2505, NSW

The population has grown slightly to 5,088 people. It is a noticeably older community than the national average, with 20.8% of residents aged 65 and over. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 4.5% of the population, which is higher than most similar areas.

English and Australian are the most common ancestries. While 23.6% of residents were born overseas—which is higher than most areas—this figure is well below the state and national averages and has fallen since 2011.

A quarter of the community uses a language other than English at home, which is much higher than most areas. This includes Italian, Greek, and Arabic speakers. About 5.6% of residents speak little or no English, a figure that is higher than the national average.

Christianity remains the most common religion at 57.4%. Those reporting no religion make up 33.8% of the population; while this is about the same as the state figure, it represents a significant increase of 19 points since 2011.

Education levels are far below the national average, with only 42.5% of residents completing Year 12. However, there has been a positive trend, as the number of adults with a bachelor degree or higher rose from 7.4% in 2011 to 15.6% in 2021.

Typical weekly household income is $1,308, which is well below the national figure. While most incomes are low—with 22.7% of households earning under $650 a week—the number of households earning over $3,000 has risen significantly since 2011.

Health challenges are prominent here, with 10.1% of people needing help with daily activities—well above the national average. Long-term health conditions are also more common, particularly mental health and arthritis.

Unpaid care is a significant part of local life, as 14.8% of people provide unpaid care, which is much higher than most areas. Conversely, volunteering is much lower than the national average and has fallen since 2011.

One-parent families are very common here at 22.4%, which is well above the national average. There is also a high number of people living alone, accounting for 31.2% of households.

Most people live in separate houses, and 37.7% own their home outright. Renting is much more common than in most areas, with 33.6% of households paying a typical weekly rent of $340.

The area is heavily reliant on cars, with 54.7% of workers driving to work. While there are many public transport stops relative to the population, only 1.2% of people actually use them for commuting.

The population is relatively stable, with 31.7% of people moving in the last five years—a figure well below the national average. Recent arrivals from overseas are also much less common than in other parts of the state.

Fewer people are working or looking for work compared to the national average, and the unemployment rate of 5.8% is much higher than most areas. Many residents work in health care and social assistance.

The community faces significant disadvantage, ranking in the bottom 20% of areas for access to money and resources. It also scores low for education and job skills compared to other regions.

Most homes are within a short walk of a school or park, but basic services are lacking. Only 30.5% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries, and only 6.2% are near health services.