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Bowral vs Southern Highlands

Name: Bowral vs Southern Highlands — 2021 Census comparison
Creator: Australian Bureau of Statistics
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Statistical Area 2 (SA2) comparison ≈ 19 km apart · Bowral profile · Southern Highlands profile

Bowral Southern Highlands

Bowral and Southern Highlands are nearby New South Wales areas with very different layouts. Bowral is more developed and accessible, with a walkability score of 4.8 (somewhat walkable) and 88.6% of homes within a 10 minute walk of public transport. Southern Highlands is more rural and mostly car-dependent, with a score of 2.6 and a typical drive time to the city of 161 minutes, compared to 77 minutes in Bowral. Bowral also has much larger schools, with an average size of 506 students, while the average in Southern Highlands is just 73.

Since 2011, the two areas have drifted further apart in several ways. The gap in typical age has widened, with Bowral now noticeably older at 56. More people in Bowral are also earning $2,000 or more a week, and a higher share have bachelor degrees. Despite these trends, they remain similar in other areas, such as their typical weekly household incomes and the share of children under 15, which both sit near 14%.

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Where they differ most

Separate houses: 14.9 pts higher in Southern Highlands Population: 6,376 larger in Bowral De facto: 4.8 pts higher in Southern Highlands Aged 65+: 8.1 pts higher in Bowral Needs assistance: 1.7 pts higher in Bowral

Demographics & Identity

Population in Bowral in Southern Highlands +6,376 larger in Bowral gap steady

13,626 70th pct 7,250 36th pct

Median age in Bowral in Southern Highlands +3 yrs older in Bowral gap widening

56 yrs 99th pct 53 yrs 94th pct

Age structure

38.8% Seniors (65+) ◂ +8.1 pts 30.8%

25.0% Older adults (45–64) +4.4 pts ▸ 29.4%

13.8% Young adults (25–44) +2.4 pts ▸ 16.2%

14.2% Children (0–14) +0.6 pts ▸ 14.8%

8.3% Youth (15–24) +0.4 pts ▸ 8.7%

Marital status

56.2% Married ◂ +2.5 pts 53.7%

21.6% Never married +5.1 pts ▸ 26.7%

9.7% Divorced +1.1 pts ▸ 10.7%

9.8% Widowed ◂ +3.9 pts 5.9%

2.7% Separated +0.4 pts ▸ 3.0%

Age & sex structure

Bowral Southern Highlands

Bars show the share of each area's own population, so differently sized areas stay comparable.

