State Electorate · Area profile
Mawson
5,330 km²
A noticeably older population marks the character of Mawson, where the typical resident is 46. This community in Kangaroo Island has seen its senior population grow significantly, with 23.8% now aged 65 or over. It is a place of stability and detachment, with very few recent overseas arrivals and a high proportion of people owning their homes outright. The area is predominantly car-dependent, reflecting a relaxed pace of life where typical incomes are lower than the national figure.
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The community is far older than the national average, and the proportion of seniors has risen by 6.1 percentage points since 2011. There has also been a notable increase in de facto relationships, which now account for 13.9% of the population.
Most residents were born in Australia, and the area has far fewer overseas-born people (19.3%) than the national average. The number of people born abroad fell by 11 percentage points over the last decade.
English is the dominant language, with 91% of people using it at home. This is far below the national figure for language diversity, and the proportion of people using another language fell by 26 percentage points since 2011.
A large majority of residents report no religion, at 59.0%. This is far above the national figure and represents a significant increase of 39 percentage points since 2011.
Education levels are lower than most areas, with only 49.1% of residents completing Year 12. The proportion of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher also fell by 5.3 percentage points since 2011.
Typical incomes are well below the national figure, with a typical household earning $1,297 a week. Only 12.3% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly, which is much lower than most other areas.
Long-term health conditions are much more common here than in most areas, affecting 33.4% of the population. Arthritis and mental health are the most reported conditions.
Volunteerism is very high, with 20.7% of people volunteering, which is well above the national figure. There is also a higher than average rate of people providing unpaid care and doing housework.
Household sizes are smaller than usual, with 2.4 people per home. About 27.1% of people live alone, a figure that has risen by 6.9 percentage points since 2011.
The area is dominated by separate houses (92.3%) and high home ownership, with 37.6% owning their home outright. Rental rates are far below the national average at 19.9%.
Most people rely on cars, with 63.2% driving to work and only 1.2% using public transport. Very few homes are without a vehicle, at just 3.2%.
The population is relatively stable, as fewer people have moved house in the last five years compared to most areas. Recent arrivals from overseas are also very uncommon, at only 4.0%.
Fewer adults are working or looking for work (57.4%) compared to the national average. Full-time employment has fallen by 7.1 percentage points since 2011.
The area is mostly car-dependent with a walkability score of 3.5, well below the state average. Many homes are far from basic needs, with only 35.3% within a 15-minute walk of groceries.