# 2538, NSW vs 2545, NSW — 2021 Census comparison

Postcode comparison · about 81 km apart

Postcode 2538 and postcode 2545 are two different rural areas in New South Wales. Postcode 2538 is more developed and accessible, with a walkability score of 4.8 (somewhat walkable) compared to 1.4 (car-dependent) in postcode 2545. This is seen in the local amenities; for example, 53.2% of homes in postcode 2538 are within a 15-minute walk of health services, while that figure is 0.0% in postcode 2545. Postcode 2538 also has a more qualified workforce, with 20.5% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher, which is well higher than the 14.9% in postcode 2545.

Both areas share a very similar typical weekly personal income, which sits around $600. They also have nearly the same share of people who do not identify with a religion, at about 44%. Over time, the gaps between them have shifted. The difference in the share of adults with degrees has widened since 2011, while the gap in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population has narrowed.

## Where they differ most

- Population: 1,463 larger in 2538, NSW
- De facto: 4.3 pts higher in 2545, NSW
- Needs assistance: 3.2 pts higher in 2538, NSW
- Recent movers: 8.9 pts higher in 2538, NSW
- First Nations: 5.4 pts higher in 2545, NSW

## Demographics & Identity

| Statistic | 2538, NSW | 2545, NSW | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Population | 2,580 | 1,117 | 1,463 larger in 2538, NSW | gap widening |
| Median age | 54 yrs | 55 yrs | 1 yrs older in 2545, NSW | gap narrowing |
| First Nations | 2.4% | 7.8% | 5.4 pts higher in 2545, NSW | gap narrowing |
| Aged 65+ | 32.8% | 31.8% | 1.0 pts higher in 2538, NSW | gap narrowing |
| Under 15 | 15.1% | 11.2% | 3.9 pts higher in 2538, NSW | gap widening |
| De facto | 11.2% | 15.5% | 4.3 pts higher in 2545, NSW | gap widening |

### Age structure

| Category | 2538, NSW % | 2545, NSW % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Seniors (65+) | 32.8% | 31.8% | +1.0 |
| Older adults (45–64) | 28.1% | 32.0% | -3.9 |
| Young adults (25–44) | 15.8% | 15.8% | +0.1 |
| Children (0–14) | 15.1% | 11.2% | +3.9 |
| Youth (15–24) | 8.4% | 9.2% | -0.8 |

### Marital status

| Category | 2538, NSW % | 2545, NSW % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Married | 53.7% | 48.1% | +5.6 |
| Never married | 24.1% | 32.3% | -8.2 |
| Divorced | 10.5% | 13.0% | -2.5 |
| Widowed | 8.7% | 4.1% | +4.6 |
| Separated | 2.9% | 2.2% | +0.7 |

### Age profile

Share of each region's population by age band and sex.

| Age band | 2538, NSW male | 2538, NSW female | 2545, NSW male | 2545, NSW female |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 0–4 | 2.6% | 2.0% | 1.6% | 2.1% |
| 5–9 | 2.9% | 1.9% | 2.0% | 1.8% |
| 10–14 | 3.0% | 2.8% | 2.1% | 1.3% |
| 15–19 | 2.4% | 3.1% | 2.7% | 2.8% |
| 20–24 | 1.3% | 1.8% | 2.2% | 1.3% |
| 25–29 | 1.7% | 1.4% | 1.8% | 1.3% |
| 30–34 | 1.2% | 2.0% | 2.1% | 1.6% |
| 35–39 | 1.7% | 2.8% | 2.0% | 2.0% |
| 40–44 | 2.7% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.7% |
| 45–49 | 2.6% | 2.3% | 2.1% | 2.9% |
| 50–54 | 2.7% | 3.6% | 3.8% | 4.3% |
| 55–59 | 3.6% | 3.9% | 5.3% | 4.7% |
| 60–64 | 4.8% | 4.8% | 4.0% | 5.6% |
| 65–69 | 5.1% | 4.5% | 6.1% | 6.0% |
| 70–74 | 4.8% | 4.5% | 5.6% | 4.7% |
| 75–79 | 2.5% | 2.2% | 3.2% | 2.0% |
| 80–84 | 1.4% | 1.9% | 1.5% | 1.2% |
| 85+ | 1.6% | 3.9% | 0.0% | 1.0% |

## Ancestry & Birthplace

| Statistic | 2538, NSW | 2545, NSW | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Born overseas | 12.9% | 10.8% | 2.0 pts higher in 2538, NSW | gap steady |