Ancestry & Birthplace

Country of birth

73.5% Australia +2.5 pts ▸ 75.9%

7.1% England ◂ +0.4 pts 6.6%

1.8% New Zealand ◂ +0.2 pts 1.6%

1.0% South Africa ◂ +0.3 pts 0.7%

0.8% Nepal ◂ +0.7 pts 0.1%

0.8% India ◂ +0.6 pts 0.2%

0.4% Italy even 0.4%

0.4% China ◂ +0.3 pts 0.1%

0.3% Philippines ◂ +0.1 pts 0.2%

0.1% Vietnam even 0.1%

Ancestry

46.2% English ◂ +2.6 pts 43.6%

33.4% Australian +4.8 pts ▸ 38.2%

15.9% Irish ◂ +1.7 pts 14.1%

14.4% Scottish +0.3 pts ▸ 14.7%

4.1% German ◂ +0.1 pts 4.0%

3.4% Italian even 3.4%

1.6% Dutch +0.2 pts ▸ 1.8%

1.1% Chinese ◂ +0.5 pts 0.6%

1.0% Greek even 1.1%

0.8% Indian ◂ +0.6 pts 0.2%

0.3% Filipino +0.1 pts ▸ 0.4%

0.2% Vietnamese ◂ +0.1 pts 0.0%

Language

Language used at home

88.0% English only +1.4 pts ▸ 89.4%

0.6% Italian ◂ +0.1 pts 0.4%

0.3% Greek even 0.4%

0.1% Arabic +0.2 pts ▸ 0.3%

0.3% Mandarin ◂ +0.1 pts 0.3%

0.3% Cantonese ◂ +0.2 pts 0.1%

0.2% Punjabi ◂ +0.2 pts 0.0%

0.1% Hindi ◂ +0.1 pts 0.1%

0.1% Vietnamese even 0.1%

0.1% Tagalog even 0.1%

Religion

Religious affiliation

56.9% Christianity ◂ +4.7 pts 52.2%

33.7% No religion +4.9 pts ▸ 38.6%

6.5% Not stated +1.0 pts ▸ 7.5%

1.1% Hinduism ◂ +0.9 pts 0.1%

0.8% Buddhism even 0.8%

0.5% Judaism ◂ +0.3 pts 0.2%

0.4% Other religions ◂ +0.2 pts 0.2%

0.2% Islam even 0.2%

Education & Qualifications

Schools in Bowral in Southern Highlands +3 more in Bowral

7 86th pct 4 57th pct

Schools/1k kids in Bowral in Southern Highlands +0.10 more in Southern Highlands

3.63 76th pct 3.72 76th pct

Schools ≤3 km in Bowral in Southern Highlands +4 more in Bowral

18 47th pct 14 37th pct

Students in Bowral in Southern Highlands +3,247 more in Bowral

3,539 85th pct 292 10th pct

Avg size in Bowral in Southern Highlands +433 larger in Bowral

506 61st pct 73 4th pct

ICSEA in Bowral in Southern Highlands +49 higher in Bowral

1,078 76th pct 1,029 56th pct

Highest year of school

62.4% Year 12 ◂ +5.9 pts 56.5%

19.7% Year 10 +4.5 pts ▸ 24.2%

6.5% Year 9 or below +0.4 pts ▸ 6.9%

5.1% Year 11 even 5.2%

Highest qualification level

28.6% Bachelor degree ◂ +2.9 pts 25.7%

17.9% Certificate III / IV +8.0 pts ▸ 25.9%

17.7% Advanced diploma / diploma ◂ +2.5 pts 15.2%

12.1% Postgraduate degree ◂ +2.5 pts 9.6%

4.4% Graduate diploma / certificate ◂ +0.3 pts 4.2%

1.5% Certificate I / II +0.2 pts ▸ 1.7%

Field of qualification

21.4% Management & commerce ◂ +4.3 pts 17.2%

13.2% Society & culture ◂ +0.2 pts 13.1%

10.8% Engineering & related +1.6 pts ▸ 12.4%

12.0% Health ◂ +1.3 pts 10.6%

10.1% Education ◂ +1.3 pts 8.8%

5.0% Architecture & building +2.4 pts ▸ 7.4%

4.7% Creative arts +0.3 pts ▸ 5.0%

2.1% Agriculture & environment +1.9 pts ▸ 4.0%

4.0% Food, hospitality & personal services ◂ +0.1 pts 3.9%

3.0% Natural & physical sciences ◂ +0.1 pts 2.9%

1.4% Information technology +0.2 pts ▸ 1.6%

Income

Personal income in Bowral in Southern Highlands +$70 higher in Bowral gap widening

$827 55th pct $757 40th pct

Household income in Bowral in Southern Highlands +$76 higher in Bowral gap narrowing

$1,650 44th pct $1,574 40th pct

Family income in Bowral in Southern Highlands +$235 higher in Bowral gap widening

$2,182 57th pct $1,947 41st pct

Household income distribution

27.9% $650–$1,499 +0.5 pts ▸ 28.4%

25.0% $1,500–$2,999 +1.0 pts ▸ 26.0%

16.0% Under $650 +0.8 pts ▸ 16.8%

16.5% $4,000 or more ◂ +3.0 pts 13.5%

8.3% $3,000–$3,999 +0.5 pts ▸ 8.8%

Personal income distribution

38.2% Under $650 +2.2 pts ▸ 40.4%

29.5% $650–$1,499 +0.6 pts ▸ 30.1%

16.3% $1,500–$2,999 ◂ +0.9 pts 15.5%

8.7% $3,000 or more ◂ +2.3 pts 6.4%

Health & Disability

Long-term health conditions reported

14.5% Arthritis ◂ +2.4 pts 12.1%

8.8% Other condition ◂ +1.3 pts 7.5%

7.2% Asthma +0.7 pts ▸ 7.9%

7.3% Mental health +0.5 pts ▸ 7.7%

6.2% Heart disease ◂ +1.4 pts 4.8%

5.5% Cancer ◂ +1.1 pts 4.4%

4.8% Diabetes even 4.8%

2.5% Lung condition ◂ +0.5 pts 1.9%

1.4% Stroke ◂ +0.5 pts 0.9%

1.3% Dementia ◂ +0.5 pts 0.8%

Number of long-term health conditions

58.3% None +1.1 pts ▸ 59.5%

22.7% One condition ◂ +0.2 pts 22.4%

7.6% Two conditions ◂ +0.5 pts 7.1%

4.1% Three or more ◂ +1.1 pts 2.9%

Community Participation

First Nations

First Nations people in Bowral in Southern Highlands +16 larger in Bowral

138 42nd pct 122 38th pct

Median age in Bowral in Southern Highlands +3 yrs older in Southern Highlands

23 yrs 36th pct 26 yrs 64th pct

Median income in Bowral in Southern Highlands +$159 higher in Southern Highlands

$558 33rd pct $717 64th pct

Household income in Bowral in Southern Highlands +$281 higher in Southern Highlands

