Population Trends

Australian Bureau of Statistics data, as at June 2001, shows a population number of 800, a decline of 2.2% over the previous year.

The number of people living in the Shire of Dowerin represents 0.2% of regional WA.

Although the statistics suggest that the Shire numbers are diminishing, business continues to do well and unemployment continues to be low.

Population Distribution

The Shire of Dowerin has a large number of young people, where almost one third of the total shire population is aged 21 years or less. The Shire has 141 children aged 9 or younger; this age bracket makes up 17% of the total population of the shire.

Only 11% of the Shire population are of retiring age i.e. 65 years or older.

Employment

There were 451 people employed in the Shire as at December, 2000. Of these people, the majority were employed in agriculture and associated industries (53%).

Other significant employers were from community services and wholesale and retail trade sectors.

The December 2000 quarter statistics showed an unemployment rate of 2%, compared to 5.2% for regional WA and 5.9% for the state.

Source: Department of Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business.

Average Taxable Income

Average taxable income for all individual taxpayers in the Shire of Dowerin for 1997/ 98 was $27,686.