# Central Coast vs Nowra - Bomaderry — 2021 Census comparison

Urban Area comparison · about 180 km apart

Central Coast and Nowra - Bomaderry are two different New South Wales regions with distinct living patterns. Central Coast is a larger hub where more people work from home (25.4% compared to 8.6% in Nowra - Bomaderry) and a higher share of homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries (50.8% versus 35.6%). In contrast, Nowra - Bomaderry has a much stronger connection to the Defence Force, with 7.9% of residents having served, compared to 2.8% on Central Coast. Nowra - Bomaderry also has a larger Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population at 9.6%, well higher than the 4.9% seen on Central Coast.

Both areas sit close to the national figure when it comes to the share of people who have no religion, at around 40%. They also share similar family sizes, with an average of about 2.5 people per home. Over time, the two areas have drifted further apart in some ways; the gap in weekly family income has widened, and Central Coast has seen a significant increase in the number of people working from home compared to Nowra - Bomaderry.

## Where they differ most

- Population: 304,502 larger in Central Coast
- Work from home: 16.9 pts higher in Central Coast
- PT commute: 1.1 pts higher in Central Coast
- People / bedroom: 0.10 higher in Central Coast
- 3+ bedrooms: 5.2 pts higher in Nowra - Bomaderry

## Demographics & Identity

| Statistic | Central Coast | Nowra - Bomaderry | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Population | 343,180 | 38,678 | 304,502 larger in Central Coast | gap widening |
| Median age | 43 yrs | 39 yrs | 4 yrs older in Central Coast | gap widening |
| First Nations | 4.9% | 9.6% | 4.7 pts higher in Nowra - Bomaderry | gap widening |
| Aged 65+ | 22.2% | 20.6% | 1.7 pts higher in Central Coast | gap steady |
| Under 15 | 18.0% | 19.0% | 1.0 pts higher in Nowra - Bomaderry | gap narrowing |
| De facto | 11.8% | 13.0% | 1.2 pts higher in Nowra - Bomaderry | gap widening |

### Age structure

| Category | Central Coast % | Nowra - Bomaderry % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Older adults (45–64) | 25.6% | 23.6% | +2.1 |
| Young adults (25–44) | 23.0% | 25.1% | -2.2 |
| Seniors (65+) | 22.2% | 20.6% | +1.7 |
| Children (0–14) | 18.0% | 19.0% | -1.0 |
| Youth (15–24) | 11.2% | 11.8% | -0.6 |

### Marital status

| Category | Central Coast % | Nowra - Bomaderry % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Married | 44.5% | 42.1% | +2.4 |
| Never married | 33.7% | 37.3% | -3.6 |
| Divorced | 11.2% | 10.8% | +0.5 |
| Widowed | 6.6% | 6.1% | +0.5 |
| Separated | 4.0% | 3.8% | +0.2 |

### Age profile

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

| Age band | Central Coast male | Central Coast female | Nowra - Bomaderry male | Nowra - Bomaderry female |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 0–4 | 2.9% | 2.7% | 3.2% | 3.0% |
| 5–9 | 3.2% | 2.9% | 3.3% | 3.2% |
| 10–14 | 3.2% | 3.1% | 3.1% | 3.2% |
| 15–19 | 3.0% | 2.8% | 3.1% | 2.8% |
| 20–24 | 2.7% | 2.6% | 3.1% | 2.8% |
| 25–29 | 2.7% | 2.7% | 3.6% | 3.2% |
| 30–34 | 2.7% | 2.9% | 3.4% | 3.2% |
| 35–39 | 2.9% | 3.1% | 3.1% | 3.1% |
| 40–44 | 2.9% | 3.1% | 2.8% | 2.7% |
| 45–49 | 3.1% | 3.3% | 2.9% | 2.9% |
| 50–54 | 3.1% | 3.3% | 2.8% | 3.0% |
| 55–59 | 3.1% | 3.4% | 2.9% | 2.9% |
| 60–64 | 3.0% | 3.4% | 2.9% | 3.2% |
| 65–69 | 2.8% | 3.2% | 2.7% | 3.0% |
| 70–74 | 2.7% | 3.1% | 2.6% | 2.8% |
| 75–79 | 2.1% | 2.4% | 1.9% | 2.1% |
| 80–84 | 1.4% | 1.7% | 1.3% | 1.4% |
| 85+ | 1.1% | 1.9% | 1.1% | 1.6% |

