Merriwa

The community is older than the national figure, with a typical resident aged 40 and nearly a quarter of the population aged 65 or over. Children under 15 make up 19.5% of the population, which is higher than most similar areas.

People born overseas make up 33.9% of the population, a figure well above the national average. English, Australian, Scottish, and Irish are the most common ancestries reported.

While 12.4% of residents use a language other than English at home, this is well below the figures for Western Australia and the rest of the country.

A larger share of residents report no religion (45.8%) compared to the national figure of 38.9%. Christianity is the next most common affiliation at 41.5%.

Education levels are far below the state and national averages, with only 8.3% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Year 12 completion is also far below the national figure at 43.9%.

Incomes are well below those in the rest of the state, with a typical weekly household income of $1,255. Only 10% of households earn $3,000 or more per week.

Health challenges are common here; 35.9% of people have a long-term health condition, and 10.2% need help with daily activities, both of which are well above the national figures.

Volunteer rates are well below the national figure, though there is a notably high number of people who have served in the Defence Force compared to most areas.

First Nations residents are noticeably younger than those in the rest of the state, with a typical age of 18. Unemployment is higher than the national average at 14.0%.

One-parent families are very common, making up 23.4% of households, which is well above the national average. About 28.6% of people live alone.

Homes here are generally large, with 84.1% having three or more bedrooms. However, very few are owned outright (15.6%), a figure far below the national average.

Public transport use is higher than in most similar areas, and 7.8% of homes have no motor vehicle. Transit times to the city are much higher than usual, though the drive is much shorter.

About 34.8% of people moved into the area in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 5.1% of the population.

Unemployment is well above the national figure at 8.5%. The number of adults working or looking for work is also far below the state average.

Merriwa is very walkable, with 100% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a park, school, and health service. This makes it far more accessible than the state average.