Urban Area · Area profile
Karratha
134 km²
The population of Karratha grew by 3.3% since 2011, evolving into a young and high-earning regional hub. The typical resident is just 32, and with 26.5% of the community being children, families are common here. This is a transient and industrious place where many people work in mining and construction, which helps explain why weekly incomes are far above the national figure. It is a predominantly working-age community with very few seniors.
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Karratha is noticeably younger than the state and national average, with a typical age of 32 and far fewer people aged 65 and over. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population is 9.0%, which is well above the national figure and has risen since 2011.
About 20.2% of people were born overseas, which is much higher than most similar areas, though this is still well below the Western Australian average. The most common ancestries are Australian and English.
English is the main language for 72.3% of the community, but 12.3% use another language at home, a figure that has risen since 2011. Very few people speak little or no English.
A large proportion of the community has no religion, at 47.8%, which is well above the national figure. This trend has grown significantly since 2011.
Qualifications have risen since 2011, with 51.5% of residents completing Year 12. The workforce is specialised, with 24.1% of qualifications being in engineering and related fields.
Incomes are far above the national figure, with nearly half of all households earning $3,000 or more a week. The typical weekly family income is $3,497, which is well above the state average.
Residents are generally healthy, with far fewer people reporting long-term health conditions or mental health issues compared to the rest of the country. Only 1.4% of people need help with daily activities.
A high number of people provide unpaid childcare, at 32.8%, which is well above the national average. However, fewer people provide other types of unpaid care or do significant housework.
Homes here are larger than usual, with 2.8 people per home and 70.6% of households being couples with children. Only 21.8% of people live alone.
Renting is very common, with 60.0% of households renting, far above the national figure. Most homes are separate houses with three or more bedrooms, and typical weekly rents are $320.
The community relies heavily on cars, with 70.4% of people driving to work and 44.9% of homes having two vehicles. Only 2.1% use public transport to commute.
Karratha is a highly mobile community, with 55.1% of people moving in the last five years. This is far above the national average.
Jobs are plentiful and mostly full-time, with 71.6% of the workforce employed full-time and a low unemployment rate of 2.8%. Mining and construction are the biggest industries.
The area is only somewhat walkable, as many homes are far from groceries and health services. However, 81.0% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of a school.