Narrabri

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 14.8% of the population, a figure far above the national average that has risen since 2011. The typical resident is 40 years old, and children under 15 account for 20.1% of the community.

The community is overwhelmingly Australian-born, with only 4.4% of people born overseas, which is among the lowest rates for similar areas. Most residents claim Australian or English ancestry.

English is the primary language for nearly 87% of the population. Very few people use another language at home (2.4%), and only 0.3% speak little or no English, placing the area far below the state and national figures.

Christianity is the most common faith at 58.8%. While the number of people reporting no religion has risen 16 points since 2011 to reach 28.6%, this is still well below the national figure.

Qualifications are lower than in most areas, with only 10.9% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Only 36.1% of residents completed Year 12, which is far below the state and national averages.

Typical weekly household incomes are $1,498, which is higher than in most similar areas but a little below the state average. There has been a notable rise in higher earners, with the share of households earning over $3,000 a week climbing 12 points since 2011.

Long-term health conditions are more common here than in most areas, affecting 31.5% of the population. About 6% of residents need help with daily activities, which is slightly above the national figure.

Volunteering is more common here than in the state or nation, with 17.4% of people contributing their time, though this is 7.5 points lower than in 2011. Unpaid care for children is handled by 25% of the community.

There are 1,881 First Nations people in the area, and the typical age is 23, making this group younger than the national average. While unemployment is 11.4%, personal incomes for First Nations people are a little above the national figure.

People living alone make up 28.8% of the community, which is well above the national figure. One-parent families are also more common here than in most areas, accounting for 15.3% of households.

The landscape is dominated by detached houses (89.9%), with 78.3% of homes having three or more bedrooms. Renting is more common than in most similar areas, but weekly rents at $250 are well below the national average.

Cars are essential for most, as only 1.8% of people use public transport to get to work. Working from home is rare at 10.9%, which is far below the state figure.

The population is relatively stable, with far fewer people moving in the last five years compared to most areas. However, recent arrivals from overseas have increased slightly since 2011 to 19.1%.

Full-time employment is very high at 66.2%, well above the national average. The economy is driven by agriculture and mining, and the unemployment rate is lower than most similar areas at 4.1%.

The area has an overall advantage score of 4, which is lower than about 60% of similar places. Local population growth has stalled, falling 6.2 points below the New South Wales average.

The region is warmer than most, with an average maximum temperature of 27.4 degrees. Annual rainfall is 618mm, which is a little above the state average.

Crime rates are higher than in most areas, particularly for assault, property damage, and motor vehicle theft. Total recorded offences per 100,000 people stand at 10,816.

The area is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 3.5. Access to essentials is limited, as only 36.6% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries.