# Newcastle and Lake Macquarie vs Sydney - Blacktown — 2021 Census comparison

Region (SA4) comparison · about 97 km apart

Sydney - Blacktown and Newcastle and Lake Macquarie are both large regions in New South Wales, but they differ sharply in their cultural and social make-up. Sydney - Blacktown is much more diverse, with 44.6% of people born overseas and 46.5% using another language at home. In contrast, only 12.5% of people in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie were born overseas. Other key differences include the housing market and health; homes owned outright are far more common in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie (33.8% compared to 20.2%), while long-term health conditions are also far higher there at 34.2%.

Cultural differences between the two areas have become more pronounced over time, with the gap in the share of people born overseas widening since 2011. Despite this, they share several commonalities, including similar weekly rents of around $400 and almost identical rates of people working or looking for work. Both areas also have a similar share of people who speak a First Nations language, at 3.5% each.

## Where they differ most

- Born overseas: 32.1 pts higher in Sydney - Blacktown
- Other language: 39.0 pts higher in Sydney - Blacktown
- No religion: 25.4 pts higher in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie
- Under 15: 5.4 pts higher in Sydney - Blacktown
- People / bedroom: 0.10 higher in Sydney - Blacktown

## Demographics & Identity

| Statistic | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie | Sydney - Blacktown | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Population | 390,519 | 400,997 | 10,478 larger in Sydney - Blacktown | gap narrowing |
| Median age | 40 yrs | 34 yrs | 6 yrs older in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie | gap narrowing |
| First Nations | 5.1% | 3.0% | 2.1 pts higher in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie | gap widening |
| Aged 65+ | 19.9% | 11.0% | 8.9 pts higher in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie | gap steady |
| Under 15 | 17.3% | 22.7% | 5.4 pts higher in Sydney - Blacktown | gap steady |
| De facto | 12.6% | 6.8% | 5.7 pts higher in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie | gap widening |

### Age structure

| Category | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie % | Sydney - Blacktown % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Young adults (25–44) | 25.7% | 32.1% | -6.3 |
| Older adults (45–64) | 24.5% | 21.5% | +3.0 |
| Children (0–14) | 17.3% | 22.7% | -5.4 |
| Seniors (65+) | 19.9% | 11.0% | +8.9 |
| Youth (15–24) | 12.5% | 12.8% | -0.3 |

### Marital status

| Category | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie % | Sydney - Blacktown % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Married | 43.8% | 52.7% | -8.9 |
| Never married | 37.2% | 33.7% | +3.5 |
| Divorced | 9.8% | 6.3% | +3.5 |
| Widowed | 6.0% | 4.1% | +1.9 |
| Separated | 3.2% | 3.2% | +0.0 |

### Age profile

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

| Age band | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie male | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie female | Sydney - Blacktown male | Sydney - Blacktown female |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 0–4 | 2.8% | 2.7% | 3.9% | 3.7% |
| 5–9 | 3.1% | 2.9% | 4.0% | 3.9% |
| 10–14 | 3.0% | 2.9% | 3.7% | 3.5% |
| 15–19 | 2.9% | 2.8% | 3.2% | 2.9% |
| 20–24 | 3.4% | 3.3% | 3.5% | 3.2% |
| 25–29 | 3.3% | 3.3% | 3.6% | 3.5% |
| 30–34 | 3.3% | 3.4% | 3.7% | 4.2% |
| 35–39 | 3.2% | 3.3% | 4.5% | 4.7% |
| 40–44 | 2.9% | 3.0% | 4.0% | 3.8% |
| 45–49 | 3.0% | 3.2% | 3.3% | 3.1% |
| 50–54 | 3.0% | 3.1% | 2.8% | 2.8% |
| 55–59 | 2.9% | 3.1% | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| 60–64 | 2.9% | 3.2% | 2.2% | 2.3% |
| 65–69 | 2.7% | 2.9% | 1.8% | 2.0% |
| 70–74 | 2.4% | 2.7% | 1.4% | 1.6% |
| 75–79 | 1.8% | 2.1% | 0.9% | 1.0% |
| 80–84 | 1.1% | 1.5% | 0.5% | 0.7% |
| 85+ | 1.0% | 1.8% | 0.4% | 0.7% |

