Urban Centre · Area profile
Mount Gambier
33 km²
One of the largest hubs in its category, Mount Gambier is a growing regional centre with a population of 26,734. The area has seen a significant shift in its identity, with the typical resident now 41 and a much lower proportion of seniors than a decade ago. It is a place of contrasts, combining a high rate of people living alone with a rising number of families and children. Residents here generally enjoy a walkable lifestyle with easy access to shops and parks.
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The population has grown 14% since 2011. While the typical age is 41, there are more seniors (21.3%) and children (18.2%) than the national average.
Most residents were born in Australia (82.9%), and the area has far fewer overseas-born residents (11.4%) than both the state and national figures.
A small number of people speak a language other than English at home (6.8%), though this is much higher than in similar areas. This is still far below the national figure of 22.3%.
Over half the community (52.6%) reports having no religion, a figure that is far above the national average and has risen 24 points since 2011.
Qualifications are lower than the state and national averages, with only 11.8% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher.
Typical weekly household income is $1,228, which is well below the national figure of $1,746, though this has risen $490 since 2011.
Long-term health conditions are more common here than across Australia, with 34.2% of people affected and 11.1% reporting a mental health condition.
Caregiving is common, as 26.5% of people care for children unpaid. However, the number of volunteers has fallen 9.4 points since 2011 to 16.8%.
The area has a high number of people living alone (34.0%) and more one-parent families (17.8%) than is typical for the state.
Renting is much more common here than in similar areas, with 31.7% of households renting. Typical weekly rents are far below the national figure at $220.
Car use is dominant for work, while only 0.4% use public transport. Very few people work from home (3.7%), which is far below the national figure.
The community is relatively mobile, with 38.6% of people moving in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals have risen 8.3 points since 2011 to 12.7%.
More people are working or looking for work (58.9%) than in similar areas. The most common industries are health care, social assistance, and retail.
The area is quite walkable, with 80.6% of homes within a 15-minute walk of groceries, far above the state average of 64.4%.