2572, NSW

The population is growing and aging, with seniors now making up 20.7% of residents—a figure well above the national average. Children under 15 make up 19.4%, which is higher than most areas, and there is a higher than usual proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people at 3.9%.

This area is far less diverse than the rest of the state, with only 10.6% of people born overseas. Ancestry is predominantly Australian (43.8%) and English (40.0%), and the proportion of overseas-born residents has fallen since 2011.

English is the primary language for 87.6% of the community. The proportion of people using another language at home is 5.6%, which is far below the national figure.

More than half of residents identify as Christian (55.3%), while those with no religion make up 34.9%. The number of people reporting no religion has risen significantly by 20 percentage points since 2011.

Qualifications are lower than the state average, with only 13.1% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. While 39.3% of residents completed Year 12, this is far below the national figure of 58.8%.

Typical weekly household incomes are $1,756, which is higher than in most similar areas and about the same as the national figure. There has been a steady increase in wealth, with 20.9% of households now earning $3,000 or more per week.

A higher than average 31.4% of residents live with a long-term health condition, with arthritis being the most common. Mental health conditions affect 9.2% of the population, which is slightly above the state average.

Unpaid work is common here, as more people than usual do 15 or more hours of housework or care for children. However, volunteering has fallen since 2011 and is now much lower than in most similar areas.

Homes are larger than average, with 2.7 people per household and far fewer people living alone compared to the rest of Australia. Couples with children make up the majority of families at 57.1%.

Detached houses dominate the landscape at 90.7%, and 82.3% of homes have three or more bedrooms. This preference for space comes with a cost, as typical weekly rents ($420) and mortgage payments ($2,318) are both much higher than in most similar areas.

The area is heavily reliant on cars, with 54% of workers driving and only 0.2% using public transport. While there are many bus stops, the walk to the nearest one is much longer than in most areas.

The community is quite mobile, with 39.1% of people moving house in the last five years. In contrast, there have been very few recent arrivals from overseas, at just 3.6%.

The local job market is strong, with an unemployment rate of 3.0% which is much lower than most areas. Many residents work in construction, health care, or as technicians and tradespeople.

The area ranks higher than 80% of similar areas for access to money and resources. Overall, it is more advantaged than about 60% of other areas at this level.

The area is only somewhat walkable, as far fewer homes are within a 15-minute walk of parks, schools, or groceries compared to the state average.