2530, NSW

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 4.8% of the population, which is much higher than most areas. The community is relatively young, with 19.8% of residents being children under 15, and the typical age is 39.

The area is predominantly Australian-born, with 80.1% born here, which is far below the state and national averages. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, and only 16.6% of residents were born overseas.

English is the main language for 87.6% of the community. While 8.9% of people use another language at home, which is higher than most similar areas, this is still far below the New South Wales average of 26.6%.

Christianity is the most common faith at 54.2%. There has been a significant shift in recent years, with the proportion of people reporting no religion rising by 22 percentage points since 2011 to reach 38.8%.

Education levels are lower than the national figure, with only 13.5% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. However, there has been a positive trend, with Year 12 completion rising by 11 percentage points since 2011.

Typical weekly household income is $1,653, which is a little below the state average. Incomes have risen since 2011, and 18.9% of households now earn $3,000 or more per week.

Health challenges are more common here than in most areas; 34.1% of residents have a long-term health condition and 11.1% have a mental health condition. Additionally, 7.3% of people need help with daily activities.

Unpaid care is a significant part of local life, with 29.4% of people caring for children, which is well above the national figure. However, volunteering has fallen to 10%, which is much lower than most areas.

Homes here tend to be larger, with 2.7 people per household. One-parent families are much more common than in most areas, making up 16.5% of the community.

The area is dominated by separate houses, with 88% of homes being detached and 88.3% having three or more bedrooms. Renting is less common than the national average, with only 21.6% of households renting.

Cars are the primary way to get around, as only 0.9% of people commute by public transport. While 18.5% now work from home—a jump of 17 percentage points since 2011—the drive time to the city is a long 73 minutes.

About 34.1% of residents have moved in the last five years. The area sees very few recent overseas arrivals, at just 3.9%, which is far below the national figure of 14.5%.

About 59.2% of adults are working or looking for work. The most common industries for local workers are health care and social assistance, construction, and retail trade.

The area sits around the middle for overall advantage, with a score of 5. Residents generally have good access to money and resources, though job skills and education levels are lower than in 70% of similar areas.

While 90.6% of homes are within a 10-minute walk of public transport, the area is generally less walkable than the state average. Access to health services is particularly low, with only 25.4% of homes within a 15-minute walk.