2323, NSW

The area has a strong Indigenous presence, with 7.3% of people identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, which is well above the national figure. The population is slightly older than the Australian average, with the typical resident aged 39.

Most residents were born in Australia (86.1%), and the area has far fewer overseas-born people than the state or national averages. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, though arrivals from overseas rose slightly since 2011 to 9.4%.

English is the primary language for 90.1% of the population. The proportion of people using another language at home is 5.5%, which is far below the figures for both New South Wales and Australia.

Over half the community identifies as Christian (53.2%), while those with no religion make up 38.2%. The latter group has seen a significant increase, rising by 22 percentage points since 2011.

Educational attainment is lower than the national average, with only 16.2% of adults holding a bachelor's degree. However, more people have completed Year 12 now than in 2011, rising by 7.3 percentage points.

Typical weekly household income is $1,541, which is a little below the national figure. While incomes have risen since 2011, the area has fewer high-earners than the state, with 17.9% of households earning $3,000 or more per week.

Health challenges are a significant feature here, as 36.2% of people have a long-term health condition. This includes a mental health condition rate of 14.3%, which is among the highest for similar areas.

Unpaid care is common, with 29.1% of people caring for children, well above the national average. Interestingly, the area has a higher proportion of Defence Force veterans than most other areas.

Family structures are distinctive, as one-parent families (18.3%) are much more common than in most other areas. This helps explain why households are often larger, with 2.5 people per home.

The area is dominated by separate houses (82.1%), and 79.9% of homes have three or more bedrooms. Renting is more common than usual at 32.2%, with typical weekly rents rising by $100 since 2011.

Cars are the main way to get around, with 58.2% of people driving to work. Despite having many public transport stops, very few people (0.6%) use them for commuting, and the drive time to the city is quite long at 89 minutes.

About 36% of the population moved in the last five years, which is higher than most similar areas. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 10.1% of the community, though this fell since 2011.

About 60.5% of adults are working or looking for work, with a typical split across health care, retail, and construction. The unemployment rate is 5.1%, which is about the same as the national figure.

The area has an overall advantage score of 4 out of 10, meaning it is less advantaged than about 60% of similar areas. This reflects lower typical incomes and a smaller proportion of high-level qualifications.

While many homes are within a short walk of parks and schools, only 57.3% are near groceries. The overall walkability is rated as somewhat walkable, with a high number of amenities per 1,000 residents.