Urban Centre · Area profile
Bute
1 km²
A far older population than the national average marks Bute, where the typical resident is 62 years old. This small community has seen its population shrink by 32% since 2011, resulting in a quiet area where nearly half of all residents are seniors. The town is largely residential, with a strong presence of retirees and very few children, contributing to a feeling of a slow-paced, ageing rural settlement in South Australia.
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Bute is much older than most areas, with 42.5% of people aged 65 and over, a figure far above the national average. This shift is stark; the typical age rose by 19 years since 2011, while the proportion of children under 15 fell by 11 points.
The community is predominantly Australian-born, with 85.5% born here. English is the most common ancestry at 50%, and the number of people born overseas is far below the state and national figures.
Language diversity is very low, as no residents reported using a language other than English at home. This is far below the national figure and represents a slight decrease since 2011.
A majority of residents, 52.2%, report having no religion, which is far above the national average. This figure has risen by 18 points since 2011.
Educational qualifications are much lower than in most areas, with only 5% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Both the rate of degree holders and those completing Year 12 have fallen since 2011.
Incomes are among the lowest at this level, with a typical household earning $748 a week, far below the national figure. No households earn $3,000 or more per week, and typical personal incomes have fallen since 2011.
Health challenges are common here, with 52.6% of people living with a long-term health condition, far above the national average. Those needing help with daily activities also rose by 10 points since 2011.
Volunteering is higher than the national average at 19.5%, though this is down from 2011. This active spirit is alongside a high rate of former Defence Force members, at 6.9%.
The home environment is often solitary, with 41.8% of people living alone, far above the national figure. This helps explain why there are only 1.9 people per home on average.
Housing is overwhelmingly dominated by separate houses (99.1%), with 60% owned outright, far above the national average. Typical weekly rents and mortgage payments are also much lower than in most areas.
Most people rely on cars to get to work, and no one uses public transport for commuting. Interestingly, the number of homes without a motor vehicle rose to 7.8% since 2011.
The population is very stable, as only 21.3% of people moved in the last five years, which is far below the national figure. There have been no recent arrivals from overseas.
The workforce is small, with only 33.5% of adults working or looking for work, far below the national average. The unemployment rate is also well above the state figure at 14.9%.
Bute is somewhat walkable, with almost every home within a 15-minute walk of groceries and parks. However, there are no health services within a 15-minute walk.