### Country of birth

| Category | 2538, NSW % | 2545, NSW % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Australia | 80.0% | 77.6% | +2.3 |
| England | 5.7% | 4.5% | +1.2 |
| New Zealand | 1.2% | 1.6% | -0.4 |
| South Africa | 0.7% | 0.3% | +0.4 |
| Italy | 0.3% | 0.0% | +0.3 |
| Philippines | 0.0% | 0.3% | -0.3 |
| India | 0.2% | 0.0% | +0.2 |
| China | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| Vietnam | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| Nepal | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

### Ancestry

| Category | 2538, NSW % | 2545, NSW % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| English | 42.6% | 40.3% | +2.3 |
| Australian | 37.8% | 36.0% | +1.8 |
| Scottish | 13.5% | 14.0% | -0.5 |
| Irish | 13.5% | 12.3% | +1.2 |
| German | 4.3% | 4.8% | -0.5 |
| Italian | 2.8% | 0.9% | +1.9 |
| Dutch | 1.9% | 1.5% | +0.4 |
| Greek | 1.4% | 0.5% | +0.9 |
| Chinese | 0.7% | 0.0% | +0.7 |
| Indian | 0.0% | 0.3% | -0.3 |
| Filipino | 0.2% | 0.3% | 0.0 |
| Vietnamese | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

## Language

| Statistic | 2538, NSW | 2545, NSW | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Other language | 1.9% | 1.4% | 0.5 pts higher in 2538, NSW | gap steady |
| Limited English | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.1 pts higher in 2538, NSW | gap steady |

### Language used at home

| Category | 2538, NSW % | 2545, NSW % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| English only | 91.9% | 87.5% | +4.4 |
| Italian | 0.5% | 0.0% | +0.5 |
| Greek | 0.3% | 0.0% | +0.3 |
| Cantonese | 0.2% | 0.0% | +0.2 |
| Mandarin | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| Arabic | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| Vietnamese | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| Punjabi | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| Hindi | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| Tagalog | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

## Religion

| Statistic | 2538, NSW | 2545, NSW | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No religion | 44.5% | 43.5% | 1.0 pts higher in 2538, NSW | gap narrowing |

### Religious affiliation

| Category | 2538, NSW % | 2545, NSW % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Christianity | 46.4% | 42.5% | +3.9 |
| No religion | 44.5% | 43.5% | +1.0 |
| Not stated | 8.0% | 12.9% | -4.9 |
| Buddhism | 1.1% | 0.4% | +0.6 |
| Other religions | 0.2% | 0.0% | +0.2 |
| Islam | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| Hinduism | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| Judaism | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

## Education & Qualifications

| Statistic | 2538, NSW | 2545, NSW | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 46.5% | 41.4% | 5.0 pts higher in 2538, NSW | gap widening |
| Bachelor+ | 20.5% | 14.9% | 5.6 pts higher in 2538, NSW | gap widening |
| Schools/1k kids | 7.69 | 8.00 | 0.31 more in 2545, NSW |  |
| Schools ≤3 km | 3 | 1 | 2 more in 2538, NSW |  |
| Students | 992 | 65 | 927 more in 2538, NSW |  |
| Avg size | 331 | 65 | 266 larger in 2538, NSW |  |
| ICSEA | 1,021 | 890 | 131 higher in 2538, NSW |  |

### Highest year of school

| Category | 2538, NSW % | 2545, NSW % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 46.5% | 41.4% | +5.0 |
| Year 10 | 26.6% | 30.8% | -4.2 |
| Year 9 or below | 14.1% | 11.2% | +2.9 |
| Year 11 | 5.1% | 6.6% | -1.5 |

### Highest qualification level

| Category | 2538, NSW % | 2545, NSW % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Certificate III / IV | 31.7% | 32.3% | -0.6 |
| Bachelor degree | 20.8% | 15.5% | +5.3 |
| Advanced diploma / diploma | 14.9% | 14.9% | 0.0 |
| Postgraduate degree | 7.1% | 4.5% | +2.6 |
| Graduate diploma / certificate | 3.6% | 2.8% | +0.8 |
| Certificate I / II | 1.7% | 2.3% | -0.6 |

