Harrington

The community is far older than most Australian areas, with the typical resident aged 64 and 48.6% of people aged 65 or over. This trend is highlighted by the fact that children under 15 make up only 8.1% of the population, which is far below the national figure.

Most residents were born in Australia, though the proportion of people born overseas rose to 10.0% since 2011. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, followed by Irish and Scottish.

English is the dominant language, with 93.4% of people using it at home. Only 2.3% of residents use another language, a figure far below the national average, and no one reported speaking little or no English.

Christianity remains the most common religion at 60.5%. The proportion of people reporting no religion has risen significantly since 2011 to 31.8%, which is still a little below the state average.

Education levels are lower than the national average, with 26.7% of residents completing Year 12. About 10.2% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, though this is an increase since 2011.

Incomes are much lower than the national figure, with the typical household earning $902 a week. Only 4.7% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly, which is far below the state and national averages.

Health challenges are common, with 48% of people reporting a long-term condition and 9.6% needing help with daily activities. This is well above the national figure, with arthritis being the most frequent condition.

The area has a high rate of unpaid care and housework, with 28.6% of people spending 15 or more hours a week on chores. There is also a notable history of service, as 6.0% of residents served in the Defence Force.

Homes are smaller on average, with just 2.0 people per household. Over 60% of families are couples without children, consistent with the very low number of children in the area.

Housing is dominated by large, detached houses, and 64.1% are owned outright, which is far above the national average. While renting is less common here than elsewhere, the typical weekly rent of $340 has risen since 2016.

Most people rely on cars, with 64.2% driving to work and only 0.4% using public transport. Working from home is more common than in most areas, at 11.6%.

The population is quite mobile, with 42.1% of residents moving in the last five years, which is a little above the national figure. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 3.1% of the community.

Only 30% of adults are working or looking for work, which is far below the national average. Among those employed, the unemployment rate is 7.0%, a little above the national figure.

The area is somewhat walkable, with 87.2% of homes within a 15-minute walk of groceries and 85.3% near health services. However, access to parks and schools is much lower than across the state.