Region (SA4) · Area profile
West and North West
22,525 km²
An average annual rainfall of 2,100mm makes West and North West one of the wettest areas in the country. This vast region is older than most, with a typical resident aged 45 and a high proportion of seniors. It is a predominantly Australian-born community where most people live in separate houses. While incomes are generally lower than the national figure, there is a strong presence of First Nations people and a high rate of home ownership.
Plenty of schools here relative to how few children live in the area.
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The population is noticeably older than the national figure, and the number of seniors has risen 5.7 percentage points since 2011. This shift is reflected in the high proportion of people aged 65 and over, who make up 23% of the community.
The area is much less diverse than most, with 83% of people born in Australia and only 10.4% born overseas. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, though the overseas-born population has risen slightly since 2011.
English is the primary language for 90.3% of the population. Only 4% of people use another language at home, which is far below the national figure of 22.3%.
Over half of the population (51%) report having no religion, a figure that has risen 22 percentage points since 2011 and is far above the national average.
Educational attainment is much lower than in most areas, with only 12.8% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Year 12 completion has risen since 2011 but remains far below the national figure of 58.8%.
Weekly incomes are well below the national figure, with the typical household earning $1,195. Only 10.3% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, which is among the lowest for similar areas.
Health challenges are common here, as 35.4% of people have a long-term health condition. This is well above the national figure, and 7.8% of residents need help with daily activities.
Local residents are more likely to volunteer (17%) and provide unpaid care (13.5%) than people in most other areas. About 23.6% of people spend 15 or more hours a week on unpaid housework.
The First Nations community is a significant part of the region, though they experience lower outcomes in education and income compared to other areas. The median age for First Nations people is 26, which is slightly older than the national figure.
Homes are generally smaller, with 2.3 people per dwelling. A high number of people live alone (30.7%) and one-parent families are more common than in most other areas.
Separate houses are the norm for 90.9% of residents. Many people own their homes outright—39.3% of households—and typical weekly rents of $240 are well below the national figure.
The region is heavily reliant on cars, with only 0.6% of people commuting by public transport. Working from home is also far less common here than across Australia.
The community is relatively stable, with 36% of people moving in the last five years, which is well below the national figure. Recent overseas arrivals make up 13.6% of the population.
Fewer adults are working or looking for work (54.8%) compared to the national figure of 61.1%. The most common industries for local workers are health care and social assistance.
Population growth since 2021 has been low at 0.9%, which is about the same as the state figure but among the lowest for its level.
The climate is wet and cool, with rainfall far above the state average. Minimum temperatures are also far above the Tasmania average.
The area is somewhat walkable with a score of 4.3. About 70.9% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of a park, but access to groceries and health services is lower than the state average.