### Field of qualification

| Category | 2538, NSW % | 2545, NSW % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Management & commerce | 13.8% | 17.5% | -3.7 |
| Engineering & related | 12.7% | 12.0% | +0.7 |
| Society & culture | 11.7% | 11.4% | +0.4 |
| Health | 10.8% | 8.8% | +2.0 |
| Education | 10.2% | 7.1% | +3.1 |
| Architecture & building | 8.7% | 9.4% | -0.6 |
| Food, hospitality & personal services | 5.6% | 4.3% | +1.3 |
| Agriculture & environment | 4.1% | 5.1% | -1.0 |
| Creative arts | 3.9% | 1.4% | +2.5 |
| Natural & physical sciences | 2.3% | 1.8% | +0.5 |
| Information technology | 0.7% | 1.8% | -1.1 |

## Income

| Statistic | 2538, NSW | 2545, NSW | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Personal income | $596 | $618 | $22 higher in 2545, NSW | gap widening |
| Household income | $1,353 | $1,187 | $166 higher in 2538, NSW | gap widening |
| Family income | $1,633 | $1,403 | $230 higher in 2538, NSW | gap widening |
| High earners | 7.7% | 4.5% | 3.1 pts higher in 2538, NSW | gap widening |
| High-income homes | 13.3% | 10.4% | 2.9 pts higher in 2538, NSW | gap widening |

### Household income distribution

| Category | 2538, NSW % | 2545, NSW % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $650–$1,499 | 33.0% | 34.9% | -1.9 |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 29.6% | 21.7% | +7.9 |
| Under $650 | 18.4% | 19.4% | -1.0 |
| $4,000 or more | 7.8% | 6.0% | +1.8 |
| $3,000–$3,999 | 5.5% | 4.4% | +1.1 |

### Personal income distribution

| Category | 2538, NSW % | 2545, NSW % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Under $650 | 50.0% | 45.6% | +4.4 |
| $650–$1,499 | 27.9% | 31.9% | -4.1 |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 11.2% | 9.0% | +2.2 |
| $3,000 or more | 3.7% | 2.4% | +1.3 |

## Health & Disability

| Statistic | 2538, NSW | 2545, NSW | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health condition | 34.8% | 30.5% | 4.3 pts higher in 2538, NSW |  |
| Mental health | 9.9% | 7.9% | 2.0 pts higher in 2538, NSW |  |
| Needs assistance | 8.4% | 5.3% | 3.2 pts higher in 2538, NSW | gap steady |

### Long-term health conditions reported

| Category | 2538, NSW % | 2545, NSW % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Arthritis | 16.5% | 12.0% | +4.5 |
| Mental health | 9.9% | 7.9% | +2.0 |
| Other condition | 9.5% | 9.6% | -0.1 |
| Asthma | 7.1% | 6.5% | +0.6 |
| Heart disease | 6.7% | 5.6% | +1.2 |
| Cancer | 5.3% | 4.1% | +1.2 |
| Diabetes | 4.7% | 4.6% | +0.1 |
| Lung condition | 2.3% | 2.6% | -0.3 |
| Dementia | 2.4% | 0.8% | +1.6 |
| Stroke | 0.9% | 1.5% | -0.6 |

### Number of long-term health conditions

| Category | 2538, NSW % | 2545, NSW % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| None | 56.3% | 56.8% | -0.5 |
| One condition | 20.3% | 19.9% | +0.4 |
| Two conditions | 8.9% | 7.0% | +1.9 |
| Three or more | 5.9% | 3.6% | +2.3 |

## Community Participation

| Statistic | 2538, NSW | 2545, NSW | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Volunteering | 19.2% | 17.2% | 2.0 pts higher in 2538, NSW | gap narrowing |
| Unpaid carers | 11.9% | 13.8% | 1.9 pts higher in 2545, NSW | gap narrowing |
| Unpaid child care | 23.3% | 18.9% | 4.4 pts higher in 2538, NSW | gap widening |
| Defence service | 3.5% | 3.2% | 0.3 pts higher in 2538, NSW |  |
| Housework 15h+ | 28.3% | 31.4% | 3.1 pts higher in 2545, NSW | gap widening |

## Family & Households

| Statistic | 2538, NSW | 2545, NSW | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Household size | 2.4 | 2.2 | 0.2 larger in 2538, NSW | gap widening |
| One-parent | 9.8% | 12.5% | 2.7 pts higher in 2545, NSW | gap widening |
| Living alone | 22.4% | 25.9% | 3.5 pts higher in 2545, NSW | gap widening |

### Family composition

| Category | 2538, NSW % | 2545, NSW % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Couples with children | 49.7% | 40.5% | +9.2 |
| Couples without children | 39.4% | 46.4% | -6.9 |
| One-parent families | 9.8% | 12.5% | -2.7 |
| Other families | 1.0% | 0.8% | +0.2 |