## Ancestry & Birthplace

| Statistic | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie | Sydney - Blacktown | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Born overseas | 12.5% | 44.6% | 32.1 pts higher in Sydney - Blacktown | gap widening |

### Country of birth

| Category | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie % | Sydney - Blacktown % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Australia | 83.4% | 50.2% | +33.2 |
| India | 0.7% | 12.1% | -11.4 |
| Philippines | 0.5% | 6.3% | -5.8 |
| England | 2.4% | 1.2% | +1.2 |
| New Zealand | 1.1% | 2.1% | -1.0 |
| China | 0.5% | 1.6% | -1.1 |
| Nepal | 0.2% | 0.9% | -0.8 |
| South Africa | 0.4% | 0.5% | -0.1 |
| Vietnam | 0.2% | 0.3% | -0.1 |
| Italy | 0.3% | 0.3% | -0.1 |

### Ancestry

| Category | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie % | Sydney - Blacktown % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| English | 42.5% | 16.7% | +25.8 |
| Australian | 40.6% | 18.9% | +21.6 |
| Indian | 1.0% | 13.7% | -12.8 |
| Scottish | 11.7% | 3.5% | +8.2 |
| Irish | 11.6% | 4.2% | +7.4 |
| Filipino | 0.8% | 8.9% | -8.1 |
| Chinese | 1.5% | 4.5% | -3.0 |
| German | 4.2% | 1.6% | +2.5 |
| Italian | 2.5% | 2.3% | +0.2 |
| Dutch | 1.4% | 0.7% | +0.7 |
| Greek | 0.8% | 0.9% | -0.1 |
| Vietnamese | 0.3% | 0.5% | -0.2 |

## Language

| Statistic | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie | Sydney - Blacktown | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Other language | 7.5% | 46.5% | 39.0 pts higher in Sydney - Blacktown | gap widening |
| Limited English | 1.0% | 5.3% | 4.3 pts higher in Sydney - Blacktown | gap steady |

### Language used at home

| Category | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie % | Sydney - Blacktown % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| English only | 88.2% | 47.3% | +40.9 |
| Punjabi | 0.2% | 5.2% | -5.0 |
| Hindi | 0.2% | 4.4% | -4.3 |
| Tagalog | 0.2% | 3.8% | -3.6 |
| Arabic | 0.3% | 2.9% | -2.6 |
| Mandarin | 0.6% | 1.8% | -1.2 |
| Cantonese | 0.3% | 1.0% | -0.7 |
| Greek | 0.3% | 0.5% | -0.2 |
| Italian | 0.3% | 0.4% | -0.1 |
| Vietnamese | 0.2% | 0.4% | -0.1 |

## Religion

| Statistic | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie | Sydney - Blacktown | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No religion | 43.7% | 18.3% | 25.4 pts higher in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie | gap widening |

### Religious affiliation

| Category | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie % | Sydney - Blacktown % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Christianity | 47.5% | 46.3% | +1.1 |
| No religion | 43.7% | 18.3% | +25.4 |
| Hinduism | 0.8% | 13.4% | -12.6 |
| Islam | 0.9% | 8.0% | -7.0 |
| Not stated | 5.7% | 6.9% | -1.2 |
| Other religions | 0.4% | 5.1% | -4.7 |
| Buddhism | 0.9% | 1.9% | -1.0 |
| Judaism | 0.1% | 0.0% | +0.0 |

