| People | 2,474,410 |
|---|---|
| Male | 50% |
| Female | 50% |
| Median age | 36 |
| Families | 644,189 |
|---|---|
| Average children per family | null |
| for families with children | 1.9 |
| for all households (a) | 0.8 |
| All private dwellings | 1,070,962 |
|---|---|
| Average people per household | 2.6 |
| Median weekly household income | $1,595 |
| Median monthly mortgage repayments | $1,993 |
| Median weekly rent | $347 |
| Average motor vehicles per dwelling | 1.9 |
(a) This label has been updated to more accurately reflect the Census concept shown in this data item. The data has not changed.
Search all persons QuickStats for another area
People
demographics & education | cultural & language diversity | employmentDemographics & education
People tables are based on a person's place of usual residence on Census night
| People Persons count based on place of usual residence on Census night | Western Australia | % Western Australia | 2011 | % 2011 | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 1,238,419 | 50.0 | 1,126,175 | 50.3 | 11,546,638 | 49.3 |
| Female | 1,235,994 | 50.0 | 1,112,991 | 49.7 | 11,855,248 | 50.7 |
| Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people | 75,978 | 3.1 | 69,664 | 3.1 | 649,171 | 2.8 |
In the 2016 Census, there were 2,474,410 people in Western Australia. Of these 50.0% were male and 50.0% were female. Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people made up 3.1% of the population.
View the data quality statement for Place of Usual Residence (PURP)| Age | Western Australia | % Western Australia | 2011 | % 2011 | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36 | -- | 36 | -- | 38 | -- |
| 0-4 years | 161,727 | 6.5 | 151,263 | 6.8 | 1,464,779 | 6.3 |
| 5-9 years | 164,153 | 6.6 | 142,775 | 6.4 | 1,502,646 | 6.4 |
| 10-14 years | 150,806 | 6.1 | 146,034 | 6.5 | 1,397,183 | 6.0 |
| 15-19 years | 149,997 | 6.1 | 148,209 | 6.6 | 1,421,595 | 6.1 |
| 20-24 years | 160,332 | 6.5 | 159,011 | 7.1 | 1,566,793 | 6.7 |
| 25-29 years | 184,908 | 7.5 | 167,944 | 7.5 | 1,664,602 | 7.1 |
| 30-34 years | 194,267 | 7.9 | 156,152 | 7.0 | 1,703,847 | 7.3 |
| 35-39 years | 173,041 | 7.0 | 161,526 | 7.2 | 1,561,679 | 6.7 |
| 40-44 years | 171,996 | 7.0 | 166,730 | 7.4 | 1,583,257 | 6.8 |
| 45-49 years | 172,520 | 7.0 | 159,860 | 7.1 | 1,581,455 | 6.8 |
| 50-54 years | 162,438 | 6.6 | 150,369 | 6.7 | 1,523,551 | 6.5 |
| 55-59 years | 149,899 | 6.1 | 133,893 | 6.0 | 1,454,332 | 6.2 |
| 60-64 years | 132,145 | 5.3 | 120,530 | 5.4 | 1,299,397 | 5.6 |
| 65-69 years | 116,755 | 4.7 | 86,322 | 3.9 | 1,188,999 | 5.1 |
| 70-74 years | 82,911 | 3.4 | 66,218 | 3.0 | 887,716 | 3.8 |
| 75-79 years | 61,509 | 2.5 | 49,833 | 2.2 | 652,657 | 2.8 |
| 80-84 years | 42,590 | 1.7 | 38,286 | 1.7 | 460,549 | 2.0 |
| 85 years and over | 42,420 | 1.7 | 34,217 | 1.5 | 486,842 | 2.1 |
The median age of people in Western Australia was 36 years. Children aged 0 - 14 years made up 19.3% of the population and people aged 65 years and over made up 14.0% of the population.
View the data quality statement for Age (AGEP)| Registered marital status People aged 15 years and over | Western Australia | % Western Australia | 2011 | % 2011 | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Married | 975,062 | 48.8 | 876,747 | 48.7 | 9,148,218 | 48.1 |
| Separated | 63,205 | 3.2 | 53,816 | 3.0 | 608,059 | 3.2 |
| Divorced | 167,361 | 8.4 | 150,802 | 8.4 | 1,626,890 | 8.5 |
| Widowed | 88,619 | 4.4 | 83,175 | 4.6 | 985,204 | 5.2 |
| Never married | 703,482 | 35.2 | 634,567 | 35.3 | 6,668,910 | 35.0 |
Of people in Western Australia aged 15 years and over, 48.8% were married and 11.5% were either divorced or separated.
View the data quality statement for Registered marital status (MSTP)| Social marital status People aged 15 years and over | Western Australia | % Western Australia | 2011 | % 2011 | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered marriage | 835,938 | 48.4 | 768,780 | 49.2 | 8,001,141 | 47.7 |
| De facto marriage | 201,709 | 11.7 | 171,275 | 11.0 | 1,751,731 | 10.4 |
| Not married | 688,868 | 39.9 | 623,367 | 39.9 | 7,024,973 | 41.9 |
In Western Australia, of people aged 15 years and over, 48.4% of people were in a registered marriage and 11.7% were in a de facto marriage.
View the data quality statement for Social marital status (MDCP)| Education | Western Australia | % Western Australia | 2011 | % 2011 | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preschool | 30,247 | 3.9 | 32,430 | 4.8 | 347,621 | 4.8 |
| Primary - Government | 144,988 | 18.9 | 129,300 | 19.0 | 1,314,787 | 18.2 |
| Primary - Catholic | 36,865 | 4.8 | 33,578 | 4.9 | 380,604 | 5.3 |
| Primary - other non Government | 28,046 | 3.7 | 25,743 | 3.8 | 231,490 | 3.2 |
| Secondary - Government | 88,176 | 11.5 | 64,074 | 9.4 | 827,505 | 11.5 |
| Secondary - Catholic | 34,065 | 4.4 | 29,741 | 4.4 | 338,384 | 4.7 |
| Secondary - other non Government | 34,773 | 4.5 | 29,866 | 4.4 | 280,618 | 3.9 |
| Technical or further education institution | 46,835 | 6.1 | 48,761 | 7.2 | 424,869 | 5.9 |
| University or tertiary institution | 106,811 | 13.9 | 91,935 | 13.5 | 1,160,626 | 16.1 |
| Other | 18,547 | 2.4 | 13,527 | 2.0 | 198,383 | 2.8 |
| Not stated | 197,644 | 25.8 | 180,866 | 26.6 | 1,707,023 | 23.7 |
In Western Australia 31.0% of people were attending an educational institution. Of these, 27.4% were in primary school, 20.5% in secondary school and 20.0% in a tertiary or technical institution.
View the data quality statement for Educational Institution Attendee Status (TYSTAP)| Level of highest educational attainment People aged 15 years and over | Western Australia | % Western Australia | 2011 | % 2011 | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor Degree level and above | 410,272 | 20.5 | -- | -- | 4,181,406 | 22.0 |
| Advanced Diploma and Diploma level | 177,631 | 8.9 | -- | -- | 1,687,893 | 8.9 |
| Certificate level IV | 62,656 | 3.1 | -- | -- | 551,767 | 2.9 |
| Certificate level III | 279,448 | 14.0 | -- | -- | 2,442,203 | 12.8 |
| Year 12 | 318,674 | 16.0 | -- | -- | 2,994,097 | 15.7 |
| Year 11 | 107,858 | 5.4 | -- | -- | 941,531 | 4.9 |
| Year 10 | 235,001 | 11.8 | -- | -- | 2,054,331 | 10.8 |
| Certificate level II | 940 | 0.0 | -- | -- | 13,454 | 0.1 |
| Certificate level I | 209 | 0.0 | -- | -- | 2,176 | 0.0 |
| Year 9 or below | 117,996 | 5.9 | -- | -- | 1,529,897 | 8.0 |
| No educational attainment | 10,572 | 0.5 | -- | -- | 145,844 | 0.8 |
| Not stated | 220,701 | 11.0 | -- | -- | 1,974,794 | 10.4 |
2011 benchmarks are not available for this data item.
Of people aged 15 and over in Western Australia, 16.0% reported having completed Year 12 as their highest level of educational attainment, 17.1% had completed a Certificate III or IV and 8.9% had completed an Advanced Diploma or Diploma.
View the data quality statement for Level of highest educational attainment (HEAP)Cultural & language diversity
| Ancestry, top responses | Western Australia | % Western Australia | 2011 | % 2011 | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | 931,150 | 27.9 | 848,230 | 29.0 | 7,852,224 | 25.0 |
| Australian | 760,032 | 22.8 | 724,360 | 24.8 | 7,298,243 | 23.3 |
| Irish | 224,372 | 6.7 | 187,038 | 6.4 | 2,388,058 | 7.6 |
| Scottish | 214,154 | 6.4 | 186,475 | 6.4 | 2,023,470 | 6.4 |
| Italian | 122,943 | 3.7 | 111,894 | 3.8 | 1,000,006 | 3.2 |
The most common ancestries in Western Australia were English 27.9%, Australian 22.8%, Irish 6.7%, Scottish 6.4% and Italian 3.7%.
