2828, NSW

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 23.2% of the population, which is far above the national figure of 3.2%. The community is also notably young, with 21.4% of residents being children under 15, a figure well above the state average.

The area is overwhelmingly Australian-born, with only 2.4% of people born overseas, which is far below the New South Wales figure of 29.3%. Most residents claim Australian, English, or Scottish ancestry.

English is the sole dominant language, with only 0.8% of people using another tongue at home, far below the national average of 22.3%. Consequently, no residents reported speaking little or no English.

Over half of the population identifies as Christian, while 29.3% report no religion. This figure for those with no religion is well below the national average, though it has risen 15 points since 2011.

Education levels are much lower than most areas, with only 33.4% of residents completing Year 12, far below the state average of 58.9%. However, there has been progress, as the proportion of people with a bachelor degree or higher rose 6.7 points since 2011.

Typical weekly household income is $1,107, which is far below the New South Wales figure of $1,829. While typical incomes are low, the proportion of households earning $3,000 or more a week rose 8.3 points since 2011.

Long-term health conditions are slightly more common here than in the rest of the state, affecting 29.2% of people. Mental health conditions are reported by 6.3% of residents, which is a little below the national figure.

Volunteering is very common, with 23.7% of people pitching in, far above the national figure of 14.1%. Conversely, the proportion of people providing unpaid care is a little below the state average.

Living arrangements vary, with 37.1% of people living alone—far above the national average—while one-parent families are also very common at 21.1%.

Homes are almost exclusively separate houses (98.3%), and 47.1% are owned outright, far above the state average. This helps explain the very low typical monthly mortgage payment of $460.

The area is heavily reliant on cars, as 0% of people commute by public transport and the walk to the nearest stop is among the highest in the country. About 23.1% of people work from home.

The population is quite stable, with only 24.5% of people moving in the last five years, which is far below the national figure of 40.7%.

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing is the dominant industry, employing 42.5% of the workforce. Full-time employment is high at 65.8%, well above the national average, though the unemployment rate is also a little higher at 6.6%.

The region is ranked as having low overall advantage, with an overall advantage score of 928, which is smaller than about 76% of similar areas.

The area is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 2.9, far below the state average. Most homes are far from essential services, with only 39.6% within a 15-minute walk of groceries.