## Education & Qualifications

| Statistic | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie | Sydney - Blacktown | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 50.6% | 64.2% | 13.6 pts higher in Sydney - Blacktown | gap widening |
| Bachelor+ | 23.0% | 29.5% | 6.5 pts higher in Sydney - Blacktown | gap widening |
| Schools | 167 | 129 | 38 more in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie |  |
| Schools/1k kids | 2.47 | 1.42 | 1.05 more in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie |  |
| Students | 59,889 | 76,900 | 17,011 more in Sydney - Blacktown |  |
| Avg size | 363 | 596 | 233 larger in Sydney - Blacktown |  |
| ICSEA | 1,031 | 1,038 | 7 higher in Sydney - Blacktown |  |

### Highest year of school

| Category | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie % | Sydney - Blacktown % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 50.6% | 64.2% | -13.6 |
| Year 10 | 27.2% | 15.9% | +11.3 |
| Year 9 or below | 10.6% | 8.8% | +1.8 |
| Year 11 | 6.0% | 4.0% | +2.0 |

### Highest qualification level

| Category | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie % | Sydney - Blacktown % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Certificate III / IV | 31.9% | 20.0% | +11.9 |
| Bachelor degree | 24.9% | 31.2% | -6.3 |
| Advanced diploma / diploma | 14.6% | 14.3% | +0.3 |
| Postgraduate degree | 8.0% | 13.5% | -5.5 |
| Graduate diploma / certificate | 3.4% | 2.5% | +0.9 |
| Certificate I / II | 2.1% | 1.6% | +0.5 |

### Field of qualification

| Category | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie % | Sydney - Blacktown % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Management & commerce | 17.8% | 23.7% | -5.9 |
| Engineering & related | 16.5% | 14.2% | +2.4 |
| Health | 12.7% | 8.6% | +4.2 |
| Society & culture | 11.6% | 9.8% | +1.7 |
| Education | 9.2% | 5.8% | +3.4 |
| Information technology | 2.0% | 8.2% | -6.2 |
| Architecture & building | 6.2% | 3.7% | +2.5 |
| Food, hospitality & personal services | 4.8% | 4.3% | +0.5 |
| Creative arts | 3.5% | 2.6% | +1.0 |
| Natural & physical sciences | 2.5% | 3.3% | -0.7 |
| Agriculture & environment | 1.5% | 1.0% | +0.6 |

## Income

| Statistic | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie | Sydney - Blacktown | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Personal income | $793 | $833 | $40 higher in Sydney - Blacktown | gap widening |
| Household income | $1,676 | $2,109 | $433 higher in Sydney - Blacktown | gap widening |
| Family income | $2,129 | $2,252 | $123 higher in Sydney - Blacktown | gap widening |
| High earners | 11.8% | 10.9% | 0.9 pts higher in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie | gap steady |
| High-income homes | 21.4% | 27.7% | 6.3 pts higher in Sydney - Blacktown | gap widening |

### Household income distribution

| Category | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie % | Sydney - Blacktown % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 29.2% | 33.0% | -3.8 |
| $650–$1,499 | 26.3% | 21.5% | +4.8 |
| Under $650 | 16.7% | 11.8% | +4.9 |
| $3,000–$3,999 | 10.8% | 13.9% | -3.1 |
| $4,000 or more | 10.6% | 13.8% | -3.2 |

### Personal income distribution

| Category | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie % | Sydney - Blacktown % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Under $650 | 40.0% | 38.6% | +1.4 |
| $650–$1,499 | 31.7% | 32.7% | -0.9 |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 18.2% | 18.6% | -0.4 |
| $3,000 or more | 4.1% | 3.1% | +0.9 |

## Health & Disability

| Statistic | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie | Sydney - Blacktown | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health condition | 34.2% | 22.8% | 11.4 pts higher in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie |  |
| Mental health | 12.2% | 5.9% | 6.3 pts higher in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie |  |
| Needs assistance | 6.9% | 5.3% | 1.6 pts higher in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie | gap steady |

