St Helens

St Helens is a far older community than most, with a typical age of 57 and 34.7% of people aged 65 and over, which is far above the national figure. In contrast, children under 15 make up only 12.7%, a figure well below the state and national averages.

Most residents were born in Australia (76.5%), though 14.6% were born overseas, which is higher than most similar areas. English, Australian, Irish, and Scottish are the most common ancestries reported.

English is the main language for 88.5% of the population. Only 3.7% of people use another language at home, which is well below the state figure of 8.7% and far below the national average.

About 43.7% of people report having no religion, a figure well above the national average. This is closely followed by Christianity at 42.6%.

Educational attainment is lower than in most areas, with only 31.3% of residents completing Year 12, which is far below the national figure of 58.8%. Only 12.2% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher.

Incomes are among the lowest at this level, with a typical weekly household income of $824, which is far below the national figure of $1,746. Just 5.0% of households earn $3,000 or more per week.

Health needs are high here, with 39.0% of people living with a long-term health condition and 11.7% needing help with daily activities, both of which are well above the national average.

Volunteering is common at 20.5%, which is well above the national figure. This community also has a higher rate of unpaid carers (16.4%) and a higher number of Defence Force veterans (5.6%) than most areas.

There are 94 First Nations people in the area, with a typical age of 25. The typical personal income for First Nations residents is $519, which is lower than most similar areas.

Small households are very common, with 37.9% of people living alone, which is far above the national figure. This helps explain why the typical home contains only 2.0 people.

Home ownership is strong, with 49.6% of homes owned outright, far above the national figure of 31.0%. Rents are also lower than average, with a typical weekly rent of $230.

The area is very car-dependent, as 0% of people commute by public transport. While 7.5% of homes have no motor vehicle, most rely on cars, and those using public transport face a long walk of 71 minutes to the nearest stop.

The community is relatively mobile, with 38.2% of people moving in the last five years. However, recent arrivals from overseas are few (5.6%), which is far below the national average.

Working rates are among the lowest for its level, with only 40.8% of adults working or looking for work. The unemployment rate is 6.9%, which is a little above the national figure.

The town is mostly car-dependent with a walkability score of 3.8. While nearly 80% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of a park, far fewer have easy access to schools, groceries, or public transport.