Respondents had the option of reporting up to two ancestries on their Census form, and this is captured by the Ancestry Multi Response (ANCP) variable used in this table. Therefore, the total responses count will not equal the persons count for this area. Calculated percentages represent a proportion of all responses from people in Western Australia (including those who did not state an ancestry).
View the data quality statement for Ancestry (ANCP)| Country of birth | Western Australia | % Western Australia | 2011 | % 2011 | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 1,492,842 | 60.3 | 1,407,808 | 62.9 | 15,614,835 | 66.7 |
| Other top responses: | null | null | null | null | null | null |
| England | 194,163 | 7.8 | 191,932 | 8.6 | 907,570 | 3.9 |
| New Zealand | 79,221 | 3.2 | 70,734 | 3.2 | 518,466 | 2.2 |
| India | 49,385 | 2.0 | 29,915 | 1.3 | 455,389 | 1.9 |
| South Africa | 41,008 | 1.7 | 35,326 | 1.6 | 162,449 | 0.7 |
| Philippines | 30,835 | 1.2 | 17,231 | 0.8 | 232,386 | 1.0 |
In Western Australia, 60.3% of people were born in Australia. The most common countries of birth were England 7.8%, New Zealand 3.2%, India 2.0%, South Africa 1.7% and Philippines 1.2%.
View the data quality statement for Country of birth (BPLP)| Country of birth of father and/or mother, stated responses | Western Australia | % Western Australia | 2011 | % 2011 | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Both parents born overseas | 1,001,150 | 40.5 | 854,107 | 38.1 | 8,051,196 | 34.4 |
| Father only born overseas | 184,890 | 7.5 | 175,317 | 7.8 | 1,488,092 | 6.4 |
| Mother only born overseas | 144,217 | 5.8 | 130,099 | 5.8 | 1,094,591 | 4.7 |
| Both parents born in Australia | 947,977 | 38.3 | 903,105 | 40.3 | 11,070,538 | 47.3 |
In Western Australia, 38.3% of people had both parents born in Australia and 40.5% of people had both parents born overseas.
View the data quality statement for Country of birth of father and/or mother (BPPP)| Country of birth of father, stated responses | Western Australia | % Western Australia | 2011 | % 2011 | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 1,097,468 | 44.4 | -- | -- | 12,231,150 | 52.3 |
| England | 276,956 | 11.2 | -- | -- | 1,403,096 | 6.0 |
| New Zealand | 97,382 | 3.9 | -- | -- | 617,331 | 2.6 |
| India | 70,114 | 2.8 | -- | -- | 616,939 | 2.6 |
| Italy | 54,428 | 2.2 | -- | -- | 470,138 | 2.0 |
2011 comparison data is not available for this table. For the 2001, 2006 and 2011 Censuses, only whether a person's father was born in Australia or overseas was collected. In 2016, this question expanded to collect the actual country of birth of a person's father.
In Western Australia, the most common countries of birth for male parents were Australia 44.4%, England 11.2%, New Zealand 3.9%, India 2.8% and Italy 2.2%.
View the data quality statement for Country of birth of father (BPMP)| Country of birth of mother, stated responses | Western Australia | % Western Australia | 2011 | % 2011 | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 1,140,417 | 46.1 | -- | -- | 12,643,365 | 54.0 |
| England | 265,520 | 10.7 | -- | -- | 1,302,147 | 5.6 |
| New Zealand | 94,116 | 3.8 | -- | -- | 608,329 | 2.6 |
| India | 68,962 | 2.8 | -- | -- | 605,777 | 2.6 |
| South Africa | 47,681 | 1.9 | -- | -- | 193,412 | 0.8 |
2011 comparison data is not available for this table. For the 2001, 2006 and 2011 Censuses, only whether a person's mother was born in Australia or overseas was collected. In 2016, this question expanded to collect the actual country of birth of a person's mother.
In Western Australia, the most common countries of birth for female parents were Australia 46.1%, England 10.7%, New Zealand 3.8%, India 2.8% and South Africa 1.9%.
View the data quality statement for Country of birth of mother (BPFP)| Religious affiliation, top responses | Western Australia | % Western Australia | 2011 | % 2011 | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No Religion, so described | 804,268 | 32.5 | 560,428 | 25.0 | 6,933,708 | 29.6 |
| Catholic | 530,361 | 21.4 | 529,118 | 23.6 | 5,291,834 | 22.6 |
| Anglican | 354,790 | 14.3 | 421,092 | 18.8 | 3,101,185 | 13.3 |
| Not stated | 255,987 | 10.3 | 232,463 | 10.4 | 2,238,735 | 9.6 |
| Christian, nfd | 83,670 | 3.4 | 62,820 | 2.8 | 612,371 | 2.6 |
The most common responses for religion in Western Australia were No Religion, so described 32.5%, Catholic 21.4%, Anglican 14.3%, Not stated 10.3% and Christian, nfd 3.4%. In Western Australia, Christianity was the largest religious group reported overall (55.5%) (this figure excludes not stated responses).
