State Electorate · Area profile
Bass (McIntyre)
5,227 km²
A far older population defines Bass (McIntyre), where the typical resident is 50. This sparsely populated area has seen a significant shift since 2011, with the number of seniors rising sharply while the total population shrank by 76%. It is a quiet, residential community where nearly half of all homes are owned outright and the majority of people are Australian-born. The area's character is shaped by a high proportion of retirees and a strong tradition of volunteering.
Bass (McIntyre) is well supplied with schools for its relatively small share of children.
Explore Bass (McIntyre) by topic
The community is far older than the national figure, with 26.7% of people aged 65 and over. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 5.5% of the population, a figure that has risen since 2011.
Most residents were born in Australia, and only 9.1% were born overseas, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%. English and Australian are the most common ancestries.
English is the only language spoken at home for 90.7% of residents. Very few people use another language (2.4%), and only 0.2% speak little or no English.
A large proportion of the community reports no religion at 48.2%, which is well above the national figure of 38.9%. This figure has risen by 22 percentage points since 2011.
Education levels are much lower than most areas, with only 31.0% of residents completing Year 12. Only 11.2% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, far below the national figure of 26.3%.
Incomes are well below the national figure, with a typical household earning $1,041 a week. Only 8.0% of households earn $3,000 or more per week.
Long-term health conditions are more common here than in most areas, affecting 34.8% of people. Around 7.4% of residents need help with daily activities, which is a little above the national figure.
Volunteering is very high, with 22.8% of people giving their time, well above the national figure of 14.1%. Unpaid care for others is also more common than in most areas.
Many people live alone (32.6%), and the typical home is small with only 2.2 people. This is consistent with the high number of seniors living in the area.
The area is dominated by separate houses (95.5%), and 45.0% are owned outright. Weekly rent is very low at $200, far below the national figure of $375.
Most people rely on cars, as only 0.2% of commuters use public transport. Very few homes lack a motor vehicle (4.0%).
The population is relatively stable, with only 31.1% moving in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas are much lower than in most other areas.
Fewer adults are working or looking for work (53.6%) compared to the national figure of 61.1%. Agriculture, forestry and fishing is the most common industry, employing 24.9% of the workforce.
The area is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 2.9. Many residents live far from essential services, with only 19.5% within a 15-minute walk of health services.