Sub-region (SA3) · Area profile

Goldfields

714,525 km²

Stretching across more than 714,000 square kilometres of arid landscape, Goldfields is a vast region of Western Australia defined by its mining industry. It is a notably young community, with a typical resident aged 35 and a high proportion of children. High wages from the resource sector drive the local economy, creating a distinctive profile of high-earning young adults and families living in a challenging, dry environment.

Household incomes here are high, yet Goldfields's schools draw a notably less advantaged community.

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📍 Goldfields, Sub-region (SA3)

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Demographics & Identity

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The population is much younger than most areas, and with 20.8% of residents being children, it has a higher rate of youth than the national figure. About 11.5% of the community are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, which is well above the state average.

Age groups

Young adults (25–44) 31.7%

Older adults (45–64) 25.9%

Children (0–14) 20.8%

Youth (15–24) 12.4%

Seniors (65+) 9.2%

38,267 Population —

35 yrs Median age — Here 35 yrs WA 38 yrs Aus 38 yrs

11.5% First Nations — Here 11.5% WA 3.3% Aus 3.2%

9.2% Aged 65+ — Here 9.2% WA 16.1% Aus 17.2%

20.8% Under 15 — Here 20.8% WA 19.0% Aus 18.2%

Ancestry & Birthplace

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Most residents were born in Australia (65.1%), and the area has a lower proportion of overseas-born people (21.8%) than both Western Australia and the rest of the country.

21.8% Born overseas — Here 21.8% WA 32.2% Aus 27.7%

Language

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English is the main language for 71.2% of the community. Those using another language at home make up 14.6% of the population, which is well below the national figure of 22.3%.

14.6% Other language — Here 14.6% WA 18.4% Aus 22.3%

1.1% Limited English ▼ -29.2% Here 1.1% WA 2.3% Aus 3.4%

Religion

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People with no religion now make up 43.2% of the community, a figure that rose 10 points since 2016 and is well above the national average.

Religion

No religion 43%
Christianity 37%
Not stated 16%
Hinduism 1%
Buddhism 1%
Other religions 1%
Islam 1%
Judaism 0%

43.2% No religion — Here 43.2% WA 42.9% Aus 38.9%

Education & Qualifications

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Educational attainment is much lower than most areas, with only 11.9% of adults holding a bachelor degree and 40.4% completing Year 12, both of which are far below state and national levels.

11.9% Bachelor+ — Here 11.9% WA 23.8% Aus 26.3%

40.4% Year 12 — Here 40.4% WA 58.0% Aus 58.8%

29 Schools

3.64 Schools/1k kids

Income

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Household incomes are much higher than most areas, with the typical family earning $2,663 a week. This is well above the national figure of $2,120, and 20.5% of people earn $2,000 or more weekly.

$2,200 Household income — Here $2,200 WA $1,815 Aus $1,746

$1,154 Personal income — Here $1,154 WA $848 Aus $805

$2,663 Family income — Here $2,663 WA $2,214 Aus $2,120

20.5% High earners Here 20.5% WA 14.7% Aus 12.5%

29.5% High-income homes Here 29.5% WA 23.2% Aus 22.6%

Health & Disability

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Residents are generally healthier than those in similar areas, with a much lower rate of long-term health conditions (20.9%) and fewer people needing help with daily activities (3.1%).

20.9% Health condition Here 20.9% WA 26.1% Aus 27.7%

6.3% Mental health Here 6.3% WA 8.3% Aus 8.8%

3.1% Needs assistance — Here 3.1% WA 4.6% Aus 5.8%

Community Participation

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Participation in unpaid work is low; the rate of volunteers (11.6%) and people providing unpaid care (7.0%) are both well below the state and national figures.

11.6% Volunteering — Here 11.6% WA 15.9% Aus 14.1%

7.0% Unpaid carers — Here 7.0% WA 10.7% Aus 11.9%

26.6% Unpaid child care — Here 26.6% WA 28.5% Aus 26.3%

2.4% Defence service Here 2.4% WA 2.9% Aus 2.8%

16.7% Housework 15h+ — Here 16.7% WA 20.1% Aus 20.7%

First Nations

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First Nations people make up a significant part of the community, with 38.9% speaking a traditional language. However, they face challenges, with an unemployment rate of 18.4% and a Year 12 completion rate far below the national average.

4,397 First Nations people

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

21.8% Year 12 Here 21.8% WA 32.5% Aus 37.0%

18.4% Unemployment Here 18.4% WA 15.9% Aus 12.3%

$406 Median income Here $406 WA $481 Aus $540

$1,300 Household income Here $1,300 WA $1,480 Aus $1,507

Family & Households

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Families here tend to be larger, with 2.5 people per home. There is also a higher proportion of people living alone (28.4%) and one-parent families (14.9%) compared to most areas.

Family types

Couples with children 59%
Couples without children 25%
One-parent families 15%
Other families 1%

2.5 Household size —

14.9% One-parent — Here 14.9% WA 13.5% Aus 14.1%

28.4% Living alone — Here 28.4% WA 25.4% Aus 25.6%

Housing & Dwellings

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Renting is far more common here than in the rest of the state, at 38.2%, while outright home ownership is among the lowest at 19.2%. Most homes are detached houses, with 80.1% having three or more bedrooms.

Tenure

Rented 38%
Owned with a mortgage 37%
Owned outright 19%
Not stated 3%
Other tenure 3%

$280 Rent — Here $280 WA $340 Aus $375

$1,517 Mortgage — Here $1,517 WA $1,842 Aus $1,863

0.80 People / bedroom — Here 0.80 WA 0.80 Aus 0.80

38.2% Renting — Here 38.2% WA 27.3% Aus 30.6%

19.2% Owned outright — Here 19.2% WA 29.2% Aus 31.0%

Transport & Vehicles

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The area relies heavily on cars, with 65.7% of people driving to work. Very few people work from home (2.4%), a figure that is far below the national average.

7.0% No car — Here 7.0% WA 5.0% Aus 7.4%

2.4% Work from home — Here 2.4% WA 7.5% Aus 21.0%

3.4% PT commute — Here 3.4% WA 4.7% Aus 3.1%

166 PT stops

4.34 Stops/1k Here 4.34 WA 5.48

Migration & Movement

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About 40% of the population moved in the last five years. The region also attracts a higher number of recent overseas arrivals than the state average.

39.9% Recent movers — Here 39.9% WA 39.0% Aus 40.7%

16.8% Recent arrivals — Here 16.8% WA 10.6% Aus 14.5%

Jobs & Industry

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The workforce is dominated by mining (29.4%) and technicians and trades (21.7%). Full-time employment is very high at 71.8%, which is far above the national figure.

Industry

Mining 29.4%

Health care & social assistance 8.5%

Education & training 7.1%

Retail trade 6.9%

Construction 6.3%

4.0% Unemployment — Here 4.0% WA 5.1% Aus 5.1%

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

71.8% Full-time — Here 71.8% WA 60.2% Aus 58.9%

Economy & Advantage

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Population growth since 2021 has been 2.3%, which is much lower than the state average of 10.7%.

41,107 ERP

2.3% Growth Here 2.3% WA 10.7%

Environment & Climate

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The region is very dry and hot, with an average annual rainfall of 126mm, which is well below the state average.

126 Rainfall

27.4 Max temp

12.6 Min temp

Walkability

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Walkability is lower than in most of the state, as only 49.8% of homes are in a 15-minute-city walkshed. Access to health services is particularly limited, with only 38.1% of homes within a short walk of a clinic.

4.6 Walk score

4.5 Types ≤15 min