## Ancestry & Birthplace

| Statistic | Central Coast | Nowra - Bomaderry | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Born overseas | 16.1% | 13.0% | 3.2 pts higher in Central Coast | gap widening |

### Country of birth

| Category | Central Coast % | Nowra - Bomaderry % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Australia | 78.9% | 80.2% | -1.2 |
| England | 4.6% | 3.6% | +1.0 |
| New Zealand | 1.7% | 1.0% | +0.6 |
| India | 0.7% | 1.1% | -0.4 |
| Philippines | 0.7% | 0.8% | -0.1 |
| South Africa | 0.6% | 0.3% | +0.3 |
| China | 0.6% | 0.4% | +0.2 |
| Nepal | 0.2% | 0.3% | -0.1 |
| Italy | 0.3% | 0.2% | +0.1 |
| Vietnam | 0.1% | 0.1% | +0.0 |

### Ancestry

| Category | Central Coast % | Nowra - Bomaderry % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| English | 42.6% | 40.4% | +2.2 |
| Australian | 39.8% | 41.3% | -1.5 |
| Irish | 12.0% | 10.2% | +1.8 |
| Scottish | 10.5% | 9.2% | +1.3 |
| German | 3.3% | 3.6% | -0.4 |
| Italian | 2.8% | 2.1% | +0.8 |
| Chinese | 1.5% | 0.9% | +0.6 |
| Dutch | 1.5% | 1.3% | +0.2 |
| Filipino | 1.1% | 1.1% | 0.0 |
| Indian | 1.0% | 1.1% | -0.1 |
| Greek | 0.8% | 0.6% | +0.2 |
| Vietnamese | 0.2% | 0.2% | +0.0 |

## Language

| Statistic | Central Coast | Nowra - Bomaderry | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Other language | 7.1% | 6.1% | 1.0 pts higher in Central Coast | gap steady |
| Limited English | 0.9% | 0.8% | 0.1 pts higher in Central Coast | gap narrowing |

### Language used at home

| Category | Central Coast % | Nowra - Bomaderry % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| English only | 87.7% | 85.2% | +2.5 |
| Mandarin | 0.6% | 0.3% | +0.3 |
| Tagalog | 0.3% | 0.4% | -0.1 |
| Italian | 0.3% | 0.2% | +0.1 |
| Cantonese | 0.3% | 0.2% | +0.1 |
| Punjabi | 0.2% | 0.3% | -0.1 |
| Greek | 0.2% | 0.2% | +0.0 |
| Hindi | 0.2% | 0.2% | -0.1 |
| Arabic | 0.2% | 0.2% | +0.1 |
| Vietnamese | 0.1% | 0.1% | +0.0 |

## Religion

| Statistic | Central Coast | Nowra - Bomaderry | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No religion | 40.0% | 40.7% | 0.8 pts higher in Nowra - Bomaderry | gap narrowing |

### Religious affiliation

| Category | Central Coast % | Nowra - Bomaderry % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Christianity | 50.8% | 46.1% | +4.7 |
| No religion | 40.0% | 40.7% | -0.8 |
| Not stated | 6.5% | 10.0% | -3.5 |
| Hinduism | 0.6% | 1.0% | -0.4 |
| Buddhism | 1.0% | 0.9% | +0.1 |
| Other religions | 0.5% | 0.7% | -0.2 |
| Islam | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.0 |
| Judaism | 0.1% | 0.1% | +0.0 |

## Education & Qualifications

| Statistic | Central Coast | Nowra - Bomaderry | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 47.2% | 40.1% | 7.0 pts higher in Central Coast | gap steady |
| Bachelor+ | 17.8% | 14.1% | 3.8 pts higher in Central Coast | gap steady |

### Highest year of school

| Category | Central Coast % | Nowra - Bomaderry % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 47.2% | 40.1% | +7.0 |
| Year 10 | 29.2% | 29.5% | -0.3 |
| Year 9 or below | 10.7% | 13.6% | -2.8 |
| Year 11 | 6.4% | 6.6% | -0.2 |

### Highest qualification level

| Category | Central Coast % | Nowra - Bomaderry % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Certificate III / IV | 34.2% | 36.1% | -1.9 |
| Bachelor degree | 20.5% | 15.6% | +4.9 |
| Advanced diploma / diploma | 15.9% | 14.4% | +1.5 |
| Postgraduate degree | 5.8% | 4.5% | +1.3 |
| Graduate diploma / certificate | 2.9% | 3.0% | -0.1 |
| Certificate I / II | 2.3% | 2.7% | -0.4 |

