State Electorate · Area profile
Flinders
223,345 km²
Spanning a massive 223,345 square kilometres of landscape, Flinders is a vast and sparsely populated region of South Australia. The community is noticeably older than the national average, with a population that grew by 15% since 2011 to reach 35,849 people. It is a place where people often live alone or in detached houses, and where volunteering is far more common than in most other areas. The local character is marked by a strong connection to the land and a high proportion of residents with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage.
Families are well catered for: 29 schools serve Flinders.
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 7.4% of the population, which is well above the national figure and has risen since 2011. The typical resident is 44, making the area noticeably older than most of Australia.
The area is overwhelmingly Australian born, with only 7.2% born overseas, a figure that fell 20 points since 2011 and is far below the state average.
English is the primary tongue for most, with only 4.4% of people using another language at home, which is far below the national figure.
A large majority of residents report no religion, at 47.0%, a figure that rose 21 points since 2011 and is well above the national average.
Education levels are much lower than most areas, with only 39.6% of residents completing Year 12 and far fewer holding a bachelor degree compared to the rest of the state.
Typical weekly household incomes are $1,279, which is well below the national figure. While this has risen since 2011, the proportion of high-earning households remains much lower than in most areas.
About 28.4% of residents live with a long-term health condition, which is about the same as the national figure. Mental health conditions are reported less often here than in most other areas.
Volunteering is very common here, with 26.5% of people participating, far above the national average. Unpaid housework is also more frequent than in most areas.
Living alone is common, with 30.3% of people in single-person homes. This is well above the national figure, while typical household sizes are a little smaller than the Australian average.
Detached houses are the norm, making up 88.5% of dwellings. Home ownership is strong, with 39.2% of homes owned outright, and typical weekly rents are far below the national average.
The area is heavily reliant on cars, with only 0.6% of people commuting via public transport. Very few homes lack a motor vehicle, and public transport stops are far less frequent than in the rest of the state.
The population is relatively stable, as the proportion of people who moved in the last five years is among the lowest at this level. Recent arrivals from overseas are also well below the national average.
Agriculture, forestry and fishing are major employers, accounting for 19.6% of jobs. The unemployment rate is 3.7%, which is a little below the national figure.
The area is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score far below the state average. Most homes are far from groceries, health services, and schools.