Urban Centre · Area profile
Donald
7 km²
Much older than most similar areas, Donald is a community where the typical resident is 53. The population has grown by 21% since 2011, but it has shifted significantly toward a senior profile, with over 32% of people aged 65 and over. This older demographic helps explain why so many people live alone and why there is a high need for daily health support. It is a place where a large number of residents own their homes outright and actively volunteer in the community.
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The population is far older than the national figure, and the proportion of seniors has risen 18 points since 2011. While the number of children under 15 has fallen, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population has risen to 2.7%.
Most residents were born in Australia, and those born overseas make up 8.1%, which is far below the national figure. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, followed by Irish and Scottish.
English is the main language for 86.2% of the community, though the use of other languages at home rose to 5.5% since 2011. Very few people, only 0.2%, speak little or no English.
About half of the community identifies as Christian, while 38.5% of people report no religion. The proportion of people with no religion has risen 13 points since 2011.
Education levels are lower than in most areas, with only 33.3% of residents completing Year 12. Only 9.4% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, which is far below the state average.
Typical weekly household incomes are far below the national figure at $1,016. Low incomes are common, with 49.4% of people earning under $650 a week, and only 6.3% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly.
Health needs are high, as 40.7% of people have a long-term health condition. This is far above the national figure, and 11.6% of residents need help with daily activities.
Volunteering is very common, with 27.5% of people helping out, far above the state average. This high level of participation is seen alongside a high rate of people providing unpaid care.
Nearly 40% of people live alone, which is far above the national figure. This reflects the older population, and it means homes are smaller, with only 2.1 people per home on average.
Housing is very affordable, with typical weekly rents at $180 and typical monthly mortgage payments at $798. Nearly half of all homes are owned outright, far above the state and national figures.
Most people rely on cars, and no one uses public transport to commute. About 6% of homes have no motor vehicle, which is higher than in most similar areas.
While 31.2% of people moved in the last five years, there has been a sharp rise in recent arrivals from overseas, which rose 16 points since 2011 to 22.3%.
Fewer people are working or looking for work compared to the state average. The most common industries for local workers are health care, agriculture, and food services.
The area is somewhat walkable, with 98% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a park and 91.2% near a school. However, access to public transport is far below the state average.