Federal Electorate · Area profile
Blaxland
61 km²
Nearly half of the 188,607 people in Blaxland were born overseas, making it one of the most culturally diverse areas in the region. This is a noticeably young community where the typical resident is just 33, and over 20% are children. Many residents speak a language other than English at home, creating a multicultural character that is further reflected in its strong Islamic and Christian populations. The area has grown by 19% since 2011, evolving into a dense, walkable suburb of young families.
A family-heavy area that's short on schools per child.
59 schools within reach make Blaxland convenient for families.
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The population is much younger than the national figure, with a typical age of 33 and a high proportion of children under 15. Seniors aged 65 and over make up only 13.2%, which is well below the New South Wales average.
Born-overseas residents make up 49.7% of the population, a figure far above the national average that has risen since 2011. The most common ancestries are Chinese, Australian, and Vietnamese.
Language diversity is very high, with 67.2% of people using a language other than English at home. Arabic is the most common non-English language, and 16.7% of residents speak little or no English, which is far above the state average.
Religious affiliation is diverse, with Islam and Christianity both representing about 31% of the community. Far fewer people identify as having no religion compared to the rest of Australia.
While 59.1% of residents have completed Year 12, the 20.4% with a bachelor degree or higher is well below the state figure. This matches a lower-than-average school advantage score across the area.
Incomes are among the lowest for similar areas, with a typical weekly household income of $1,544. This is well below the New South Wales typical of $2,185.
Residents report fewer long-term health and mental health conditions than the national average. However, 6.6% of people need help with daily activities, which is much higher than in most other areas.
Participation in unpaid work and volunteering is well below the national figure, with only 6.4% of people volunteering. Unpaid care for children is also much lower than in most areas.
Homes here are larger and more crowded than usual, averaging 3.2 people per household. This is consistent with the high number of couples with children and a higher-than-average rate of one-parent families.
Renting is very common, with 41.6% of households renting, far above the national average. Separate houses are less common here than elsewhere, and 41.6% of homes are rented rather than owned.
Public transport use is much higher than in most areas, and nearly 99% of homes are within a 10-minute walk of a stop. About 12.5% of homes have no motor vehicle, which is well above the state average.
Recent overseas arrivals make up 17.0% of the population, which is a little above the national average. However, the overall rate of people moving in the last five years is well below the state figure.
Employment levels are among the lowest for similar areas, with an unemployment rate of 9.2%, well above the national figure of 5.1%. Only 44.7% of adults are working or looking for work.
The area is very walkable, with a score of 7.2 and nearly all homes within a 15-minute walk of a park or school. Most residents can also walk to groceries and health services within 15 minutes.