Urban Centre · Area profile
Loch Sport
6 km²
A typical resident is far older than the national average in Loch Sport, which stands out as one of the oldest communities at its level. This small town has seen its population grow by 42% since 2011, though it has become increasingly dominated by seniors. With nearly half the population aged 65 or over and very few children, it is a place where many people live alone in their own homes. This shift toward an older demographic is reflected in a high need for health and daily care services.
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The typical resident is 63, which is far older than the national figure of 38. People aged 65 and over make up 46.5% of the population, a figure that rose 26 points since 2011, while children under 15 fell to just 4.1%.
People born overseas make up 20.2% of the community, which is among the highest for its level and a 13 point increase since 2011. The most common ancestries are English, Australian, Irish and Scottish.
English is the main language for 88.7% of the town. Only 4.2% of people use another language at home, which is far below the national figure of 22.3%.
About 42.5% of residents report having no religion, a figure that rose 16 points since 2011. This is well above the national average of 38.9%.
Qualifications are lower than in most areas, with only 8.7% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. About 27.6% of residents completed Year 12, which is far below the national figure of 58.8%.
Incomes are among the lowest for its level, with the typical household earning $675 a week, far below the national figure of $1,746. Only 3.1% of households earn $3,000 or more per week.
Health needs are high here; 53.6% of people have a long-term health condition and 12.2% need help with daily activities. This is well above the national figure for daily help, which is 5.8%.
The town has a strong volunteering rate of 19.4%, which is well above the national figure. Many residents also provide unpaid care, with 15.8% doing so, while very few people care for children unpaid.
Living arrangements are dominated by single people and couples without children, with 45.9% of people living alone. This is far above the national average of 25.6%.
Housing is almost entirely made up of separate houses (98.7%), and 66.8% are owned outright, far above the national figure of 31%. Rent is also much lower than usual, with a typical weekly rent of $180.
The area is very car-dependent, with 62.3% of workers commuting by car and 0.0% using public transport. About 11.3% of people work from home.
The community has seen significant movement, with 41.3% of people moving in the last five years. However, recent arrivals from overseas fell to 1.9% since 2011.
Fewer adults are working or looking for work (26.4%) compared to the national figure of 61.1%. The unemployment rate is 7.8%, which is a little above the national average.
The town is mostly car-dependent with a low walkability score of 4.0. While 95.7% of homes are near public transport, only 14.1% are within a 15-minute walk of a school.