Council (LGA) · Area profile
Blue Mountains
1,431 km²
A high rainfall average of 1,565mm sets the Blue Mountains apart from most other areas. This is a well-off and highly educated community where the typical resident is 45, noticeably older than the national figure. It is a place of spacious living and professional work, with a strong trend towards people working from home. The area's character is shaped by its natural environment and a population that is increasingly likely to identify as having no religion.
An affluent area whose schools serve an equally well-off community.
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The population has grown by 2.9% since 2011 to 78,121 people. It is an older community than most, with seniors aged 65 and over making up 22.4% of the population, a figure well above the national average.
Most residents were born in Australia, and those born overseas make up 17.4% of the population, which is far below the national figure. English, Australian, and Irish are the most common ancestries.
English is the dominant language, spoken by 90.1% of people at home. Only 6.5% of residents use another language, which is far below the New South Wales and national figures.
Nearly half of the community (47.5%) reports having no religion, a figure far above the state average. This represents a significant shift, as the number of people with no religion rose 21 points since 2011.
The area is highly qualified, with 32.7% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher, well above the national figure. Year 12 completion has also risen since 2011 to reach 62.5%.
Typical family incomes are much higher than in most areas at $2,235 a week. High earners are common here, with 14.3% of people earning $2,000 or more weekly.
Long-term health conditions are much more common here than in most areas, affecting 33.7% of people. This includes a mental health condition rate of 11.4%, which is well above the national figure.
Residents are more likely to volunteer (19.4%) and provide unpaid care (13.8%) than people in most other areas. Unpaid housework is also very common, with 28.2% of people doing 15 or more hours a week.
First Nations people in the area have a much higher typical personal income and a much lower unemployment rate (5.9%) than the national average. Year 12 completion is also well above the national figure at 46.8%.
Families with children are common, making up 56.6% of households. While people per home is around the middle for its level at 2.4, about 26.7% of people live alone.
The area is dominated by separate houses (92.1%) and large homes, with 81.9% having three or more bedrooms. Renting is much less common here than elsewhere, with only 17.8% of households renting.
Working from home is very common at 36.6%, far above the national figure. While the area has many public transport stops, only 1.3% of people use them to commute.
The community is relatively stable, as fewer people moved here in the last five years compared to most areas. Recent arrivals from overseas are also much lower than the national figure.
Full-time employment is much lower than in most areas at 52.9%. Many residents work in professional roles or within the health care and education sectors.
The area is very advantaged, ranking in the top 10% for overall advantage and access to resources. This is consistent with the high levels of education and job skills found here.
The climate is cool and wet, with an average maximum temperature of 20.5 degrees and annual rainfall far above the state average.
The area is very safe, with recorded offences per 100,000 being much lower than in most areas. Burglary and theft rates are among the lowest at this level.
Most homes are within a 15-minute walk of a park, though fewer are within reach of groceries or health services. The terrain is notably steep, with a mean slope well above the state average.