View the data quality statement for Religious affiliation (RELP)| Language, top responses (other than English) | Western Australia | % Western Australia | 2011 | % 2011 | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mandarin | 47,840 | 1.9 | 28,032 | 1.3 | 596,711 | 2.5 |
| Italian | 29,401 | 1.2 | 31,449 | 1.4 | 271,597 | 1.2 |
| Vietnamese | 20,247 | 0.8 | 16,522 | 0.7 | 277,400 | 1.2 |
| Cantonese | 19,339 | 0.8 | 18,006 | 0.8 | 280,943 | 1.2 |
| Tagalog | 15,268 | 0.6 | 8,288 | 0.4 | 111,273 | 0.5 |
| null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
| English only spoken at home | 1,861,041 | 75.2 | 1,775,951 | 79.3 | 17,020,417 | 72.7 |
| Households where a non English language is spoken | 181,998 | 19.4 | 138,252 | 17.4 | 1,971,011 | 22.2 |
In Western Australia 75.2% of people only spoke English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Mandarin 1.9%, Italian 1.2%, Vietnamese 0.8%, Cantonese 0.8% and Tagalog 0.6%.
View the data quality statement for Language spoken at home (LANP)Employment
| Employment People who reported being in the labour force, aged 15 years and over | Western Australia | % Western Australia | 2011 | % 2011 | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worked full-time | 715,287 | 57.0 | 699,412 | 60.7 | 6,623,065 | 57.7 |
| Worked part-time | 376,590 | 30.0 | 324,256 | 28.1 | 3,491,503 | 30.4 |
| Away from work | 65,859 | 5.2 | 74,207 | 6.4 | 569,276 | 5.0 |
| Unemployed | 97,966 | 7.8 | 54,315 | 4.7 | 787,452 | 6.9 |
There were 1,255,702 people who reported being in the labour force in the week before Census night in Western Australia. Of these 57.0% were employed full time, 30.0% were employed part-time and 7.8% were unemployed.
The ABS Labour Force Survey provides the official estimates of Australia's unemployment rate. More information about Census and labour force status is provided in Understanding the Census and Census Data.
View the data quality statement for Labour force status (LFSP)| Employment - hours worked Employed people aged 15 years and over | Western Australia | % Western Australia | 2011 | % 2011 | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-15 hours per week | 138,263 | 11.9 | 118,794 | 10.8 | 1,218,823 | 11.4 |
| 16-24 hours per week | 114,814 | 9.9 | 100,864 | 9.2 | 1,079,236 | 10.1 |
| 25-34 hours per week | 123,517 | 10.7 | 104,594 | 9.5 | 1,193,445 | 11.2 |
| 35-39 hours per week | 198,785 | 17.2 | 173,233 | 15.8 | 2,031,263 | 19.0 |
| 40 hours or more per week | 516,501 | 44.6 | 526,184 | 47.9 | 4,591,801 | 43.0 |
Of employed people in Western Australia, 11.9% worked 1 to 15 hours, 9.9% worked 16 to 24 hours and 44.6% worked 40 hours or more.
View the data quality statement for Hours worked (HRSP)| Occupation Employed people aged 15 years and over | Western Australia | % Western Australia | 2011 | % 2011 | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professionals | 237,230 | 20.5 | 218,355 | 19.9 | 2,370,966 | 22.2 |
| Technicians and Trades Workers | 187,396 | 16.2 | 183,301 | 16.7 | 1,447,414 | 13.5 |
| Clerical and Administrative Workers | 150,408 | 13.0 | 158,179 | 14.4 | 1,449,681 | 13.6 |
| Managers | 139,350 | 12.0 | 133,802 | 12.2 | 1,390,047 | 13.0 |
| Community and Personal Service Workers | 122,889 | 10.6 | 103,386 | 9.4 | 1,157,003 | 10.8 |
| Labourers | 112,599 | 9.7 | 106,227 | 9.7 | 1,011,520 | 9.5 |
| Sales Workers | 102,337 | 8.8 | 94,596 | 8.6 | 1,000,955 | 9.4 |
| Machinery Operators and Drivers | 86,392 | 7.5 | 83,855 | 7.6 | 670,106 | 6.3 |
The most common occupations in Western Australia included Professionals 20.5%, Technicians and Trades Workers 16.2%, Clerical and Administrative Workers 13.0%, Managers 12.0%, Community and Personal Service Workers 10.6%, Labourers 9.7%, Sales Workers 8.8% and Machinery Operators and Drivers 7.5%.
