Urban Centre · Area profile
Donnybrook
6 km²
A noticeably older population defines Donnybrook, where the typical resident is 45. This community has seen a significant shift, with the number of people aged 65 and over rising sharply to 26.2% since 2011. While the total population shrank by 39% over the last decade, it remains larger than most similar areas. The town is primarily made up of detached houses and families, creating a settled, residential character in the Western Australian countryside.
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The community is aging rapidly, with seniors making up 26.2% of residents, which is far above the state figure. This shift is highlighted by a typical age of 45, making the area noticeably older than both Western Australia and the national average.
People born overseas make up 17.9% of the population, which is much higher than most similar areas but still well below the state and national averages. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, followed by Scottish and Irish.
English is the primary language for 88.4% of residents. While 6.0% of people use another language at home—a figure much higher than in similar areas—this is still far below the national average.
Nearly half of the population (49.0%) reports having no religion, a figure that is far above the national average and has risen 17 points since 2011. Christianity is the next most common affiliation at 41.3%.
Education levels are lower than the state and national averages, with only 10.6% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. The number of residents who completed Year 12 fell by 16 points since 2011 to 37.7%.
Typical weekly household incomes are $1,254, which is well below the national figure of $1,746. Despite this, 12.8% of households earn $3,000 or more a week, which is higher than in most similar areas.
Health needs are higher here than in most areas, with 7.3% of people needing help with daily activities. Long-term health conditions are also more common than the state average, with arthritis and mental health being the most reported.
Volunteering is more common here than in most similar areas, with 19.6% of people pitching in. Additionally, 28.3% of residents spend 15 or more hours a week on unpaid housework, which is well above the national figure.
Homes tend to be larger than usual, with 2.4 people per household. While 49.2% of homes are couples with children, there has been a rise in people living alone, now accounting for 28.2% of households.
Detached houses are the norm for 95.1% of residents, and 87.3% of homes have three or more bedrooms. Outright home ownership is far above the state average at 39.2%, while renting is far less common than nationally.
Car dependence is very high, with 65.6% of people driving to work and only 0.4% using public transport. Very few people work from home (4.4%), which is far below the national figure.
The area has seen a decline in new arrivals, with recent overseas arrivals falling 14 points since 2011 to 7.2%. However, 38.3% of the population has moved house in the last five years.
About half of adults (52.1%) are working or looking for work, which is far below the state average. The local workforce is split across health care, mining, and retail, with labourers and tradespeople being the most common jobs.
The area is somewhat walkable, with a score of 4.3. While almost every home is within a 15-minute walk of a park, only 22.6% are within 10 minutes of public transport, which is far below the state average.