### Long-term health conditions reported

| Category | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie % | Sydney - Blacktown % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Mental health | 12.2% | 5.9% | +6.3 |
| Arthritis | 10.9% | 6.0% | +4.9 |
| Asthma | 10.0% | 7.2% | +2.7 |
| Other condition | 9.1% | 7.0% | +2.1 |
| Diabetes | 5.2% | 6.1% | -0.9 |
| Heart disease | 5.0% | 3.0% | +1.9 |
| Cancer | 3.4% | 1.7% | +1.7 |
| Lung condition | 2.2% | 1.2% | +1.0 |
| Stroke | 1.2% | 0.7% | +0.5 |
| Dementia | 1.1% | 0.5% | +0.6 |

### Number of long-term health conditions

| Category | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie % | Sydney - Blacktown % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| None | 58.6% | 69.2% | -10.6 |
| One condition | 22.4% | 15.9% | +6.5 |
| Two conditions | 7.6% | 4.5% | +3.1 |
| Three or more | 4.2% | 2.4% | +1.8 |

## Community Participation

| Statistic | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie | Sydney - Blacktown | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Volunteering | 13.5% | 8.8% | 4.7 pts higher in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie | gap steady |
| Unpaid carers | 13.1% | 9.8% | 3.3 pts higher in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie | gap widening |
| Unpaid child care | 27.5% | 29.3% | 1.9 pts higher in Sydney - Blacktown | gap steady |
| Defence service | 3.5% | 1.1% | 2.3 pts higher in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie |  |
| Housework 15h+ | 21.5% | 20.8% | 0.6 pts higher in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie | gap narrowing |

## First Nations

| Statistic | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie | Sydney - Blacktown | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| First Nations people | 19,871 | 11,835 | 8,036 larger in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie |  |
| Median age | 23 yrs | 22 yrs | 1 yrs older in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie |  |
| Year 12 | 38.9% | 30.8% | 8.0 pts higher in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie |  |
| Unemployment | 9.5% | 11.3% | 1.8 pts higher in Sydney - Blacktown |  |
| Median income | $627 | $565 | $62 higher in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie |  |
| Household income | $1,745 | $1,423 | $322 higher in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie |  |
| Indigenous language | 3.5% | 3.5% |  |  |

## Family & Households

| Statistic | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie | Sydney - Blacktown | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Household size | 2.5 | 3.1 | 0.6 larger in Sydney - Blacktown | gap steady |
| One-parent | 15.6% | 14.2% | 1.4 pts higher in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie | gap steady |
| Living alone | 26.9% | 15.9% | 11.0 pts higher in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie | gap steady |

### Family composition

| Category | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie % | Sydney - Blacktown % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Couples with children | 54.5% | 68.6% | -14.0 |
| Couples without children | 28.7% | 16.2% | +12.5 |
| One-parent families | 15.6% | 14.2% | +1.4 |
| Other families | 1.2% | 1.1% | +0.1 |

### Household size

| Category | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie % | Sydney - Blacktown % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2 people | 34.9% | 24.8% | +10.1 |
| 1 person | 26.9% | 15.9% | +11.0 |
| 4 people | 14.6% | 22.8% | -8.2 |
| 3 people | 15.6% | 20.4% | -4.8 |
| 5 people | 5.7% | 9.7% | -4.0 |
| 6 or more | 2.3% | 6.5% | -4.1 |

## Housing & Dwellings

| Statistic | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie | Sydney - Blacktown | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rent | $390 | $400 | $10 higher in Sydney - Blacktown | gap narrowing |
| Mortgage | $1,950 | $2,383 | $433 higher in Sydney - Blacktown | gap widening |
| People / bedroom | 0.80 | 0.90 | 0.10 higher in Sydney - Blacktown | gap steady |
| Renting | 29.2% | 34.4% | 5.2 pts higher in Sydney - Blacktown | gap widening |
| Owned outright | 33.8% | 20.2% | 13.6 pts higher in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie | gap widening |
| Separate houses | 78.2% | 80.5% | 2.3 pts higher in Sydney - Blacktown | gap steady |
| 3+ bedrooms | 73.3% | 84.5% | 11.2 pts higher in Sydney - Blacktown | gap narrowing |

