Council (LGA) · Area profile
Gilgandra
4,832 km²
A strong First Nations presence and an ageing population define Gilgandra, where 14.5% of residents identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. The community is noticeably older than the national average, with the typical resident aged 46 and over a quarter of the population aged 65 or over. This is a predominantly Australian-born community where most people live in large, separate houses. While the population has shrunk slightly since 2011, there has been a recent increase in arrivals from overseas.
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The area has a much higher proportion of First Nations people than most others, sitting 11 points above the national figure. It is an older community, with 24.2% of people aged 65 and over, a figure that has risen 3.5 points since 2011.
People born overseas make up only 3.3% of the population, which is far below the national average of 27.7%. Most residents claim Australian or English ancestry.
Language is very uniform here, with only 1.5% of people using a language other than English at home. This is far below the national figure of 22.3%.
Christianity remains the most common faith at 61.8%, though the number of people reporting no religion rose by 14 points since 2011 to reach 24.7%.
Educational attainment is lower than in most areas, with only 31.3% of residents completing Year 12. This is far below the national figure of 58.8%.
Incomes are much lower than the national average, with a typical weekly household income of $1,149. Only 8.8% of households earn $3,000 or more per week.
Health challenges are more common here, as 32.1% of people have a long-term health condition. This is well above the national figure, and 7.1% of residents need help with daily activities.
The area has a high rate of volunteering at 21.5%, which is well above the national figure of 14.1%. Unpaid care is also more common, with 13.2% of people providing support to others.
First Nations residents face significant challenges, with an unemployment rate of 15.7% and a typical household income of $1,080, both of which are well below national figures.
One-parent families are much more common here than in most areas, making up 19.3% of households. About 30% of people live alone.
Housing is dominated by separate houses, which make up 92.7% of all dwellings. Outright home ownership is high at 40.9%, and typical weekly rents are far below the national figure at $200.
The community is heavily reliant on cars, with 56.4% of people driving to work. Public transport use is very low, and there are far fewer transport stops than in most other areas.
While only 24.5% of people moved in the last five years, there has been a rise in recent arrivals from overseas, now making up 17.6% of the population.
Full-time employment is higher than the national average at 61.2%, with many people working in agriculture, forestry, and fishing.
The area is ranked as having low overall advantage, scoring 3 out of 10. Population growth since 2021 has been -0.3%, which is well below the state average.
Rainfall is higher than the state average, and maximum temperatures are slightly higher than the New South Wales figure.
Recorded offences are much higher than in most areas, with particularly high rates of assault, property damage, and motor vehicle theft.
The area is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 3.2. Many homes are far from essential services, with only 41.5% within a 15-minute walk of groceries.