Matta Flat

The community is older than the national figure, with a typical age of 43 and a high proportion of seniors at 25.6%. However, it is also very family-friendly, as 20.7% of residents are children under 15, which is well above the South Australian figure.

The area is overwhelmingly Australian-born, with only 3.7% born overseas, a figure far below the national average. English and Australian ancestries are the most common, followed by German and Irish heritage.

English is the only language used at home, with 0.0% of residents using another tongue, which is far below both state and national figures.

Nearly half of the residents (47.6%) report having no religion, which is well above the national figure of 38.9%. Christianity is the next most common affiliation at 41.5%.

Educational qualifications are much lower than in most areas, with only 4.5% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. This is far below the national figure of 26.3%.

Household incomes are lower than in most areas, with a typical weekly family income of $1,437. This is well below the national figure of $2,120, and no one in the area earns $2,000 or more per week.

Long-term health conditions are very common here, affecting 45.1% of people, which is far above the national figure of 27.7%. Arthritis is the most reported condition.

Unpaid work is a major part of local life, with much higher rates of people caring for children (31.3%) and doing housework (34.3%) than in most other areas.

First Nations residents in Matta Flat have a typical personal income of $900 and a typical household income of $2,250, both of which are far above the South Australian and national figures.

Families with children make up 68.1% of households, and there is a higher-than-usual number of one-parent families at 15.9%.

Housing is almost entirely made up of detached houses, and 58.6% are owned outright, which is far above the national figure. Rents are also much lower than usual, with a typical weekly cost of $125.

The area is entirely dependent on cars, as 100% of homes have a vehicle and no one uses public transport to commute. The drive to the city takes about 95 minutes.

Residents are very settled in this area, with only 13.9% moving in the last five years, which is far below the national figure of 40.7%.

Working or looking for work is less common here than in most areas, with only 50.7% of adults active in the workforce. Most employed residents work as labourers or in the food and construction industries.

The area is mostly car-dependent with a walkability score of 3.0, far below the state average. While most homes are near a park, very few are within a 15-minute walk of groceries or health services.