Tenterfield

The community is far older than the state average, with 32.8% of people aged 65 and over. In contrast, the proportion of children under 15 has fallen to 14.0%, which is well below the national figure. About 7.5% of residents are First Nations people, a figure well above the Australian average.

Most residents were born in Australia, and only 8.7% were born overseas, which is far below the national average. English, Australian, and Irish are the most common ancestries reported.

English is the primary language here, with only 2.9% of people using another language at home. This is far below the New South Wales average of 26.6%.

Over half of the population identifies as Christian, while 33.8% report no religion. This latter figure has risen by 16 points since 2011.

Education levels are lower than the state average, with 34.9% of residents completing Year 12. Only 11.7% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, which is far below the national figure of 26.3%.

Incomes are among the lowest for similar areas; the typical household earns $885 a week, far below the national figure of $1,746. Only 6.4% of households earn $3,000 or more per week.

Health challenges are common, with 36.9% of people living with a long-term health condition. This is well above the state average, and 8.1% of residents need help with daily activities.

Volunteering is high at 22.2%, well above the national average. There is also a strong history of service, with 4.2% of residents having served in the Defence Force.

First Nations people in Tenterfield face significant hardship, with an unemployment rate of 28.3%, far above the national figure. Typical personal income for this group is also among the lowest at $364 per week.

Living arrangements are distinct, as 35.6% of people live alone, which is far above the state average. Consequently, homes are smaller, with only 2.1 people per household.

The area is dominated by detached houses, and 53.6% of homes are owned outright, far above the national figure. Typical weekly rent is $240, well below the state average of $420.

Tenterfield is heavily car-dependent, with 58% of workers commuting by car and only 0.7% using public transport. However, 18.2% of people work from home.

The population is relatively stable, with only 31% of people moving in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas are rare at 4.6%.

Working life is less common here, with only 44.6% of adults working or looking for work, far below the national average. Many of those employed work in agriculture, forestry and fishing.

Tenterfield ranks low for overall advantage and access to resources, placing it in the bottom 20% of similar areas. Despite this, the population grew by 5.7% since 2021.

The area is much wetter than the rest of the state, with average annual rainfall of 950mm. It is also slightly cooler, with a typical maximum temperature of 23.1 degrees.

The area sees higher rates of recorded offences than many other areas, particularly regarding property damage, burglary, and motor vehicle theft.

The area is mostly car-dependent, with a low walkability score of 2.3. Only 30.2% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of basic amenities, far below the state average.