Council (LGA) · Area profile
Weddin
3,415 km²
A typical resident of Weddin is 52 years old, making this one of the oldest communities in the region. The area is an aging rural hub where 30% of people are retirees, far above the national figure. This trend is reflected in the population, which has shrank slightly since 2011. It is a predominantly Australian-born community with a strong connection to the land, seen in the high number of people working in agriculture.
Weddin is well supplied with schools for its relatively small share of children.
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Weddin is far older than most of Australia, with a typical age of 52 and 30% of residents aged 65 and over. The population has decreased by 1.6% since 2011, while the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people rose to 4.7%.
The community is overwhelmingly Australian-born, with 85.8% born here. Only 5.5% of people were born overseas, a figure far below the New South Wales and national averages.
English is the primary language for almost everyone, with 91.5% using it at home. Only 1.5% of residents use another language, which is among the lowest rates in the country.
Christianity remains the most common faith at 63.7%. While those reporting no religion rose by 15 points since 2011 to reach 27.5%, this is still well below the national figure.
Qualifications are lower than in most areas, with only 35.1% of residents completing Year 12. This is far below the national figure of 58.8%, and just 11.2% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher.
Typical weekly household income is $1,046, which is far below the national figure of $1,746. Only 8.5% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, although this has risen since 2011.
Long-term health conditions are common here, affecting 36.9% of people. This is well above the national average, and 7.8% of residents need help with daily activities.
Volunteering is very high at 24.2%, far above the national figure. Many residents provide unpaid care (14.4%) or do significant housework, and there is a strong history of Defence Force service.
The First Nations population is older than the national average, with a typical age of 32. While 9.5% speak a First Nations language, unemployment is much higher than most areas at 17.9%.
Many people live alone, representing 34.3% of homes, which is well above the national figure. This is consistent with the older population, and the typical home holds only 2.2 people.
Home ownership is very high, with 51.3% of houses owned outright. Most people live in separate houses (93.7%), and typical weekly rents of $198 are far below the national figure.
The area is heavily car-dependent; no one commutes by public transport, and 54% of workers drive to work. Public transport options are very limited, with only two stops for the whole area.
The population is quite stable, as only 25.9% of people moved in the last five years, far below the national average. However, recent arrivals from overseas rose to 7.5% since 2011.
Agriculture, forestry and fishing is the dominant industry, employing 32.7% of the workforce. Only 51.1% of adults are working or looking for work, which is well below the national figure.
The area has an overall advantage score of 942, which is below the national average. Population growth has been negative, falling by 0.9% since 2021.
Weddin receives more rain than the state average, with 698mm annually. Its minimum temperatures are much lower than most other areas.
The overall crime rate is much lower than most areas, particularly for burglary and theft. However, the rate of sexual offences is much higher than typical.
The area is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 3.8. Many homes are far from public transport, and only 50.4% are within a 15-minute walk of groceries.