View the data quality statement for Occupation (OCCP)| Industry of employment, top responses Employed people aged 15 years and over | Western Australia | % Western Australia | 2011 | % 2011 | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hospitals (except Psychiatric Hospitals) | 41,706 | 3.6 | 35,012 | 3.2 | 411,808 | 3.9 |
| Primary Education | 29,683 | 2.6 | 27,066 | 2.5 | 231,198 | 2.2 |
| Iron Ore Mining | 28,510 | 2.5 | 19,972 | 1.8 | 33,163 | 0.3 |
| Supermarket and Grocery Stores | 28,080 | 2.4 | 25,414 | 2.3 | 254,275 | 2.4 |
| Cafes and Restaurants | 26,557 | 2.3 | 19,193 | 1.7 | 253,385 | 2.4 |
Of the employed people in Western Australia, the most common responses for industry of employment included Hospitals (except Psychiatric Hospitals) 3.6%, Primary Education 2.6%, Iron Ore Mining 2.5%, Supermarket and Grocery Stores 2.4% and Cafes and Restaurants 2.3%.
View the data quality statement for Industry of employment (INDP)| Median weekly incomes People aged 15 years and over | Western Australia | % Western Australia | 2011 | % 2011 | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personal | 724 | -- | 662 | -- | 662 | -- |
| Family | 1,910 | -- | 1,722 | -- | 1,734 | -- |
| Household | 1,595 | -- | 1,415 | -- | 1,438 | -- |
The median weekly personal income for people aged 15 years and over in Western Australia was $724.
View the data quality statements for: Total personal income (INCP) Total family income (FINF) Total household income (HIND)
| Travel to work, top responses Employed people aged 15 years and over | Western Australia | % Western Australia | 2011 | % 2011 | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Car, as driver | 733,030 | 63.3 | 662,947 | 60.4 | 6,574,571 | 61.5 |
| Car, as passenger | 56,173 | 4.9 | 63,483 | 5.8 | 489,922 | 4.6 |
| Worked at home | 49,354 | 4.3 | 43,866 | 4.0 | 503,582 | 4.7 |
| Bus | 44,742 | 3.9 | 40,762 | 3.7 | 323,201 | 3.0 |
| Walked only | 31,914 | 2.8 | 35,995 | 3.3 | 370,427 | 3.5 |
| null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
| People who travelled to work by public transport | 106,764 | 9.2 | 102,893 | 9.4 | 1,225,668 | 11.5 |
| People who travelled to work by car as driver or passenger | 815,077 | 70.4 | 754,240 | 68.7 | 7,305,271 | 68.4 |
In Western Australia, on the day of the Census, the most common methods of travel to work for employed people included Car, as driver 63.3%, Car, as passenger 4.9%, Worked at home 4.3%, Bus 3.9% and Walked only 2.8%. On the day, 9.2% of employed people used public transport (train, bus, ferry, tram/light rail) as at least one of their methods of travel to work and 70.4% used car (either as driver or as passenger).
View the data quality statement for Method of travel to work (MTWP)| Unpaid work People aged 15 years and over | Western Australia | % Western Australia | 2011 | % 2011 | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Did unpaid domestic work (last week) | 1,387,280 | 69.4 | 1,255,938 | 69.8 | 13,143,914 | 69.0 |
| Cared for child/children (last two weeks) | 568,406 | 28.5 | 507,968 | 28.2 | 5,259,400 | 27.6 |
| Provided unpaid assistance to a person with a disability (last two weeks) | 196,328 | 9.8 | 168,014 | 9.3 | 2,145,203 | 11.3 |
| Did voluntary work through an organisation or group (last 12 months) | 379,578 | 19.0 | 304,620 | 16.9 | 3,620,726 | 19.0 |
In Western Australia, of people aged 15 years and over, 69.4% did unpaid domestic work in the week before the Census. During the two weeks before the Census, 28.5% provided care for children and 9.8% assisted family members or others due to a disability, long term illness or problems related to old age. In the year before the Census, 19.0% of people did voluntary work through an organisation or a group.
View the data quality statements for: Unpaid domestic work (DOMP) Unpaid child care (CHCAREP) Unpaid assistance (UNCAREP) Voluntary work (VOLWP)
| Unpaid domestic work, number of hours People aged 15 years and over | Western Australia | % Western Australia | 2011 | % 2011 | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Less than 5 hours per week | 447,726 | 22.4 | 399,954 | 22.2 | 4,298,593 | 22.6 |
| 5 to 14 hours per week | 521,733 | 26.1 | 459,761 | 25.6 | 4,944,578 | 26.0 |
| 15 to 29 hours per week | 228,248 | 11.4 | 209,910 | 11.7 | 2,189,776 | 11.5 |
| 30 hours or more per week | 189,571 | 9.5 | 186,313 | 10.4 | 1,710,970 | 9.0 |
Of people who did unpaid domestic work in the week before the Census in Western Australia, 26.1% worked 5 to 14 hours, 11.4% worked 15 to 29 hours and 9.5% worked 30 hours or more.
