Urban Area · Area profile
Kalgoorlie - Boulder
75 km²
A typical family income of $2,825 a week sets Kalgoorlie - Boulder apart as a high-earning hub. This is a young, active community where the typical resident is only 34, and children make up over 22% of the population. The area is shaped by a strong mining industry and a high proportion of full-time workers, which helps explain the high incomes and the large number of recent overseas arrivals. It remains a distinctive regional centre with a growing population of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
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The community is noticeably younger than the national average, with a typical age of 34 and very few seniors. It has a strong Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander presence at 7.7%, which is well above the national figure. De facto relationships are also much more common here than in most other areas.
About 24% of residents were born overseas, which is much higher than most similar areas, though still well below the state average. The most common ancestries are Australian and English, followed by Irish and Scottish.
More people use a language other than English at home (12.8%) compared to most similar areas, and this has risen since 2011. However, this is still well below the national average of 22.3%.
People with no religion make up 44.7% of the population, a figure that has risen by 19 percentage points since 2011. This is well above the national average of 38.9%.
Qualifications in engineering and related fields are common, though the number of adults with a bachelor's degree (13.8%) is far below the national figure. Year 12 completion has risen to 44.8% since 2011.
Incomes are very high here; 32.2% of households earn $3,000 or more a week, which is well above the national average. The typical personal weekly income of $1,204 is also among the highest for its area level.
Residents are generally healthier than the national average, with a long-term health condition rate of 21.1%, which is well below the Australian figure of 27.7%. Those needing help with daily activities are also among the lowest in the country.
Unpaid childcare is common, while volunteering (12.5%) and unpaid housework are much lower than in most other areas. Only 7.1% of people provide unpaid care, which is well below the national average.
Families tend to be larger here, with 2.6 people per home. While 61.4% of households are couples with children, the number of people living alone has risen to 27.2% since 2011.
Renting is much more common here than nationally, with 36.8% of households renting. Most homes are large, with 81.4% having three or more bedrooms, but only 18.3% are owned outright.
Cars are essential, as only 4.8% of homes have no motor vehicle. Working from home is very rare at 2.5%, which is far below the national figure of 21%.
The population is quite mobile, with 42.7% of people moving in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals make up 17.7% of the community, though this is down 23 points since 2011.
The job market is very strong, with 71.8% of people employed full-time and an unemployment rate of 3.4%, which is lower than the national figure. Mining is the dominant industry, employing 26.6% of the workforce.
The area is somewhat walkable, with most homes within a 15-minute walk of parks, schools, and groceries. However, health services are much harder to reach on foot than in the rest of the state.