### Household size

| Category | 2538, NSW % | 2545, NSW % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2 people | 45.1% | 48.7% | -3.6 |
| 1 person | 22.4% | 25.9% | -3.5 |
| 4 people | 12.4% | 7.9% | +4.6 |
| 3 people | 9.7% | 10.9% | -1.1 |
| 5 people | 6.5% | 4.2% | +2.3 |
| 6 or more | 2.8% | 3.0% | -0.2 |

## Housing & Dwellings

| Statistic | 2538, NSW | 2545, NSW | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rent | $380 | $300 | $80 higher in 2538, NSW | gap narrowing |
| Mortgage | $1,733 | $1,300 | $433 higher in 2538, NSW | gap narrowing |
| People / bedroom | 0.80 | 0.80 |  | gap steady |
| Renting | 12.5% | 14.1% | 1.5 pts higher in 2545, NSW | gap narrowing |
| Owned outright | 53.5% | 54.3% | 0.8 pts higher in 2545, NSW | gap narrowing |
| Separate houses | 92.5% | 98.2% | 5.6 pts higher in 2545, NSW | gap widening |
| 3+ bedrooms | 78.4% | 74.6% | 3.8 pts higher in 2538, NSW | gap steady |

### How homes are owned or rented

| Category | 2538, NSW % | 2545, NSW % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Owned outright | 53.5% | 54.3% | -0.8 |
| Owned with a mortgage | 28.8% | 26.6% | +2.2 |
| Rented | 12.5% | 14.1% | -1.5 |
| Other tenure | 2.8% | 5.1% | -2.3 |
| Not stated | 1.6% | 0.7% | +0.9 |

### Types of homes

| Category | 2538, NSW % | 2545, NSW % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Separate house | 92.5% | 98.2% | -5.6 |
| Townhouse / semi-detached | 3.2% | 0.0% | +3.2 |
| Other dwelling | 1.7% | 2.5% | -0.8 |
| Flat or apartment | 2.2% | 0.0% | +2.2 |

### Bedrooms per home

| Category | 2538, NSW % | 2545, NSW % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 3 bedrooms | 35.5% | 47.3% | -11.9 |
| 4 bedrooms | 33.0% | 23.3% | +9.6 |
| 2 bedrooms | 13.4% | 15.5% | -2.1 |
| 5 or more | 9.9% | 3.9% | +6.0 |
| 1 bedroom | 5.7% | 7.2% | -1.4 |
| Studio / none | 1.0% | 0.9% | +0.0 |

### Weekly rent distribution

| Category | 2538, NSW % | 2545, NSW % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $350–$549 | 60.3% | 23.0% | +37.4 |
| $200–$349 | 30.2% | 54.1% | -23.9 |
| Under $200 | 12.1% | 6.6% | +5.5 |
| $550–$749 | 6.0% | 0.0% | +6.0 |
| $750 or more | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

### Monthly mortgage distribution

| Category | 2538, NSW % | 2545, NSW % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $1,000–$1,799 | 33.1% | 40.9% | -7.8 |
| Under $1,000 | 19.9% | 34.8% | -14.9 |
| $1,800–$2,999 | 28.6% | 20.0% | +8.6 |
| $3,000 or more | 15.8% | 2.6% | +13.2 |

## Transport & Vehicles

| Statistic | 2538, NSW | 2545, NSW | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No car | 3.4% | 1.9% | 1.6 pts higher in 2538, NSW | gap widening |
| Work from home | 18.8% | 17.3% | 1.5 pts higher in 2538, NSW | gap narrowing |
| PT commute | 0.0% | 0.0% |  | gap steady |
| PT stops | 16 | 6 | 10 more in 2538, NSW |  |
| Stops/1k | 6.20 | 5.37 | 0.83 more in 2538, NSW |  |
| Departures/1k | 148.1 | 25.1 | 123.0 more in 2538, NSW |  |
| PT routes | 4 | 3 | 1 more in 2538, NSW |  |

### How people get to work

| Category | 2538, NSW % | 2545, NSW % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Car (driver) | 54.8% | 58.4% | -3.6 |
| Worked at home | 18.8% | 17.3% | +1.5 |
| Walked | 6.1% | 4.5% | +1.6 |
| Car (passenger) | 4.6% | 3.5% | +1.1 |
| Bicycle | 0.6% | 1.5% | -0.9 |
| Train | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| Bus | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

