Urban Centre · Area profile
Port Pirie
33 km²
A typical resident of Port Pirie is noticeably older than the national average, with the community's average age now 43. This regional centre has a population of 13,708 people and is seeing a significant shift towards a non-religious identity. While the area is largely Australian-born, it faces distinct social challenges, including higher unemployment and lower typical incomes compared to the rest of South Australia. It remains a place of detached housing and strong regional ties, though the population has shrunk slightly since 2011.
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The community is ageing, with the typical resident now 43 and seniors making up 23% of the population, which is well above the national figure. Children under 15 have fallen to 17.1% since 2011, while the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population is a little above the state average at 5.3%.
Most residents were born in Australia (85.9%), and the area has far fewer overseas-born people than the state or national average. English, Irish, Scottish and German are the most common ancestries after Australian.
English is the main language for 89.3% of the community. While those using another language at home rose to 4.8% since 2011, this is still far below the national figure of 22.3%.
A large number of residents now report having no religion, at 48.8%, which is well above the national average. This figure has risen sharply by 18 points since 2011.
Educational attainment is far below the national average, with only 8.1% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Only 33.4% of residents completed Year 12, which is significantly lower than the state figure of 54.6%.
Incomes are well below state and national levels, with the typical household earning $1,036 a week. Only 9.2% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly, although this has risen since 2011.
Health needs are higher than in most areas; 37.7% of people have a long-term health condition and 13.2% have a mental health condition. Additionally, 9.5% of residents need help with daily activities, a figure that has risen since 2011.
Volunteer rates have fallen by 8.6 points since 2011 to reach 15.1%. Unpaid care for children has also dropped significantly to 23.1%, which is well below the national average.
Living arrangements are distinctive, with 36.5% of people living alone and 21.8% of families being one-parent households, both of which are much higher than most areas. This contributes to a smaller typical household size of 2.2 people.
The area is dominated by separate houses (83.4%), and rent is far below the national typical of $375, sitting at just $185. While 33.3% of households rent, home loan payments are also much lower than the national figure.
Most people rely on cars to get to work, as only 0.4% use public transport. A much higher proportion of homes have no motor vehicle (11.3%) compared to the state average.
The community is relatively stable, with 31.3% of people moving in the last five years, which is well below the national figure of 40.7%.
Unemployment is much higher than most areas at 7.7%, and the number of adults working or looking for work has fallen by 9.2 points since 2011. Health care, manufacturing and retail are the main industries for workers.
The area is somewhat walkable, with most homes within a short walk of schools and parks. However, far fewer people can walk to groceries or health services compared to the state average.