Urban Centre · Area profile
Rottnest Island
19 km²
Walking and cycling are the primary ways to get around Rottnest Island, where most residents live without a car. This sparsely populated area has seen its population shrink by 56% since 2011, leaving a small community of just 166 people. It is a notably young place, with a typical resident aged 33 and very few children or seniors. The community is highly mobile, with many recent overseas arrivals and a workforce heavily concentrated in tourism and hospitality.
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The typical resident is 33, making the island noticeably younger than the state and national figures. It has a very small population of children and seniors, and no Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander residents.
Overseas birth rates are far above the national figure at 39.8%, though this is a 24 point drop since 2011. The most common ancestries are Australian, English, Irish, and Scottish.
English is the main language, but 18.1% of people use another language at home, a figure that rose 16 points since 2011. Mandarin is the most common non-English language spoken.
People with no religion make up 43.4% of the community, which is well above the national figure. This is a significant increase from 12.3% in 2011.
Residents are well qualified, with 67.1% having completed Year 12, a figure well above the national average. A quarter of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher.
Typical personal income is $1,112 a week, which is well above the state and national figures. However, very few households earn $3,000 or more per week.
The community is in very good health, with only 12% reporting a long-term health condition. No residents reported needing help with daily activities.
Volunteer rates are about the same as the national figure at 14.1%. Very few people provide unpaid care for children or do significant housework compared to the rest of the state.
Living arrangements are unusual, with 41% of people living alone, which is far above the national figure. Homes are small, typically holding just 1.9 people.
Renting is very common at 54.1%, and the typical weekly rent of $113 is far below the state average. No homes are owned outright.
Cars are rare, as 88.5% of homes have no motor vehicle. This helps explain why 45.2% of people walk to work and 23.8% use a bicycle.
The population is highly transient, with 61.4% of people moving in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas make up a third of the community.
Employment is very high, with 85.9% of adults working or looking for work. Most people are employed in accommodation and food services.
Almost all homes are within a 15-minute walk of a park, but there is almost no access to groceries, schools, or health services on foot.