Council (LGA) · Area profile
Bogan
14,600 km²
A shrinking population has marked Bogan since 2011, with the total number of residents falling by 15%. It is a predominantly Australian community with a far higher proportion of First Nations people than the state or national average. The area is mostly car-dependent and rural, where a high number of people work in agriculture and mining. While the population is slightly older than the national figure, there is a notable presence of young children and a high rate of people in de facto relationships.
The area's schools rate below its broader socio-economic standing.
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First Nations people make up 17.8% of the population, which is far above the national figure of 3.2% and has risen since 2011. The typical resident is 41, and while 19.4% of the community are children, this has fallen by 4.1 points since 2011.
The community is overwhelmingly Australian-born, with only 5.6% of people born overseas, a figure far below the national average. Most residents claim Australian (47.0%), English (37.1%), or Irish (11.3%) ancestry.
English is the primary language for 88.5% of the population. Only 3.6% of people use another language at home, which is far below the national figure of 22.3%.
Christianity is the most common faith at 64.8%. The number of people reporting no religion has risen significantly by 17 points since 2011, though at 24.8% this remains far below the national average.
Education levels are lower than in most areas, with only 35.6% of residents completing Year 12. This is far below the national figure of 58.8%, and only 11.3% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher.
Typical family incomes are $1,931 a week, which is higher than in most similar areas. Weekly personal income is about the same as the national figure, while typical household income is a little below the national average.
A long-term health condition affects 27.5% of residents, which is about the same as the national figure. Those needing help with daily activities make up 4.5% of the population, a slightly lower rate than the state average.
Volunteering is more common here than in most areas, with 19.5% of people helping out. This is well above the national figure of 14.1%, though it has fallen by 4.5 points since 2011.
First Nations residents have a much higher typical personal income and a much lower unemployment rate (7.0%) than most similar areas. The median age for this group is 23, which is slightly younger than the national figure.
Couples with children make up 56.5% of families, while 30.1% of people live alone. The typical home has 2.4 people, which is about the same as the national average.
The area is dominated by separate houses (91.0%), and 40.1% of homes are owned outright. Rent is far below the national average, with a typical weekly rent of only $200.
Most people drive to work, though 12.6% work from home. This is well below the national figure of 21.0%. Public transport use is slightly above the state average, though it consists entirely of buses.
The community is relatively stable, as 30.3% of people moved in the last five years, which is far below the national figure of 40.7%.
The workforce is very strong, with 69.7% of people employed full-time—far above the national average. Jobs are concentrated in agriculture, forestry, and fishing (22.6%) and mining (15.7%).
The area has an overall advantage score of 948, which is lower than the national average. Population growth has been among the lowest for its level, falling by 4.3% since 2021.
The climate is warmer and drier than the state average, with an average maximum temperature of 26.6 degrees and lower annual rainfall of 459mm.
Crime rates are much higher than in most areas, particularly for motor vehicle theft, burglary, and sexual offences. The overall recorded offence rate is 17,471 per 100,000 people.
The area is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 3.7, far below the state average. Only 31.2% of homes are within a 10-minute walk of public transport.