Small Business Facts and Figures
in Western Australia
Home based businesses form a significant part of the small business sector here in Western Australia. In fact, 72.4 per cent of all Western Australian small businesses are operated either from home (with no other premises other than the home(s) of the operator(s)) or at home (where most of the work of the business was carried out at the home of the operator(s).
Source: ABS Cat. No. 8127.0
Home based business is a popular choice because it provides the autonomy for the operator to select his or her own projects, work style and hours.
A testament to this is the fact that 67 per cent of all small business operators are home based in Western Australia. Operators include sole proprietorships, partners in partnership and the working director(s) of an incorporated company.
Most Western Australian home based businesses were non-employing (73.2 per cent) and had a single operator (78.3 per cent). Further more, most were predominantly operated by men (61.7 per cent) and more than half (56.4 per cent) had access to the Internet.
Key Statistics - Comparison with other States and Territories
The below facts and figures were sourced from:
Australian Bureau of Statistics 2004, Characteristics of small business 2004, cat. no. 8127.0, ABS, Canberra.
Proportion of Home based businesses
| State | June 03 | June 04 |
| WA | 71.7% | 72.4% |
| Vic | 64.4% | 66.2% |
| NSW | 66.2% | 63.8% |
| QLD | 67.0% | 73.0% |
| NT | 58.8% | 74.6% |
| Tas | 57.6% | 65.2% |
| SA | 68.3% | 66.1% |
| ACT | 70.2% | 71.4% |
| Aust | 66.5% | 67.5% |
Proportion of Home based business operators
| State | June 03 | June 04 |
| WA | 65.4% | 67.0% |
| Vic | 59.6% | 61.4% |
| NSW | 62.6% | 59.4% |
| QLD | 62.3% | 68.1% |
| Tas | 55.2% | 67.9% |
| SA | 63.9% | 60.9% |
| NT | 54.5% | 60.7% |
| ACT | 65.6% | 65.9% |
| Aust | 62.1% | 62.6% |
