State Electorate · Area profile
Kimberley (Mining and Pastoral)
533,782 km²
A very strong Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander presence defines Kimberley (Mining and Pastoral), where 41.4% of the population identifies as such. This is a notably young community, with a typical resident aged 33 and a high proportion of children under 15. The region is marked by a high rate of renting and larger-than-usual households. Its character is shaped by a blend of remote living and a growing population that has increased by 21% since 2011.
45 schools within reach make Kimberley (Mining and Pastoral) convenient for families.
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The area has a very young profile, with children under 15 making up 23.4% of the population, while seniors aged 65 and over are well below the national figure at 7.7%. People in de facto relationships are also far more common here than across Australia.
Most residents were born in Australia, and the proportion of people born overseas is far below the state and national figures, having fallen 10 points since 2011.
About 20.8% of people use a language other than English at home, which is a little above the state figure. This has risen 6.4 points since 2011, though the number of people who speak little or no English has fallen.
Religious affiliation is split almost evenly, with 38.8% identifying as Christian and 37.9% reporting no religion, a figure that has risen 13 points since 2011.
Educational attainment is much lower than the national average, with only 40.8% of residents completing Year 12. Those with a bachelor degree or higher are also far below the national figure at 15.7%.
Typical weekly household income is $1,757, which is about the same as the national figure. However, typical personal income is higher than the national figure at $853.
Residents report far fewer long-term health conditions (16.3%) and mental health conditions (4.1%) than the state and national averages. Only 2.9% of people need help with daily activities.
While the rate of unpaid childcare is a little above the national figure, people doing significant unpaid housework and those providing general unpaid care are both well below the national average.
Homes here are larger than most, with an average of 2.8 people per home. This is consistent with a very high rate of one-parent families, which is far above the national figure at 23.9%.
Renting is far more common here than across Australia, at 59.5%, while outright home ownership is far below the national figure. Typical weekly rent is very low at $200, though typical monthly mortgage payments are a little above the national figure.
The area is heavily reliant on cars, as 18.5% of homes have no motor vehicle—far above the national figure—and public transport use is very low at 1.5%.
Recent arrivals from overseas are much higher than in most areas at 21.3%, although this is 18 points lower than it was in 2011.
A high proportion of people (68.1%) are employed full-time, well above the national figure. However, the number of adults working or looking for work is much lower than most areas, and the unemployment rate is a little above the national average.
The region is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score far below the state average and no public transport stops available. Most people live within a 15-minute walk of a park, but far fewer can walk to health services.