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AustraliaCommunity profile

Regional WA

Education institution attending

In 2021, 7,695 people in Regional WA were attending university. This represents 1.4% of the population, compared to 4.7% in Australia.

The share of Regional WA's population attending educational institutions reflects the age structure of the population, as it is influenced by the number of children attending school; proximity to tertiary education, which can mean young adults leaving home to be nearer to educational facilities and; the degree to which people are seeking out educational opportunities in adulthood, especially in their late teens and early twenties.

This data is often combined with Age Structure to identify areas with significant university student populations.

Learn more about planning education provision here.

Q:

Derived from the Census question:

'What type of educational institution is the person attending?'

Education institution attending
Regional WA - Total persons (Usual residence)20212001Change
Type of institutionNumber%Australia %Number%Australia %2001 to 2021
Pre-school8,4611.61.97,4821.81.5+979
Primary school43,8488.28.248,50411.69.4-4,656
Primary - Government31,6975.95.638,9529.36.7-7,255
Primary - Catholic7,5611.41.67,3901.81.8+171
Primary - Independent4,5900.91.02,1600.50.9+2,430
Secondary school32,7566.16.425,5106.16.8+7,246
Secondary - Government21,9914.13.720,2634.84.2+1,728
Secondary - Catholic6,1561.21.53,6100.91.4+2,546
Secondary - Independent4,6090.91.31,6370.41.1+2,972
TAFE/Vocational10,5572.02.410,6322.52.6-75
University7,6951.44.75,5111.33.8+2,184
Other3,3390.61.01,6290.40.8+1,710
Not attending371,56769.569.8294,33970.470.3+77,228
Not stated56,58810.65.824,6915.94.8+31,897
Total534,811100.0100.0418,298100.0100.0+116,513
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2001 and 2021. Compiled and presented by .id (informed decisions).
Please refer to specific data notes for more information

Dominant groups

Analysis of the share of the population attending educational institutions in Regional WA in 2021 compared to Australia shows that there was a similar proportion attending primary school, a similar proportion attending secondary school, and a lower proportion engaged in tertiary level education.

Overall, 8.2% of the population were attending primary school, 6.1% of the population were attending secondary institutions, and 3.4% were learning at a tertiary level, compared with 8.2%, 6.4% and 7.0% respectively for Australia.

The major difference between the share of the population attending learning institutions in Regional WA and Australia was:

  • A smaller percentage of persons attending University (1.4% compared to 4.7%)

Emerging groups

From 2001 to 2021, Regional WA's population increased by 116,515 people (+27.9%). This represents an average annual change of 1.24% per year over the period.

The largest changes in the number of persons attending education institutions in Regional WA, between 2001 and 2021 were in those who nominated:

  • Primary - Government (-7,255 persons)
  • Secondary school (+7,246 persons)
  • Primary school (-4,656 persons)
  • Secondary - Independent (+2,972 persons)

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