### Field of qualification

| Category | Central Coast % | Nowra - Bomaderry % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Management & commerce | 18.7% | 15.0% | +3.7 |
| Engineering & related | 13.2% | 15.4% | -2.2 |
| Society & culture | 11.9% | 11.7% | +0.1 |
| Health | 11.0% | 10.7% | +0.4 |
| Education | 8.5% | 7.2% | +1.3 |
| Architecture & building | 7.4% | 5.7% | +1.6 |
| Food, hospitality & personal services | 5.6% | 6.1% | -0.4 |
| Creative arts | 3.6% | 2.4% | +1.2 |
| Information technology | 2.1% | 1.7% | +0.4 |
| Agriculture & environment | 1.9% | 2.0% | -0.1 |
| Natural & physical sciences | 1.9% | 1.8% | +0.1 |

## Income

| Statistic | Central Coast | Nowra - Bomaderry | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Personal income | $726 | $665 | $61 higher in Central Coast | gap widening |
| Household income | $1,499 | $1,330 | $169 higher in Central Coast | gap widening |
| Family income | $1,948 | $1,645 | $303 higher in Central Coast | gap widening |
| High earners | 9.7% | 6.3% | 3.4 pts higher in Central Coast | gap widening |
| High-income homes | 18.5% | 12.5% | 6.0 pts higher in Central Coast | gap widening |

### Household income distribution

| Category | Central Coast % | Nowra - Bomaderry % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $650–$1,499 | 28.4% | 32.9% | -4.5 |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 28.3% | 28.1% | +0.2 |
| Under $650 | 18.4% | 19.7% | -1.3 |
| $3,000–$3,999 | 9.3% | 7.1% | +2.2 |
| $4,000 or more | 9.2% | 5.4% | +3.8 |

### Personal income distribution

| Category | Central Coast % | Nowra - Bomaderry % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Under $650 | 42.5% | 44.0% | -1.5 |
| $650–$1,499 | 31.7% | 31.2% | +0.5 |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 15.5% | 12.7% | +2.8 |
| $3,000 or more | 3.4% | 1.8% | +1.6 |

## Health & Disability

| Statistic | Central Coast | Nowra - Bomaderry | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health condition | 34.0% | 35.1% | 1.1 pts higher in Nowra - Bomaderry |  |
| Mental health | 11.0% | 12.9% | 1.9 pts higher in Nowra - Bomaderry |  |
| Needs assistance | 7.1% | 8.7% | 1.6 pts higher in Nowra - Bomaderry | gap steady |

### Long-term health conditions reported

| Category | Central Coast % | Nowra - Bomaderry % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Mental health | 11.0% | 12.9% | -1.9 |
| Arthritis | 11.5% | 12.2% | -0.7 |
| Asthma | 9.6% | 9.9% | -0.3 |
| Other condition | 9.0% | 9.6% | -0.6 |
| Diabetes | 5.5% | 6.2% | -0.7 |
| Heart disease | 5.0% | 5.1% | 0.0 |
| Cancer | 3.7% | 3.7% | +0.1 |
| Lung condition | 2.7% | 3.1% | -0.4 |
| Stroke | 1.3% | 1.4% | -0.1 |
| Dementia | 1.1% | 1.2% | -0.1 |

### Number of long-term health conditions

| Category | Central Coast % | Nowra - Bomaderry % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| None | 58.1% | 53.6% | +4.5 |
| One condition | 21.9% | 21.2% | +0.7 |
| Two conditions | 7.7% | 8.4% | -0.8 |
| Three or more | 4.4% | 5.4% | -1.0 |

## Community Participation

| Statistic | Central Coast | Nowra - Bomaderry | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Volunteering | 12.1% | 13.2% | 1.1 pts higher in Nowra - Bomaderry | gap narrowing |
| Unpaid carers | 12.5% | 13.0% | 0.5 pts higher in Nowra - Bomaderry | gap steady |
| Unpaid child care | 25.7% | 25.6% | 0.2 pts higher in Central Coast | gap steady |
| Defence service | 2.8% | 7.9% | 5.1 pts higher in Nowra - Bomaderry |  |
| Housework 15h+ | 23.4% | 21.6% | 1.8 pts higher in Central Coast | gap steady |