View the data quality statement for Unpaid domestic work, number of hours (DOMP)Families
family composition | employment status of couple familiesFamily composition
| Family composition | Western Australia | % Western Australia | 2011 | % 2011 | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Couple family without children | 247,841 | 38.5 | 226,878 | 38.8 | 2,291,987 | 37.8 |
| Couple family with children | 292,133 | 45.3 | 262,886 | 44.9 | 2,716,224 | 44.7 |
| One parent family | 93,344 | 14.5 | 85,065 | 14.5 | 959,543 | 15.8 |
| Other family | 10,869 | 1.7 | 10,479 | 1.8 | 102,559 | 1.7 |
Of the families in Western Australia, 45.3% were couple families with children, 38.5% were couple families without children and 14.5% were one parent families.
View the data quality statement for Family composition (FMCF)| Single (or lone) parents Proportion of the total single (or lone) parent population | Western Australia | % Western Australia | 2011 | % 2011 | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | -- | 18.3 | -- | 18.0 | -- | 18.2 |
| Female | -- | 81.7 | -- | 82.0 | -- | 81.8 |
In Western Australia, 18.3% of single parents were male and 81.7% were female.
View the data quality statement for Family composition (FMCF)Employment status of couple families
| Employment status of couple families Labour force, parents or partners aged 15 years and over | Western Australia | % Western Australia | 2011 | % 2011 | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Both employed, worked full-time | 106,951 | 19.8 | 102,047 | 20.8 | 1,084,006 | 21.6 |
| Both employed, worked part-time | 22,177 | 4.1 | 18,398 | 3.8 | 203,596 | 4.1 |
| One employed full-time, one part-time | 119,913 | 22.2 | 107,971 | 22.0 | 1,086,460 | 21.7 |
| One employed full-time, other not working | 88,558 | 16.4 | 81,900 | 16.7 | 749,886 | 15.0 |
| One employed part-time, other not working | 31,917 | 5.9 | 24,045 | 4.9 | 302,037 | 6.0 |
| Both not working | 93,686 | 17.4 | 76,910 | 15.7 | 1,006,697 | 20.1 |
| Other (includes away from work) | 29,973 | 5.6 | 32,709 | 6.7 | 264,145 | 5.3 |
| Labour force status not stated (by one or both parents in a couple family) | 46,793 | 8.7 | 45,777 | 9.3 | 311,381 | 6.2 |
In Western Australia, of couple families with children, 19.8% had both partners employed full-time, 4.1% had both employed part-time and 22.2% had one employed full-time and the other part-time.
The ABS Labour Force Survey provides the official estimates of Australia's unemployment rate. More information about Census and labour force status is provided in Understanding the Census and Census Data.
View the data quality statement for Labour force status of parents / partners in families (LFSF)Dwellings
dwelling structure | household composition | mortgage & rent | number of motor vehicles | internet connectionDwelling structure
Dwelling tables exclude visitor only and other non-classifiable households
| Dwelling count | Western Australia | % Western Australia | 2011 | % 2011 | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Occupied private dwellings | 866,767 | 86.7 | 794,159 | 87.9 | 8,286,073 | 88.8 |
| Unoccupied private dwellings | 132,874 | 13.3 | 109,329 | 12.1 | 1,039,874 | 11.2 |
In Western Australia, 86.7% of private dwellings were occupied and 13.3% were unoccupied.
View the data quality statements for: Dwelling type (DWTD) Dwelling Structure (STRD)
| Dwelling structure Occupied private dwellings | Western Australia | % Western Australia | 2011 | % 2011 | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Separate house | 685,824 | 79.1 | 638,769 | 80.4 | 6,041,788 | 72.9 |
| Semi-detached, row or terrace house, townhouse etc | 122,562 | 14.1 | 84,332 | 10.6 | 1,055,016 | 12.7 |
| Flat or apartment | 49,086 | 5.7 | 62,988 | 7.9 | 1,087,434 | 13.1 |
| Other dwelling | 6,314 | 0.7 | 7,386 | 0.9 | 64,425 | 0.8 |
Of occupied private dwellings in Western Australia, 79.1% were separate houses, 14.1% were semi-detached, row or terrace houses, townhouses etc, 5.7% were flats or apartments and 0.7% were other dwellings.
