Urban Centre · Area profile
Norseman
6 km²
A far older population than the state average defines Norseman, where the typical resident is 52. The town has seen a significant shift in its makeup, with a shrinking population that has lost over 900 people since 2011. It is a place of stark contrasts, marked by a much higher proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and very low typical incomes. Many residents live alone in detached houses, contributing to a quiet, aging community character.
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Norseman is far older than most areas, with a typical age of 52 and 22.9% of people aged 65 or over. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population rose 16 points since 2011 to reach 17.3%, which is far above the national figure.
People born overseas make up 17.8% of the population, a figure that has barely changed since 2011. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, and most residents were born in Australia, New Zealand or England.
While 6.1% of people use a language other than English at home—which is higher than in similar areas—this is still far below the state and national figures. No residents reported speaking little or no English in 2021.
Religion is evenly split, with 38.9% of people identifying as Christian and 38.6% reporting no religion. This lack of religious affiliation is well below the Western Australian figure.
Educational attainment is much lower than most areas, with only 6.3% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. The number of people who completed Year 12 also fell 16 points since 2011 to 25.1%.
Typical incomes are far below the national figure, with the usual household earning $771 a week. Only 2.5% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly, which is among the lowest for its level.
A long-term health condition affects 33.5% of people, well above the national figure of 27.7%. Those needing help with daily activities rose 4.3 points since 2011 to 7.0%.
Community involvement has dropped, with the number of volunteers falling 15 points since 2011 to 10.6%. However, a higher proportion of residents served in the Defence Force compared to most areas.
Almost half of all residents (49.8%) live alone, a figure that rose 32 points since 2011. One-parent families are also much more common here than in most areas at 24.7%.
Detached houses are the norm for 97.9% of homes, and 44.4% are owned outright. Rents are much lower than the national average, with a typical weekly rent of $150.
Car travel is essential, as 0% of people commute by public transport. However, 10.4% of homes have no motor vehicle, which is much higher than most areas.
Movement into the area is lower than the national average, with 31.5% of people having moved in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas fell slightly since 2011 to 7.1%.
While 60.5% of people are employed full-time, the overall number of adults working or looking for work is far below the state average. The unemployment rate rose 3.5 points since 2011 to 8.1%.
The town is somewhat walkable, with 89% of homes within a 15-minute walk of groceries and 87.7% near health services. Conversely, only 6.5% of homes are within 10 minutes of public transport.