Council (LGA) · Area profile
Upper Hunter Shire
8,096 km²
Strong full-time employment rates define Upper Hunter Shire, where 64.6% of the workforce is employed full-time. This is a rural community with a population of 14,229 and a noticeably older typical resident of 42. The area is characterised by large family homes and a significant First Nations presence, which is well above the state average. It is a place where traditional industries like agriculture and mining support a stable, largely home-owning population.
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The community is noticeably older than the national figure, with 21.1% of people aged 65 and over. First Nations people make up 7.0% of the population, a figure that has risen significantly since 2011.
Most residents were born in Australia, and only 9.2% were born overseas, which is far below the national average. Australian and English are the most common ancestries reported.
English is the primary language for 89.5% of the community. Only 4.1% of people use another language at home, which is far below the state and national figures.
Christianity is the most common religion at 61.9%. While the number of people reporting no religion has risen since 2011, it remains well below the national figure at 29.1%.
Many residents hold vocational qualifications, with 40.8% holding a Certificate III or IV. However, only 12.0% have a bachelor degree or higher, which is far below the state and national averages.
Typical weekly household income is $1,429, which is well below the state figure. Despite this, 16.4% of households earn $3,000 or more a week, a figure that has risen since 2011.
Long-term health conditions are a little above the national average, affecting 30.5% of people. Arthritis and asthma are the most common reported conditions.
Volunteering is more common here than in most Australian areas, with 16.5% of people giving their time. Roughly 11.1% of residents provide unpaid care.
The First Nations community is younger than the general population, with a typical age of 23. Unemployment among First Nations people is 9.1%, which is well below the national figure.
Most homes are occupied by couples with children (54.7%) or couples without children (32.5%). People living alone make up 28.8% of the community, which is well above the national average.
The area is dominated by separate houses, which make up 90.7% of all dwellings. Most homes are large, with 80.1% having three or more bedrooms, and 36.7% are owned outright.
Cars are essential here, as only 0.1% of people commute by public transport. Very few homes lack a motor vehicle, and 63.5% of workers travel by car as the driver.
While 35.1% of people moved in the last five years, the area has seen a far higher rate of recent overseas arrivals than the state average.
The job market is strong, with a low unemployment rate of 3.2%. Many residents work in agriculture, forestry and fishing (17.3%) or mining (11.6%).
The shire has a moderate overall advantage score of 943, which is smaller than about 58% of similar areas. It ranks well for access to money and resources but lower for education and job skills.
Annual rainfall is well above the state average at 695mm. The average minimum temperature is 9.3 degrees, which is much lower than most other areas.
The overall recorded offence rate is lower than most areas. Robbery is among the lowest at this level, while assault and theft are the most common crimes.
The area is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 3.3. Many homes are far from basic services, with only 42.5% within a 15-minute walk of groceries.