View the data quality statement for Dwelling structure (STRD)| Number of bedrooms Occupied private dwellings | Western Australia | % Western Australia | 2011 | % 2011 | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| None (includes bedsitters) | 2,452 | 0.3 | 2,869 | 0.4 | 39,769 | 0.5 |
| 1 bedroom | 30,043 | 3.5 | 28,193 | 3.6 | 411,252 | 5.0 |
| 2 bedrooms | 107,035 | 12.3 | 103,374 | 13.0 | 1,562,759 | 18.9 |
| 3 bedrooms | 327,662 | 37.8 | 312,044 | 39.3 | 3,403,190 | 41.1 |
| 4 or more bedrooms | 381,319 | 44.0 | 333,932 | 42.0 | 2,670,758 | 32.2 |
| Number of bedrooms not stated | 18,272 | 2.1 | 13,751 | 1.7 | 198,351 | 2.4 |
| Average number of bedrooms per dwelling | 3.3 | -- | 3.3 | -- | 3.1 | -- |
| Average number of people per household | 2.6 | -- | 2.6 | -- | 2.6 | -- |
In Western Australia, of occupied private dwellings 3.5% had 1 bedroom, 12.3% had 2 bedrooms and 37.8% had 3 bedrooms. The average number of bedrooms per occupied private dwelling was 3.3. The average household size was 2.6 people.
View the data quality statements for: Number of bedrooms in a private dwelling (BEDD) Number of persons usually resident in dwelling (NPRD)
| Tenure Occupied private dwellings | Western Australia | % Western Australia | 2011 | % 2011 | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owned outright | 247,050 | 28.5 | 234,626 | 29.5 | 2,565,695 | 31.0 |
| Owned with a mortgage | 344,014 | 39.7 | 300,334 | 37.8 | 2,855,222 | 34.5 |
| Rented | 245,705 | 28.3 | 231,826 | 29.2 | 2,561,302 | 30.9 |
| Other tenure type | 9,181 | 1.1 | 8,879 | 1.1 | 78,994 | 1.0 |
| Tenure type not stated | 20,823 | 2.4 | 18,493 | 2.3 | 224,869 | 2.7 |
Of occupied private dwellings in Western Australia, 28.5% were owned outright, 39.7% were owned with a mortgage and 28.3% were rented.
View the data quality statement for Tenure type (TEND)Household composition
| Household composition | Western Australia | % Western Australia | 2011 | % 2011 | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Family households | 629,882 | 72.7 | 573,706 | 72.2 | 5,907,625 | 71.3 |
| Single (or lone) person households | 204,202 | 23.6 | 188,765 | 23.8 | 2,023,542 | 24.4 |
| Group households | 32,692 | 3.8 | 31,691 | 4.0 | 354,917 | 4.3 |
In Western Australia, of all households, 72.7% were family households, 23.6% were single person households and 3.8% were group households.
View the data quality statement for Household composition (HHCD)| Household income | Western Australia | % Western Australia | 2011 | % 2011 | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Less than $650 gross weekly income | -- | 18.3 | -- | 21.1 | -- | 20.0 |
| More than $3,000 gross weekly income | -- | 19.2 | -- | 14.1 | -- | 16.4 |
In Western Australia, 18.3% of households had a weekly household income of less than $650 and 19.2% of households had a weekly income of more than $3000.
View the data quality statement for Household income, total weekly (HIND)Mortgage & rent
Proportions are calculated using all tenure types for occupied private dwellings. This excludes visitor only and other non-classifiable households.
| Rent weekly payments | Western Australia | % Western Australia | 2011 | % 2011 | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | 347 | -- | 300 | -- | 335 | -- |
| Households where rent payments are less than 30% of household income | -- | 90.3 | -- | 91.1 | -- | 88.5 |
| Households with rent payments greater than or equal to 30% of household income | -- | 9.7 | -- | 8.9 | -- | 11.5 |
The number of households where rent payments were 30% or more of an imputed income measure are expressed in this table as a proportion of the total number of households in an area (including those households which were not renting, and excluding the small proportion of visitor only and other non-classifiable households). The nature of the income imputation means that the reported proportion may significantly overstate the true proportion.
View the data quality statement for Rent weekly payments (RNTD)| Mortgage monthly repayments | Western Australia | % Western Australia | 2011 | % 2011 | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median mortgage repayments | 1,993 | -- | 1,950 | -- | 1,755 | -- |
| Households where mortgage repayments are less than 30% of household income | -- | 91.4 | -- | 89.8 | -- | 92.8 |
| Households with mortgage repayments greater than or equal to 30% of household income | -- | 8.6 | -- | 10.2 | -- | 7.2 |
The number of households where mortgage repayments were 30% or more of an imputed income measure are expressed in this table as a proportion of the total number of households in an area (including those households which were renting, and excluding the small proportion of visitor only and other non-classifiable households). The nature of the income imputation means that the reported proportion may significantly overstate the true proportion.
View the data quality statement for Mortgage monthly repayments (MRED)Number of motor vehicles
| Number of registered motor vehicles | Western Australia | % Western Australia | 2011 | % 2011 | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| None | 42,620 | 4.9 | 48,447 | 6.1 | 623,829 | 7.5 |
| 1 motor vehicle | 274,198 | 31.6 | 258,943 | 32.6 | 2,881,485 | 34.8 |
| 2 motor vehicles | 337,355 | 38.9 | 305,677 | 38.5 | 2,999,184 | 36.2 |
| 3 or more vehicles | 186,678 | 21.5 | 158,860 | 20.0 | 1,496,382 | 18.1 |
| Number of motor vehicles not stated | 25,934 | 3.0 | 22,234 | 2.8 | 285,197 | 3.4 |
In Western Australia, 31.6% of occupied private dwellings had one registered motor vehicle garaged or parked at their address, 38.9% had two registered motor vehicles and 21.5% had three or more registered motor vehicles.
View the data quality statement for Number of registered motor vehicles (VEHD)Internet connection
| Dwelling internet connection | Western Australia | % Western Australia | 2011 | % 2011 | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Internet not accessed from dwelling | 108,489 | 12.5 | 140,828 | 17.7 | 1,172,415 | 14.1 |
| Internet accessed from dwelling | 737,659 | 85.1 | 626,102 | 78.8 | 6,892,165 | 83.2 |
| Not stated | 20,625 | 2.4 | 27,229 | 3.4 | 221,494 | 2.7 |
In Western Australia, 85.1% of households had at least one person access the internet from the dwelling. This could have been through a desktop/laptop computer, mobile or smart phone, tablet, music or video player, gaming console, smart TV or any other device.
View the data quality statement for Dwelling internet connection (NEDD)Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people
selected people & dwelling characteristicsPeople characteristics
| People characteristics Count based on place of usual residence on Census night. | Western Australia | % Western Australia | 2011 | % 2011 | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 38,027 | 50.0 | 34,418 | 49.4 | 322,171 | 49.6 |
| Female | 37,959 | 50.0 | 35,248 | 50.6 | 326,996 | 50.4 |
| Median age | 23 | -- | 22 | -- | 23 | -- |
In Western Australia, 50.0% of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people were male and 50.0% were female. The median age was 23 years.
View the data quality statements for: Place of Usual Residence (PURP) Indigenous status (INGP)
Dwelling characteristics
Dwelling tables exclude visitor only and other non-classifiable households. These tables represent occupied private dwellings where at least one Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait islander person was present.
| Dwelling characteristics Occupied private dwellings where at least one person was Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander | Western Australia | % Western Australia | 2011 | % 2011 | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average number of people per household | 3.3 | -- | 3.5 | -- | 3.2 | -- |
| Average number of persons per bedroom | 1 | -- | (a) | -- | 1 | -- |
| Median weekly household income | 1,210 | -- | 1,044 | -- | 1,203 | -- |
a) There has been change in methodology used to calculate the average number of persons per bedroom. To compare the time series for average number of persons per bedroom please refer to Understanding the Census and Census Data
In Western Australia, for dwellings occupied by Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, the average household size was 3.3 persons, with 1 persons per bedroom. The median household income was $1,210.
View the data quality statements for: Number of Bedrooms in Private Dwelling (BEDD) Household composition (HHCD) Indigenous household Indicator (INGDWTD)
| Mortgage and rent Occupied private dwellings where at least one person was Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander | Western Australia | % Western Australia | 2011 | % 2011 | Australia | % Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median weekly rent | 216 | -- | 158 | -- | 250 | -- |
| Median monthly mortgage repayments | 1,830 | -- | 1,733 | -- | 1,660 | -- |
In Western Australia, for dwellings occupied by Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, the median weekly rent was $216 and the median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,830.
View the data quality statements for: Rent weekly payments (RNTD) Mortgage monthly repayments (MRED) Indigenous household Indicator (INGDWTD)
Small random adjustments have been made to all cell values to protect the confidentiality of data. These adjustments may cause the sum of rows or columns to differ by small amounts from the table totals. For further information, go to the User Guide for QuickStats.
Data reported for Australia and Other Territories now includes Norfolk Island, following an amendment to the Acts Interpretation Act, 1901. Because Norfolk Island has not previously been included in the Census, any 2011 benchmarks will not include Norfolk Island.