Section of State · Area profile
Rural Balance
982,165 km²
Large detached houses and low rents define Rural Balance, where 97.3% of homes are separate dwellings. This is an older community, with a typical resident aged 47 and a significant rise in seniors since 2011. The area has a strong connection to the land, with nearly a quarter of the workforce employed in agriculture, forestry, and fishing. It is a stable, car-dependent region where most people own their homes outright and few move in or out over five-year periods.
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The population is far older than the national figure, with the typical resident aged 47 and seniors making up 20.5% of the community. Since 2011, the number of people aged 65 and over has risen by 7.4 percentage points.
Most residents were born in Australia, and those born overseas make up only 11.2% of the population, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%. English and Australian are the most common ancestries.
English is the primary language for 88% of the community. Very few people use another language at home (4.7%), a figure far below the national average of 22.3%.
A large number of residents report having no religion (46.8%), which is well above the national figure of 38.9%. This proportion has risen by 19 percentage points since 2011.
Adults with a bachelor degree or higher make up 14.8% of the population, far below the national figure of 26.3%. However, more people have completed Year 12 here than in most similar areas.
The typical weekly household income is $1,491, which is a little below the national figure of $1,746. Incomes have risen across the board since 2011, with typical personal income increasing by $205.
A little more than the national average (28.9%) of residents have a long-term health condition, with arthritis being the most common. However, fewer people need help with daily activities compared to most areas.
Volunteering is very common here, with 25.5% of people pitching in, far above the national figure of 14.1%. This high level of community support extends to unpaid care and housework.
Families with children are common, and households tend to be larger than in most areas. Only 8.2% of families are one-parent households, which is well below the national figure of 14.1%.
Home ownership is very high, with 46.4% of homes owned outright. Renting is rare (12.2%) and typical weekly rents are far below the national figure, sitting at just $200.
The area is heavily reliant on cars, as only 0.7% of people commute by public transport. Most homes have multiple vehicles, with 38.3% owning two and 21.2% owning three.
The population is very stable, with only 25.8% of people moving in the last five years, far below the national figure of 40.7%. Recent overseas arrivals are also much lower than in most areas.
Agriculture, forestry and fishing is the dominant industry, employing 24% of the workforce. The unemployment rate is 3.3%, which is much lower than most similar areas.
The area is almost entirely car-dependent, with a walkability score of 0.7. Very few homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries (4.3%) or health services (1.0%).