$2,031 69th pct $2,312 83rd pct

Family & Households

Household size in Bowral in Southern Highlands +0.1 larger in Southern Highlands gap widening

2.3 29th pct 2.4 36th pct

Family composition

47.4% Couples with children +1.1 pts ▸ 48.5%

41.2% Couples without children ◂ +0.4 pts 40.8%

10.7% One-parent families ◂ +0.5 pts 10.2%

0.7% Other families ◂ +0.2 pts 0.5%

Household size

42.5% 2 people +0.5 pts ▸ 42.9%

29.2% 1 person ◂ +4.2 pts 25.0%

11.3% 4 people +1.2 pts ▸ 12.5%

10.0% 3 people +1.3 pts ▸ 11.4%

5.1% 5 people +0.3 pts ▸ 5.4%

1.8% 6 or more +1.1 pts ▸ 3.0%

Housing & Dwellings

Rent in Bowral in Southern Highlands +$100 higher in Bowral gap widening

$500 88th pct $400 62nd pct

Mortgage in Bowral in Southern Highlands +$192 higher in Bowral gap narrowing

$2,300 80th pct $2,108 70th pct

People / bedroom in Bowral in Southern Highlands even gap narrowing

0.70 0th pct 0.70 0th pct

How homes are owned or rented

53.1% Owned outright ◂ +0.7 pts 52.4%

25.2% Owned with a mortgage +6.1 pts ▸ 31.3%

16.9% Rented ◂ +4.3 pts 12.6%

3.6% Other tenure ◂ +0.9 pts 2.7%

1.2% Not stated +0.1 pts ▸ 1.3%

Types of homes

83.2% Separate house +14.9 pts ▸ 98.0%

13.9% Townhouse / semi-detached ◂ +13.2 pts 0.7%

2.4% Flat or apartment ◂ +1.6 pts 0.8%

0.2% Other dwelling +0.3 pts ▸ 0.5%

Bedrooms per home

37.1% 4 bedrooms ◂ +1.1 pts 36.0%

34.2% 3 bedrooms +0.4 pts ▸ 34.6%

12.9% 2 bedrooms ◂ +1.9 pts 11.0%

12.1% 5 or more +0.7 pts ▸ 12.8%

2.4% 1 bedroom +1.1 pts ▸ 3.5%

0.1% Studio / none +0.5 pts ▸ 0.6%

Weekly rent distribution

36.9% $350–$549 ◂ +2.0 pts 34.9%

27.2% $550–$749 ◂ +15.5 pts 11.6%

14.8% $200–$349 +10.8 pts ▸ 25.6%

11.8% $750 or more ◂ +5.2 pts 6.5%

7.0% Under $200 +1.2 pts ▸ 8.2%

Monthly mortgage distribution

33.3% $3,000 or more ◂ +6.3 pts 27.0%

26.8% $1,800–$2,999 +0.4 pts ▸ 27.2%

17.4% $1,000–$1,799 +2.6 pts ▸ 20.0%

14.4% Under $1,000 +3.7 pts ▸ 18.1%

Transport & Vehicles

PT stops in Bowral in Southern Highlands +86 more in Bowral

129 89th pct 43 52nd pct

Stops/1k in Bowral in Southern Highlands +3.54 more in Bowral

9.47 87th pct 5.93 72nd pct

Departures/1k in Bowral in Southern Highlands +217.0 more in Bowral

355.2 33rd pct 138.2 22nd pct

PT routes in Bowral in Southern Highlands +3 more in Bowral

15 78th pct 12 71st pct

Stop walk in Bowral in Southern Highlands

4 43rd pct —

Drive to city in Bowral in Southern Highlands +84 longer in Southern Highlands

77 83rd pct 161 100th pct

How people get to work

45.9% Car (driver) +5.2 pts ▸ 51.1%

31.2% Worked at home ◂ +4.6 pts 26.7%

4.0% Car (passenger) ◂ +1.3 pts 2.7%

3.7% Walked ◂ +0.6 pts 3.1%

0.4% Train ◂ +0.2 pts 0.2%

0.4% Bicycle ◂ +0.4 pts 0.0%

0.3% Bus ◂ +0.1 pts 0.2%

Motor vehicles per home

39.8% 1 vehicle ◂ +8.1 pts 31.7%

38.4% 2 vehicles ◂ +0.7 pts 37.6%

11.5% 3 vehicles +5.0 pts ▸ 16.5%

6.5% 4 or more +6.0 pts ▸ 12.4%

3.8% No vehicle ◂ +2.0 pts 1.8%

Migration & Movement

Jobs & Industry

Industries people work in

15.1% Health care & social assistance ◂ +3.4 pts 11.8%

8.0% Construction +5.0 pts ▸ 13.1%

10.7% Professional & technical ◂ +1.8 pts 8.9%

10.4% Education & training ◂ +1.7 pts 8.7%

9.0% Retail trade ◂ +1.8 pts 7.2%

8.6% Accommodation & food ◂ +1.9 pts 6.7%

4.8% Manufacturing +1.6 pts ▸ 6.5%

1.5% Agriculture, forestry & fishing +3.9 pts ▸ 5.4%

