Narrandera

The community has a strong First Nations presence at 12.7%, which is well above the national figure. It is an older area, with 23.4% of people aged 65 and over, and the typical resident is 44, making the population noticeably older than in New South Wales.

Most residents were born in Australia, and those born overseas make up only 5.6%, which is far below the national average. The most common ancestries are Australian, English, Irish and Scottish.

English is the primary language for 86.6% of the community. Only 3.4% of people use another language at home, which is far below the state and national figures.

Christianity is the most common religion at 58.2%. Those reporting no religion make up 29.8% of the population, a figure that is well below the national average but has risen 16 points since 2011.

Education levels are lower than in most areas, with only 32.7% of residents completing Year 12, which is far below the national figure. Only 10.7% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher.

Incomes are generally lower than the national average. The typical weekly household income is $1,184, and only 10% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, which is much lower than in most other areas.

Health challenges are more common here than in most areas, with 33% of people living with a long-term health condition. About 7.7% of residents need help with daily activities, which is a little above the national average.

Local residents are more likely to volunteer than people in other areas, with 21.2% doing so. Unpaid care is also more common, with 13.2% of people providing support to others.

There are 723 First Nations people in the area. This group faces higher unemployment at 15.2% and lower Year 12 completion rates at 24.7%, both of which are well above or far below the national figures.

One-parent families are much more common here than in most areas, making up 19.1% of households. Conversely, 32% of people live alone, which is well above the national figure.

Housing is dominated by separate houses, making up 94.1% of all homes. Ownership is high, with 40.8% of homes owned outright, and typical weekly rents are far below the national figure at $200.

The area is very car-dependent, with 66.7% of workers commuting by car and only 0.3% using public transport. Most homes have at least one vehicle, and very few people work from home compared to the state average.

While fewer people have moved house in the last five years compared to other areas, there has been a significant increase in recent arrivals from overseas, now making up 25.2% of the population.

Full-time employment is higher than the national average at 62.1%. The local economy relies heavily on agriculture, forestry and fishing, which accounts for 17.3% of jobs.

Overall advantage and access to resources are low, with the area ranking in the bottom 30% of similar places. Population growth has been very slow, rising only 0.5% since 2021.

The area experiences a minimum temperature that is much lower than most similar places. Annual rainfall is about the same as the New South Wales average.

Several crime rates, including assault, burglary and property damage, are much higher than in most areas. However, the overall crime rate has fallen by 20.6% over the last five years.

The town is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 4.0. Only 50.1% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of basic amenities, which is far below the state average.