### How homes are owned or rented

| Category | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie % | Sydney - Blacktown % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Owned with a mortgage | 34.0% | 42.9% | -8.8 |
| Rented | 29.2% | 34.4% | -5.2 |
| Owned outright | 33.8% | 20.2% | +13.6 |
| Other tenure | 1.8% | 1.1% | +0.8 |
| Not stated | 1.2% | 1.5% | -0.3 |

### Types of homes

| Category | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie % | Sydney - Blacktown % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Separate house | 78.2% | 80.5% | -2.3 |
| Townhouse / semi-detached | 12.5% | 12.0% | +0.5 |
| Flat or apartment | 8.7% | 7.3% | +1.4 |
| Other dwelling | 0.4% | 0.1% | +0.4 |

### Bedrooms per home

| Category | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie % | Sydney - Blacktown % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 3 bedrooms | 42.0% | 39.0% | +3.0 |
| 4 bedrooms | 25.1% | 35.5% | -10.4 |
| 2 bedrooms | 20.2% | 11.4% | +8.8 |
| 5 or more | 6.2% | 10.0% | -3.8 |
| 1 bedroom | 4.9% | 2.3% | +2.6 |
| Studio / none | 0.4% | 0.3% | +0.1 |

### Weekly rent distribution

| Category | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie % | Sydney - Blacktown % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $350–$549 | 49.0% | 51.8% | -2.8 |
| $200–$349 | 21.7% | 16.6% | +5.1 |
| $550–$749 | 10.3% | 15.9% | -5.6 |
| Under $200 | 13.7% | 11.2% | +2.5 |
| $750 or more | 2.0% | 1.1% | +1.0 |

### Monthly mortgage distribution

| Category | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie % | Sydney - Blacktown % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $1,800–$2,999 | 38.4% | 40.3% | -1.9 |
| $1,000–$1,799 | 27.6% | 17.3% | +10.3 |
| $3,000 or more | 14.8% | 26.7% | -11.9 |
| Under $1,000 | 13.9% | 9.1% | +4.8 |

## Transport & Vehicles

| Statistic | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie | Sydney - Blacktown | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No car | 6.5% | 6.8% | 0.2 pts higher in Sydney - Blacktown | gap steady |
| Work from home | 21.8% | 33.2% | 11.5 pts higher in Sydney - Blacktown | gap widening |
| PT commute | 0.9% | 3.4% | 2.5 pts higher in Sydney - Blacktown | gap narrowing |
| PT stops | 2,668 | 1,956 | 712 more in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie |  |
| Stops/1k | 6.83 | 4.88 | 1.95 more in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie |  |
| Departures/1k | 1,387.7 | 1,640.9 | 253.1 more in Sydney - Blacktown |  |
| PT routes | 88 | 84 | 4 more in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie |  |

### How people get to work

| Category | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie % | Sydney - Blacktown % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Car (driver) | 53.5% | 39.9% | +13.6 |
| Worked at home | 21.8% | 33.2% | -11.5 |
| Car (passenger) | 3.2% | 3.5% | -0.3 |
| Train | 0.2% | 2.5% | -2.3 |
| Walked | 1.8% | 0.7% | +1.1 |
| Bus | 0.7% | 0.9% | -0.2 |
| Bicycle | 0.6% | 0.1% | +0.4 |

### Motor vehicles per home

| Category | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie % | Sydney - Blacktown % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2 vehicles | 38.7% | 38.5% | +0.3 |
| 1 vehicle | 35.8% | 36.3% | -0.5 |
| 3 vehicles | 12.1% | 12.2% | -0.1 |
| 4 or more | 6.8% | 6.3% | +0.6 |
| No vehicle | 6.5% | 6.8% | -0.2 |

