Urban Centre · Area profile
Laverton
12 km²
Daily life in Laverton (L) revolves around a small, shifting population where nearly half of the residents have moved in during the last five years. The community has a very strong Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander presence, which is far above the national figure. While the population has nearly doubled since 2011, it remains a small area with a mix of high-earning professionals and a significant number of people living alone. This creates a unique character where high-paying mining and public service jobs sit alongside a high proportion of rental homes.
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 37.1% of the population, which is far above the national figure. The community is becoming older, with a typical resident now 39, while the proportion of children under 15 has fallen significantly since 2011.
About 14.7% of residents were born overseas, a figure that is much higher than most similar areas but far below the Western Australian average. English and Australian are the most common ancestries.
The use of a language other than English at home has risen sharply to 24.1% since 2011, which is well above the state average. Despite this diversity, very few people speak little or no English.
More than half of the population (51.4%) report having no religion, a figure that is far above the national average and has risen by 24 points since 2011.
Educational attainment is lower than the state average, with only 35% of residents completing Year 12. However, the number of adults with a bachelor degree or higher has risen to 10.4% since 2011.
Typical weekly personal income is $823, which is about the same as the national figure. The area sees a high proportion of top earners, with 15.7% of people earning $2,000 or more a week.
Health profiles are generally positive, with the rate of mental health conditions being well below the national figure. About 27.3% of people live with a long-term health condition, mostly asthma and diabetes.
Community participation is low, with far fewer people providing unpaid care or caring for children compared to the rest of the state. Volunteer rates have also fallen slightly since 2011.
Household structures are varied, with a high number of people living alone (37.5%) and a much higher rate of one-parent families than most areas. The typical home holds 2.3 people.
Renters make up 48.3% of the market, far above the national average, though typical weekly rent is very low at $150. Detached houses are the most common dwelling type, used by 80% of residents.
Walking to work is surprisingly common at 18.1%, and public transport use is well above the national average. Conversely, 12.7% of homes have no motor vehicle, which is much higher than in most areas.
The community is highly mobile, with 45.8% of people moving in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals make up 11.7% of the population, though this is down since 2011.
Full-time employment is well above the national average at 66.9%, with many people working in mining and public administration. However, the overall proportion of adults working or looking for work is far below the state average.
The area is very walkable, with over 90% of homes within a 15-minute walk of groceries, health services, and schools. Despite this, no homes are within a 10-minute walk of public transport.