7 Types ≤15 min