### Motor vehicles per home

| Category | 2538, NSW % | 2545, NSW % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2 vehicles | 41.9% | 41.4% | +0.5 |
| 1 vehicle | 28.7% | 28.1% | +0.5 |
| 3 vehicles | 16.4% | 17.7% | -1.2 |
| 4 or more | 10.3% | 11.4% | -1.1 |
| No vehicle | 3.4% | 1.9% | +1.6 |

## Migration & Movement

| Statistic | 2538, NSW | 2545, NSW | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Recent movers | 37.9% | 29.0% | 8.9 pts higher in 2538, NSW | gap widening |
| Recent arrivals | 2.4% | 2.5% | 0.1 pts higher in 2545, NSW | gap narrowing |

## Jobs & Industry

| Statistic | 2538, NSW | 2545, NSW | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Unemployment | 2.5% | 3.5% | 1.1 pts higher in 2545, NSW | gap steady |
| Participation | 48.2% | 48.5% | 0.3 pts higher in 2545, NSW | gap narrowing |
| Full-time | 45.4% | 51.9% | 6.6 pts higher in 2545, NSW | gap widening |

### Industries people work in

| Category | 2538, NSW % | 2545, NSW % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health care & social assistance | 13.0% | 14.3% | -1.3 |
| Construction | 13.9% | 11.9% | +2.0 |
| Agriculture, forestry & fishing | 5.5% | 13.9% | -8.3 |
| Retail trade | 12.1% | 7.6% | +4.5 |
| Accommodation & food | 8.5% | 9.3% | -0.8 |
| Professional & technical | 8.2% | 3.5% | +4.8 |
| Education & training | 7.9% | 6.1% | +1.8 |
| Public administration & safety | 6.3% | 6.7% | -0.4 |
| Manufacturing | 2.9% | 4.8% | -1.9 |
| Other services | 3.8% | 4.3% | -0.5 |
| Administrative & support | 3.5% | 4.1% | -0.6 |
| Transport & warehousing | 2.1% | 2.6% | -0.5 |

### Occupations people work in

| Category | 2538, NSW % | 2545, NSW % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Professionals | 22.4% | 13.4% | +9.0 |
| Managers | 17.1% | 17.5% | -0.5 |
| Technicians & trades | 15.6% | 16.9% | -1.3 |
| Community & personal service | 11.1% | 14.5% | -3.4 |
| Labourers | 9.0% | 12.6% | -3.5 |
| Clerical & administrative | 10.4% | 10.6% | -0.2 |
| Sales workers | 9.7% | 4.1% | +5.6 |
| Machinery operators & drivers | 3.7% | 6.5% | -2.8 |

## Economy & Advantage

| Statistic | 2538, NSW | 2545, NSW | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| IRSAD decile | 7 | 4 | 3 higher in 2538, NSW |  |
| IRSD decile | 8 | 5 | 3 higher in 2538, NSW |  |
| IER decile | 8 | 5 | 3 higher in 2538, NSW |  |
| IEO decile | 7 | 5 | 2 higher in 2538, NSW |  |
| IRSAD score | 1,005 | 956 | 49 higher in 2538, NSW |  |

## Walkability

| Statistic | 2538, NSW | 2545, NSW | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Walk score | 4.8 | 1.4 | 3.4 higher in 2538, NSW |  |
| Types ≤15 min | 4.6 | 1.4 | 3.1 more in 2538, NSW |  |
| 15-min city | 53.9% | 18.9% | 35.0 pts higher in 2538, NSW |  |
| Walk to shops | 55.4% | 24.0% | 31.4 pts higher in 2538, NSW |  |
| Walk to transit | 60.6% | 21.4% | 39.3 pts higher in 2538, NSW |  |
| Walk to school | 52.7% | 14.3% | 38.5 pts higher in 2538, NSW |  |
| Walk to a park | 66.3% | 19.7% | 46.6 pts higher in 2538, NSW |  |
| Walk to health | 53.2% | 0.0% | 53.2 pts higher in 2538, NSW |  |
| Amenities/1k | 27.5 | 24.2 | 3.3 more in 2538, NSW |  |
| Intersections/km² | 1 | 0 | 1 higher in 2538, NSW |  |
| Mean slope | 8.9% | 9.4% | 0.5 pts higher in 2545, NSW |  |

Interactive comparison: https://censusatlas.au/compare/poa/POA2538/2538-nsw/vs/POA2545/2545-nsw