Rutherford

Rutherford is a young area where the typical resident is 35, and children under 15 make up 21.9% of the population, which is well above the national figure. There is also a strong First Nations presence at 10.3%, much higher than most similar areas.

Most residents were born in Australia (86.2%), meaning the proportion of people born overseas is far below the state and national figures. English and Scottish are the most common ancestries after Australian.

English is the main language for nearly 90% of the community. While 5.2% of people use another language at home, the proportion who speak little or no English is well below the state and national figures.

Over half of the community identifies as Christian. Those with no religion make up 38.6% of the population, which is about the same as the national figure.

Education levels are much lower than in most areas, with only 8.8% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. This is far below the state and national figures, and only 35.1% of residents completed Year 12.

Typical weekly household income is $1,475, which is a little below the national figure of $1,746. Only 12.4% of households earn $3,000 or more a week, a figure far below the state average.

Health challenges are more common here than in most areas, with 37.1% of people living with a long-term condition. Mental health conditions are particularly high at 14.6%, well above the national figure of 8.8%.

Care for children is a primary focus, with 30.3% of people providing unpaid childcare, which is well above the state average. However, volunteering is among the lowest at this level, at just 8.0%.

The First Nations community is among the largest at this level. Residents are noticeably younger than the state average, with a typical age of 19, though the unemployment rate (13.3%) is higher than in most areas.

Homes tend to be larger, with 2.6 people per household. There is a high proportion of one-parent families (21.1%), which is well above the national figure of 14.1%.

Detached houses are very common, making up 86.9% of dwellings, far above the state average. Renting is also more common than in most areas, with 33.8% of households renting their home.

The area is heavily reliant on cars, with 63.4% of people driving to work and very few using public transport. However, 92.8% of homes are within a 10-minute walk of a stop, which is well above the state average.

The community is quite mobile, with 44% of people moving in the last five years. This is well above the national figure of 40.7%.

Most of the workforce is employed full-time (59.7%), though the unemployment rate of 5.7% is higher than in most areas. Common industries include health care, social assistance, and retail trade.

The area is somewhat walkable, with a high number of people living within 15 minutes of a school or park. However, access to groceries and health services on foot is far below the state average.