## Migration & Movement

| Statistic | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie | Sydney - Blacktown | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Recent movers | 39.4% | 41.7% | 2.3 pts higher in Sydney - Blacktown | gap widening |
| Recent arrivals | 13.6% | 14.0% | 0.4 pts higher in Sydney - Blacktown | gap steady |

## Jobs & Industry

| Statistic | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie | Sydney - Blacktown | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Unemployment | 4.7% | 5.8% | 1.1 pts higher in Sydney - Blacktown | gap steady |
| Participation | 60.6% | 60.6% |  | gap narrowing |
| Full-time | 56.5% | 59.8% | 3.3 pts higher in Sydney - Blacktown | gap narrowing |

### Industries people work in

| Category | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie % | Sydney - Blacktown % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health care & social assistance | 19.8% | 14.7% | +5.0 |
| Retail trade | 9.0% | 10.0% | -0.9 |
| Education & training | 9.7% | 6.9% | +2.8 |
| Construction | 9.6% | 7.2% | +2.4 |
| Transport & warehousing | 3.7% | 8.1% | -4.4 |
| Professional & technical | 6.6% | 7.5% | -0.8 |
| Manufacturing | 5.4% | 7.5% | -2.1 |
| Accommodation & food | 7.3% | 4.6% | +2.7 |
| Finance & insurance | 3.2% | 6.4% | -3.1 |
| Public administration & safety | 6.1% | 5.7% | +0.3 |
| Wholesale trade | 2.0% | 4.0% | -2.0 |
| Other services | 3.8% | 2.9% | +0.8 |

### Occupations people work in

| Category | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie % | Sydney - Blacktown % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Professionals | 24.9% | 23.9% | +1.0 |
| Clerical & administrative | 12.4% | 15.2% | -2.8 |
| Technicians & trades | 14.1% | 10.6% | +3.5 |
| Community & personal service | 13.3% | 10.0% | +3.3 |
| Managers | 11.1% | 11.0% | +0.1 |
| Machinery operators & drivers | 5.8% | 11.0% | -5.2 |
| Labourers | 8.6% | 8.6% | +0.0 |
| Sales workers | 8.4% | 7.6% | +0.8 |

## Economy & Advantage

| Statistic | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie | Sydney - Blacktown | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| ERP | 412,359 | 452,374 | 40,015 higher in Sydney - Blacktown |  |
| Growth | 5.4% | 11.9% | 6.5 pts higher in Sydney - Blacktown |  |

## Environment & Climate

| Statistic | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie | Sydney - Blacktown | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rainfall | 1,253 | 962 | 291 higher in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie |  |
| Max temp | 24.0 | 25.2 | 1.2 higher in Sydney - Blacktown |  |
| Min temp | 12.0 | 11.3 | 0.7 higher in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie |  |

## Walkability

| Statistic | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie | Sydney - Blacktown | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Walk score | 6.1 | 6.0 | 0.1 higher in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie |  |
| Types ≤15 min | 5.8 | 5.8 |  |  |
| 15-min city | 68.7% | 74.9% | 6.2 pts higher in Sydney - Blacktown |  |
| Walk to shops | 60.4% | 69.0% | 8.6 pts higher in Sydney - Blacktown |  |
| Walk to transit | 92.8% | 97.3% | 4.5 pts higher in Sydney - Blacktown |  |
| Walk to school | 77.8% | 86.9% | 9.1 pts higher in Sydney - Blacktown |  |
| Walk to a park | 91.9% | 96.9% | 5.0 pts higher in Sydney - Blacktown |  |
| Walk to health | 53.3% | 46.6% | 6.7 pts higher in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie |  |
| Amenities/1k | 14.4 | 9.8 | 4.6 more in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie |  |
| Intersections/km² | 50 | 166 | 116 higher in Sydney - Blacktown |  |
| Mean slope | 6.9% | 5.1% | 1.9 pts higher in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie |  |

Interactive comparison: https://censusatlas.au/compare/sa4/111/newcastle-and-lake-macquarie/vs/116/sydney-blacktown