## Family & Households

| Statistic | Central Coast | Nowra - Bomaderry | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Household size | 2.5 | 2.4 | 0.1 larger in Central Coast | gap widening |
| One-parent | 17.5% | 18.9% | 1.5 pts higher in Nowra - Bomaderry | gap narrowing |
| Living alone | 27.4% | 28.0% | 0.6 pts higher in Nowra - Bomaderry | gap narrowing |

### Family composition

| Category | Central Coast % | Nowra - Bomaderry % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Couples with children | 53.9% | 51.1% | +2.7 |
| Couples without children | 27.7% | 28.6% | -0.9 |
| One-parent families | 17.5% | 18.9% | -1.5 |
| Other families | 0.9% | 1.2% | -0.3 |

### Household size

| Category | Central Coast % | Nowra - Bomaderry % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2 people | 34.3% | 35.3% | -1.0 |
| 1 person | 27.4% | 28.0% | -0.6 |
| 3 people | 14.9% | 14.7% | +0.3 |
| 4 people | 14.5% | 12.8% | +1.6 |
| 5 people | 6.1% | 5.9% | +0.2 |
| 6 or more | 2.9% | 3.3% | -0.4 |

## Housing & Dwellings

| Statistic | Central Coast | Nowra - Bomaderry | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rent | $400 | $332 | $68 higher in Central Coast | gap narrowing |
| Mortgage | $2,000 | $1,733 | $267 higher in Central Coast | gap widening |
| People / bedroom | 0.80 | 0.70 | 0.10 higher in Central Coast | gap widening |
| Renting | 27.6% | 33.8% | 6.2 pts higher in Nowra - Bomaderry | gap widening |
| Owned outright | 34.5% | 33.5% | 1.0 pts higher in Central Coast | gap steady |
| Separate houses | 78.2% | 86.1% | 7.9 pts higher in Nowra - Bomaderry | gap widening |
| 3+ bedrooms | 75.2% | 80.4% | 5.2 pts higher in Nowra - Bomaderry | gap steady |

### How homes are owned or rented

| Category | Central Coast % | Nowra - Bomaderry % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Owned outright | 34.5% | 33.5% | +1.0 |
| Owned with a mortgage | 33.9% | 29.9% | +4.0 |
| Rented | 27.6% | 33.8% | -6.2 |
| Other tenure | 2.5% | 1.1% | +1.4 |
| Not stated | 1.5% | 1.7% | -0.1 |

### Types of homes

| Category | Central Coast % | Nowra - Bomaderry % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Separate house | 78.2% | 86.1% | -7.9 |
| Townhouse / semi-detached | 12.0% | 10.2% | +1.8 |
| Flat or apartment | 8.8% | 2.7% | +6.1 |
| Other dwelling | 0.7% | 0.6% | +0.1 |

### Bedrooms per home

| Category | Central Coast % | Nowra - Bomaderry % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 3 bedrooms | 38.8% | 39.0% | -0.2 |
| 4 bedrooms | 28.1% | 33.7% | -5.6 |
| 2 bedrooms | 19.3% | 14.1% | +5.2 |
| 5 or more | 8.4% | 7.7% | +0.7 |
| 1 bedroom | 3.6% | 3.7% | -0.1 |
| Studio / none | 0.4% | 0.2% | +0.2 |

### Weekly rent distribution

| Category | Central Coast % | Nowra - Bomaderry % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $350–$549 | 53.7% | 41.9% | +11.8 |
| $200–$349 | 20.9% | 38.3% | -17.4 |
| Under $200 | 9.8% | 12.8% | -3.0 |
| $550–$749 | 10.2% | 2.9% | +7.3 |
| $750 or more | 2.3% | 0.6% | +1.7 |

### Monthly mortgage distribution

| Category | Central Coast % | Nowra - Bomaderry % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $1,800–$2,999 | 37.9% | 32.8% | +5.2 |
| $1,000–$1,799 | 26.2% | 33.3% | -7.0 |
| Under $1,000 | 13.8% | 18.6% | -4.8 |
| $3,000 or more | 16.2% | 10.0% | +6.2 |

## Transport & Vehicles

| Statistic | Central Coast | Nowra - Bomaderry | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No car | 6.5% | 6.4% | 0.2 pts higher in Central Coast | gap narrowing |
| Work from home | 25.4% | 8.6% | 16.9 pts higher in Central Coast | gap widening |
| PT commute | 1.3% | 0.3% | 1.1 pts higher in Central Coast | gap steady |

