Suburb / Locality · Area profile
Karnup
32 km²
Far younger than most similar areas, Karnup is a growing community of families. The typical resident is just 30, and children under 15 make up 26.8% of the population, which is well above the national figure. This young demographic is reflected in the large number of households with children and a high proportion of people in de facto relationships. Most residents live in spacious detached homes, and the area has a high proportion of people who have moved here in the last five years.
Families are well catered for: 16 schools serve Karnup.
Explore Karnup by topic
The community is notably young, with a typical age of 30 and a population of 65-year-olds that is well below the state and national figures. About 26.8% of residents are children, and de facto relationships are much more common here than in most similar areas.
Around 26% of residents were born overseas, which is much higher than in most similar areas, though this is still a little below the national figure. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, followed by Scottish and Irish.
English is the main language for 88.8% of the community. While more people here use another language at home than in most similar areas, this is still far below the figures for Western Australia and the rest of the country.
A high number of residents report having no religion, at 57.5%. This is far above both the state figure and the national average.
Qualifications are generally lower than in most areas, with only 11.4% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. However, more than half of the population has completed Year 12, which is higher than the trend in similar areas.
Incomes are generally strong, with a typical household earning $2,122 a week, which is a little above the state and national figures. A higher-than-usual proportion of households earn over $3,000 per week.
Residents are generally healthier than those in most similar areas, with a much lower rate of long-term health conditions (22.9%) compared to the state and nation. Only 3.9% of people need help with daily activities.
Childcare is a major part of local life, as 38.5% of people provide unpaid care for children, far above the national figure. Additionally, a much higher percentage of residents have served in the Defence Force compared to most areas.
First Nations residents in Karnup have a much lower typical age of 19 and are far more likely to have completed Year 12 than those across the state. Their typical personal income is also far above the national and state figures.
Homes here are larger and more crowded than usual, with 3.0 people per home. This is consistent with the high number of couples with children, who make up 66.2% of households.
Almost every home is a separate house (99.5%), and 97.4% of these have three or more bedrooms. However, outright home ownership is among the lowest for similar areas, with 61.2% of homes having a mortgage.
The area is heavily reliant on cars, with 61.5% of workers driving to work and 0.5% of homes having no vehicle. Public transport is very limited, and the walk to the nearest stop can take over an hour.
The community is quite mobile, with 43.4% of residents having moved into the area in the last five years, a rate well above the state average.
More adults are working or looking for work here than in most similar areas. The most common industries for local workers are construction, health care, and retail trade.
The area is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score far below the state average. While many residents can walk to groceries or health services, no one lives within a 15-minute walk of a school.