Urban Centre · Area profile
Tumby Bay
2 km²
Tucked away on the coast, Tumby Bay is a quiet seaside community with a very senior population. The typical resident is 61, far older than the national figure of 38, and 43.1% of the population are aged 65 and over. This high number of retirees is reflected in the local lifestyle, with many people owning their homes outright and a very high rate of volunteering. It is a stable, predominantly English-speaking area where the population grew slightly to 1,511 people by 2021.
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The area is far older than most, with seniors making up 43.1% of the population—a figure that rose 10 points since 2011. Conversely, children under 15 make up only 11.8%, which is well below the national average.
Most residents were born in Australia (86.1%), and those born overseas account for only 6.4%, which is far below the national figure. English and Australian are the most common ancestries.
English is the dominant language, with 93.5% of people using it only at home. This is far below the national average for language diversity, and only 1.3% use another language at home.
About 45.7% of residents have no religion, a figure that rose 19 points since 2011. This is well above the national average of 38.9%.
Education levels are lower than the state and national figures, with only 11.0% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. However, Year 12 completion rose by 8 points since 2011 to reach 34.1%.
Typical incomes are well below national figures, with the usual household earning $989 a week. Only 7.7% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly, though this rose 5.5 points since 2011.
Long-term health conditions are much more common here than in most areas, affecting 39.8% of people. This is consistent with the older population, as 9.7% need help with daily activities, which is well above the national average.
Volunteering is very common, with 29.6% of people pitching in, far above the national figure of 14.1%. There is also a higher than usual number of former Defence Force members at 5.0%.
Homes are typically small, with just 1.9 people per home. This is partly because nearly 40% of people live alone, which is far above the national figure of 25.6%.
Home ownership is very high, with 52.3% of homes owned outright, far above the national average. Rent is also much lower than typical, with a usual weekly rent of $220.
The car is the primary way to get around, as only 0.7% of people use public transport to commute. This is well below the national figure.
The community is relatively stable, with only 31.6% of people moving in the last five years, which is well below the national average of 40.7%.
Fewer people here are working or looking for work (44.9%) compared to the rest of the country. Health care, agriculture, and construction are the main industries for those employed.
The area is somewhat walkable, with 98.8% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a park. However, it is far below the state average for proximity to public transport.