4.2% Finance & insurance ◂ +1.6 pts 2.5%

3.9% Public administration & safety +0.1 pts ▸ 4.1%

3.2% Administrative & support +0.8 pts ▸ 4.0%

3.0% Other services +1.0 pts ▸ 4.0%

Occupations people work in

29.3% Professionals ◂ +8.5 pts 20.8%

18.9% Managers +0.4 pts ▸ 19.3%

11.3% Technicians & trades +4.8 pts ▸ 16.1%

11.5% Clerical & administrative even 11.4%

9.6% Community & personal service +0.2 pts ▸ 9.8%

8.8% Sales workers ◂ +2.7 pts 6.1%

6.1% Labourers +2.7 pts ▸ 8.8%

3.1% Machinery operators & drivers +2.6 pts ▸ 5.7%

Economy & Advantage

IRSAD decile in Bowral in Southern Highlands +1 higher in Bowral

8 71st pct 7 64th pct

IRSD decile in Bowral in Southern Highlands +1 higher in Bowral

9 86th pct 8 71st pct

IER decile in Bowral in Southern Highlands even

9 86th pct 9 86th pct

IEO decile in Bowral in Southern Highlands +1 higher in Bowral

8 71st pct 7 64th pct

IRSAD score in Bowral in Southern Highlands +33 higher in Bowral

1,073 79th pct 1,040 67th pct

ERP in Bowral in Southern Highlands +5,951 higher in Bowral

13,404 64th pct 7,453 34th pct

Growth in Bowral in Southern Highlands +4.6 pts higher in Southern Highlands

-1.1% 7th pct 3.5% 40th pct

Businesses in Bowral in Southern Highlands +787 higher in Bowral

1,884 86th pct 1,097 60th pct

Environment & Climate

Rainfall in Bowral in Southern Highlands +168 higher in Bowral

989 60th pct 821 46th pct

Max temp in Bowral in Southern Highlands +0.8 higher in Southern Highlands

19.7 13th pct 20.5 22nd pct

Min temp in Bowral in Southern Highlands +0.1 higher in Bowral

8.2 10th pct 8.1 9th pct

Walkability

Walk score in Bowral in Southern Highlands +2.2 higher in Bowral

4.8 41st pct 2.6 16th pct

Types ≤15 min in Bowral in Southern Highlands +1.7 more in Bowral

4.5 38th pct 2.8 18th pct

15-min city in Bowral in Southern Highlands +15.8 pts higher in Bowral

46.3% 34th pct 30.5% 21st pct

Walk to shops in Bowral in Southern Highlands +9.6 pts higher in Bowral

35.1% 25th pct 25.6% 17th pct

Walk to transit in Bowral in Southern Highlands +47.3 pts higher in Bowral

88.6% 46th pct 41.3% 22nd pct

Walk to school in Bowral in Southern Highlands +31.3 pts higher in Bowral

57.7% 36th pct 26.5% 14th pct

Walk to a park in Bowral in Southern Highlands +36.3 pts higher in Bowral

84.9% 32nd pct 48.7% 13th pct

Walk to health in Bowral in Southern Highlands +17.5 pts higher in Bowral

40.7% 46th pct 23.2% 27th pct

Amenities/1k in Bowral in Southern Highlands +2.9 more in Bowral

21.0 75th pct 18.1 68th pct

Intersections/km² in Bowral in Southern Highlands +32 higher in Bowral

33 34th pct 1 12th pct

Mean slope in Bowral in Southern Highlands +2.4 pts higher in Southern Highlands

5.9% 60th pct 8.3% 84th pct

Compare Bowral with nearby areas

Moss Vale - Berrima Mittagong Hill Top - Colo Vale Robertson - Fitzroy Falls Southern Highlands Bargo Berry - Kangaroo Valley Illawarra Catchment Reserve

Compare Southern Highlands with nearby areas

Moss Vale - Berrima Bowral Mittagong Hill Top - Colo Vale Robertson - Fitzroy Falls Bargo Berry - Kangaroo Valley Picton - Tahmoor - Buxton

Cite this page

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Bowral vs Southern Highlands [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/compare/sa2/114021284/bowral/vs/114021289/southern-highlands