State / Territory · Area profile
Western Australia
2,526,632 km²
A growing population of 2.66 million people has seen Western Australia expand by 19% since 2011. This is a relatively young state where the typical resident is 38, similar to the national figure. The community is increasingly diverse, with a high proportion of overseas-born residents and a significant shift toward people identifying as having no religion. It is a place of high earners and large family homes, combining a strong workforce with a lifestyle that leans toward detached housing.
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The population is around the middle for other states, though it has a much higher rate of children under 15 than most areas. While the typical age is 38, the number of seniors aged 65 and over rose 3.8 points since 2011.
Western Australia is among the most diverse areas at this level, with 32.2% of people born overseas, which is well above the national figure of 27.7%. English is the most common ancestry at 37.6%.
About 18.4% of people use a language other than English at home, a figure that rose 3.9 points since 2011. However, the proportion of people who speak little or no English is a little below the national average.
A large number of residents identify as having no religion, at 42.9%, which is well above the national figure. This represents a significant rise of 17 points since 2011.
The state has seen a rise in qualifications, with the share of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher climbing 6.3 points since 2011 to reach 23.8%.
Typical incomes are high here; the typical weekly family income is $2,214, which is much higher than most other states. Those earning $2,000 or more a week rose to 14.7% since 2011.
Residents are slightly less likely to have a long-term health condition compared to the national figure. About 8.3% of people have a mental health condition, which is about the same as across Australia.
The state has a much higher rate of people caring for children unpaid than most other areas, at 28.5%. Volunteers make up 15.9% of the community, slightly above the national figure.
There are 88,693 First Nations people, and 16.0% speak a First Nations language, which is well above the national figure. However, unemployment is much higher than most areas at 15.9%.
Homes tend to be larger than in most other states, with an average of 2.5 people per home. Couples with children make up the largest group at 58.9%.
Separate houses are very common at 79.7%, and the state has among the highest shares of homes with three or more bedrooms. Renting is much less common here than in most other areas.
Cars are the primary way to get to work for 62.1% of people. While few work from home compared to the national figure, the state has a high number of public transport departures per 1,000 people.
Recent arrivals from overseas fell significantly by 12 points since 2011 to 10.6%. About 39% of the population moved house in the last five years.
The workforce is strong, with 63.9% of adults working or looking for work, which is higher than most other states. Health care and construction are among the top industries.
The region is seeing rapid growth, with its population estimate rising by 10.7% since the 2021 census, the highest growth rate among its peer areas.
The environment is generally hot and dry, with an average maximum temperature of 31.3 degrees and annual rainfall that is much lower than most other states.
The area is somewhat walkable, with 88.9% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a park. However, only 48.5% of homes are within a similar distance of health services.