Snowy Valleys

The population is noticeably older than the national figure, with 23.2% of people aged 65 and over. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 6.3% of the community, a figure that has risen since 2016 and sits well above the Australian average.

Most residents were born in Australia (82.4%), and the area has far fewer overseas-born people than the state or national averages. English and Australian are the most common ancestries.

English is the dominant language, with 87.2% of people using it only. Very few residents speak little or no English, a figure far below the national average.

Christianity is the most common faith at 58.6%. While the proportion of people with no religion has risen by 11 points since 2016, it remains well below the national figure.

The area has a lower rate of Year 12 completion (35.9%) compared to the state. However, more people have earned a bachelor's degree or higher than in 2016, and the region has more schools per 1,000 children than most similar areas.

Weekly incomes are generally lower than the national average, with the typical family earning $1,683. On the higher end, 12.6% of households earn $3,000 or more a week, which is an increase of 6.5 points since 2016.

Long-term health conditions are more common here than in most areas, affecting 32.9% of people. Arthritis and asthma are the most reported conditions, and 6.1% of residents need help with daily activities.

Volunteering is much more common here than nationally, with 19.9% of people pitching in, though this is down 5.4 points since 2016. More people also spend 15 or more hours a week on unpaid housework than in most areas.

There are 944 First Nations people in the area, and they are typically younger than the broader population with a median age of 23. The unemployment rate for this group is 12.9%, which is well above the state average.

Family sizes are typical for the region, with 2.4 people per home. About 29.4% of people live alone, which is well above the state and national figures.

Housing is dominated by separate houses (91.5%), and a far higher proportion of people own their homes outright (43.3%) than in most of Australia. Typical weekly rents are far below the state average at $230.

The area is heavily reliant on cars, as only 0.3% of people commute by public transport. Working from home is also much less common here than in the rest of the state.

Residents are less likely to have moved in the last five years (31.7%) compared to the national average. The number of recent arrivals from overseas has barely changed since 2016.

Full-time employment is slightly more common here than in the state, with 60.5% of the workforce in full-time roles. The most common industries are agriculture, forestry, and fishing, followed by manufacturing.

The region has a low overall advantage score of 3, which is smaller than about 70% of similar areas. Population growth since 2021 has been much lower than the New South Wales average.

The climate is much cooler and wetter than the state average, with an average minimum temperature of 6.4 degrees and high annual rainfall of 1,208mm.

Theft rates are much lower than most areas, while drug offences and motor vehicle theft are higher. Overall, recorded offences per 100,000 people are around the middle for similar areas.

The area is mostly car-dependent with a low walkability score of 3.5. Far fewer homes are within a 15-minute walk of health services or groceries compared to the state average.