Western Australia

Dropping off the Edge 2021 finds disadvantage is disproportionately located in a small number of communities in largely regional WA, which experience high and persistent rates of intergenerational unemployment, low household income, and high rates of youth unemployment.

 Key findings

  • Disadvantage is concentrated in a small number of communities within WA, with 10% of locations accounting for more than half (56%) of the most disadvantaged rank positions across all indicators measured.

  • These communities experience a complex web of disadvantage that make it challenging to improve life opportunities.

  • Most of the disadvantaged areas in WA are in the remote areas in the north and east of the state. Of the 40 most disadvantaged areas, 26 are outside Perth.

  • The most common forms of disadvantage facing disadvantaged locations in WA are jobless parents; low income; and youth not in employment, education or training.

 

ABOUT 10 per cent OF LOCATIONS ACCOUNT FOR MORE THAN HALF (56 per cent) OF THE MOST DISADVANTAGED RANK POSITIONS ACROSS ALL INDICATORS.

 Locational disadvantage is concentrated

A limited number of communities disproportionately occupy the most disadvantaged positions across the various indicators:

  • Five areas, about 2% of locations, account for 22% of the most disadvantaged rank positions across all indicators. This is a eleven-fold overrepresentation, and a stark indication of the heavy burden of disadvantage born by a limited section of the community.

  • 24 areas, about 10% of locations, account for 56% of the most disadvantaged rank positions. This is a more than five-fold overrepresentation.

 

Locational disadvantage is persistent

We can compare findings of this 2021 study with previous Dropping off the Edge studies to see the persistent nature of locational disadvantage.

Dropping off the Edge 2021 finds a small number of communities in WA showed significant disadvantage on a number of indicators in both 2015 and 2021. Three remote communities ranked in the most disadvantaged 5% on five or more indicators in both 2015 and 2021.

Different areas rank highly on different indicators, highlighting the diversity of disadvantage between communities and the need to explicitly consider the individual community context when addressing disadvantage.

 

THERE IS IMMENSE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC COST TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY AS A RESULT OF SUSTAINED DISADVANTAGE.

 Most disadvantaged locations in WA

 
BandSA2 NamePopulationLocation
Most Disadvantaged Locations
1Carnarvon4,758Rest of WA
1Derby - West Kimberley8,233Rest of WA
1East Pilbara6,537Rest of WA
1Halls Creek3,537Rest of WA
1Kununurra7,303Rest of WA
1Leinster - Leonora5,056Rest of WA
1Mandurah8,832Greater Perth
1Meekatharra2,833Rest of WA
1Roebuck2,578Rest of WA
1Withers - Usher4,976Rest of WA
2Armadale - Wungong - Brookdale22,390Greater Perth
2Balga - Mirrabooka20,887Greater Perth
2Boulder6,965Rest of WA
2Calista7,565Greater Perth
2College Grove - Carey Park6,843Rest of WA
2Geraldton10,682Rest of WA
2Geraldton - East7,961Rest of WA
2Katanning4,476Rest of WA
2South Hedland10,298Rest of WA
2York - Beverley5,391Rest of WA
3Collie8,601Rest of WA
3Cooloongup8,689Greater Perth
3Cunderdin3,974Rest of WA
3Girrawheen8,572Greater Perth
3Gosnells20,742Greater Perth
3Irwin3,594Rest of WA
3Mandurah - South10,600Greater Perth
3Northam11,013Rest of WA
3Parmelia - Orelia11,394Greater Perth
3Willagee5,146Greater Perth
4Brookton3,665Rest of WA
4Broome14,403Rest of WA
4Greenfields9,860Greater Perth
4Hamilton Hill11,343Greater Perth
4Kambalda - Coolgardie - Norseman4,203Rest of WA
4Midland - Guildford10,765Greater Perth
4Narrogin4,457Rest of WA
4Nollamara - Westminster19,393Greater Perth
4Plantagenet5,262Rest of WA
4Roebourne5,737Rest of WA
Least Disadvantaged Locations
Busselton Region11,919Rest of WA
City Beach6,909Greater Perth
Cottesloe8,109Greater Perth
Duncraig15,635Greater Perth
Glen Forrest - Darlington7,290Greater Perth
Karrinyup - Gwelup - Carine22,012Greater Perth
Lesmurdie - Bickley - Carmel11,972Greater Perth
Nedlands - Dalkeith - Crawley19,678Greater Perth
Swanbourne - Mount Claremont9,942Greater Perth
Wembley Downs - Churchlands - Woodlands14,905Greater Perth