Coolamon

Coolamon has a higher proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people than most areas, at 5.6%. While the community is ageing, with 23.6% of people aged 65 and over, there is still a healthy presence of children, who make up 19.7% of the population.

The area is overwhelmingly Australian-born, with only 4.6% born overseas, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%. Most residents claim Australian (44.9%) or English (41.7%) ancestry.

English is the primary language here, with only 1.3% of people using another tongue at home. This is far below the state and national averages, and very few people speak little or no English.

About 64% of residents identify as Christian. While those with no religion make up 27.7% of the community, this is still well below the New South Wales figure.

A total of 34.4% of residents completed Year 12, which is far below the national average of 58.8%. However, the number of people with a bachelor degree or higher rose to 12.9% since 2011.

Typical weekly household income is $1,310, which is well below the national figure of $1,746. While incomes have risen since 2011, only 12.1% of households earn $3,000 or more per week.

Health challenges are more common here than in most areas, with 34.5% of people reporting a long-term health condition. Additionally, 7.4% of residents need help with daily activities, which is higher than the state average.

Volunteering is very common, with 25.8% of people helping out, far above the national figure of 14.1%. Unpaid care is also a priority, as 15% of people provide unpaid care, among the highest rates for similar areas.

There are 244 First Nations people in the area, who are notably younger than other groups with a typical age of 21. Their typical personal income is $490, a little below the national figure.

Family homes are common, with 53.8% being couples with children. People per home is 2.5, which is about the same as the national average.

Housing is dominated by separate houses, which make up 97% of dwellings. Ownership is high, with 45.2% of homes owned outright, and renting is much lower than most areas at 16.1%.

The area is heavily car-dependent, with 63.5% of people driving to work and only 0.5% using public transport. Very few homes lack a motor vehicle, at just 3.8%.

Movement is relatively steady, with 33.1% of people moving in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas are few, at 8.4%, which is well below the national average.

Full-time employment is high at 63.9%, well above the national figure. Many residents work in agriculture, forestry, and fishing, which accounts for 19.5% of jobs.

Coolamon has an access to resources score of 8, which is higher than 80% of similar areas. The population has continued to grow, with a 7.7% increase since 2021.

The area sees an average annual rainfall of 532mm, which is about the same as the state average. Winter nights are colder here, with a minimum temperature that is much lower than most areas.

The overall crime rate is much lower than most areas, with particularly low rates of theft and property damage. However, the crime rate has seen a sharp increase of 53.8% over the last five years.

The town is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 3.1. Very few residents, only 8.5%, live within a 15-minute walk of groceries, which is far below the state average.