### How people get to work

| Category | Central Coast % | Nowra - Bomaderry % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Car (driver) | 49.3% | 66.9% | -17.5 |
| Worked at home | 25.4% | 8.6% | +16.9 |
| Car (passenger) | 3.3% | 5.5% | -2.3 |
| Walked | 1.3% | 2.6% | -1.3 |
| Train | 0.8% | 0.1% | +0.7 |
| Bicycle | 0.2% | 0.6% | -0.5 |
| Bus | 0.6% | 0.2% | +0.4 |

### Motor vehicles per home

| Category | Central Coast % | Nowra - Bomaderry % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 vehicle | 38.2% | 37.4% | +0.8 |
| 2 vehicles | 36.4% | 36.9% | -0.5 |
| 3 vehicles | 11.9% | 12.1% | -0.2 |
| 4 or more | 6.9% | 7.3% | -0.3 |
| No vehicle | 6.5% | 6.4% | +0.2 |

## Migration & Movement

| Statistic | Central Coast | Nowra - Bomaderry | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Recent movers | 37.5% | 38.7% | 1.2 pts higher in Nowra - Bomaderry | gap steady |
| Recent arrivals | 6.9% | 11.3% | 4.4 pts higher in Nowra - Bomaderry | gap narrowing |

## Jobs & Industry

| Statistic | Central Coast | Nowra - Bomaderry | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Unemployment | 4.7% | 5.3% | 0.5 pts higher in Nowra - Bomaderry | gap narrowing |
| Participation | 55.6% | 52.6% | 2.9 pts higher in Central Coast | gap narrowing |
| Full-time | 52.6% | 56.1% | 3.5 pts higher in Nowra - Bomaderry | gap steady |

### Industries people work in

| Category | Central Coast % | Nowra - Bomaderry % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health care & social assistance | 17.8% | 18.5% | -0.6 |
| Public administration & safety | 6.1% | 12.0% | -5.9 |
| Construction | 11.5% | 9.2% | +2.3 |
| Retail trade | 10.2% | 11.5% | -1.2 |
| Accommodation & food | 7.0% | 9.0% | -2.0 |
| Education & training | 8.2% | 7.2% | +1.0 |
| Professional & technical | 6.0% | 3.8% | +2.1 |
| Manufacturing | 5.9% | 5.7% | +0.3 |
| Other services | 3.8% | 4.1% | -0.3 |
| Transport & warehousing | 3.7% | 3.5% | +0.2 |
| Administrative & support | 3.3% | 3.5% | -0.2 |
| Finance & insurance | 3.3% | 1.2% | +2.1 |

### Occupations people work in

| Category | Central Coast % | Nowra - Bomaderry % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Professionals | 20.4% | 16.6% | +3.8 |
| Community & personal service | 13.0% | 16.9% | -3.9 |
| Technicians & trades | 14.6% | 16.0% | -1.4 |
| Clerical & administrative | 13.1% | 10.5% | +2.6 |
| Managers | 12.2% | 10.7% | +1.6 |
| Labourers | 9.7% | 11.4% | -1.7 |
| Sales workers | 9.2% | 10.3% | -1.1 |
| Machinery operators & drivers | 6.0% | 5.9% | +0.1 |

## Walkability

| Statistic | Central Coast | Nowra - Bomaderry | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Walk score | 5.4 | 4.6 | 0.8 higher in Central Coast |  |
| Types ≤15 min | 5.1 | 4.5 | 0.6 more in Central Coast |  |
| 15-min city | 57.2% | 50.5% | 6.7 pts higher in Central Coast |  |
| Walk to shops | 50.8% | 35.6% | 15.1 pts higher in Central Coast |  |
| Walk to transit | 93.4% | 87.1% | 6.4 pts higher in Central Coast |  |
| Walk to school | 61.6% | 60.5% | 1.1 pts higher in Central Coast |  |
| Walk to a park | 92.9% | 87.5% | 5.4 pts higher in Central Coast |  |
| Walk to health | 38.9% | 40.8% | 1.9 pts higher in Nowra - Bomaderry |  |
| Amenities/1k | 16.9 | 12.3 | 4.5 more in Central Coast |  |
| Intersections/km² | 21 | 16 | 6 higher in Central Coast |  |
| Mean slope | 7.8% | 4.8% | 2.9 pts higher in Central Coast |  |

Interactive comparison: https://censusatlas.au/compare/sua/1010/central-coast/vs/1026/nowra-bomaderry