Port Wakefield

The typical resident is 44, making the area noticeably older than the national figure. While children under 15 make up 16.5% of the population, there is a higher proportion of people in de facto relationships than in most similar areas.

Over 21% of residents were born overseas, a figure much higher than most similar areas. Filipino ancestry is particularly prominent at 11.6%, and 10.4% of the population was born in the Philippines.

Language diversity is much higher than in most similar areas, with 16.2% of people using a language other than English at home, including Tagalog and Mandarin.

Nearly half of the community (47.0%) reports having no religion, which is well above the national figure of 38.9%.

Educational attainment is far below the state and national levels, with only 8.7% of adults holding a bachelor degree and 36.9% completing Year 12.

Typical incomes are well below state and national figures, with a typical household earning $1,093 a week and very few households earning more than $3,000 weekly.

Health challenges are common here, with long-term health conditions affecting 34.9% of people—well above the national figure of 27.7%.

The community has a strong history of service, with 5.1% of people having served in the Defence Force, which is much higher than most similar areas.

First Nations people make up 3.8% of the population, though the typical person in this group is far older than the national figure at 36 years.

Living arrangements are unusual for the area, with 40.9% of people living alone and a higher rate of one-parent families compared to the state.

Renting is very common here at 37.6%, far above the state average. Most people live in separate houses, and typical weekly rents of $225 are well below the national figure.

Car travel is essential, as 0% of people commute by public transport and a 46-minute walk to the nearest stop is much longer than in most areas.

The area has seen high movement, with 23.9% of the population being recent overseas arrivals, a rate well above both the state and nation.

Manufacturing and agriculture are the primary industries, and while full-time employment is higher than average, the unemployment rate is also higher at 7.0%.

The town has seen a sharp increase in crime, with the recorded offence rate rising by 117.5% over five years, driven largely by theft and property damage.

Most homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries and schools, though no residents live within a 15-minute walk of health services.