Bombala

The typical resident is 49, which is far older than the national figure of 38. Seniors aged 65 and over make up 26.7% of the population, a figure that rose 6.6 points since 2011.

Most residents were born in Australia, with only 8.1% born overseas—one of the lowest rates for this level. The most common ancestries are Australian, English, Scottish, and Irish.

English is the primary language for 88.1% of the community. Only 2.8% use another language at home, which is far below the national figure of 22.3%.

Christianity remains the most common faith at 58.6%. While 29.5% of people report no religion, this is well below the national average of 38.9%.

Educational attainment is lower than in most areas, with only 13.1% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. This is far below the state figure of 27.8%.

Typical weekly household income is $1,253, which is well below the national figure of $1,746. However, the number of households earning $3,000 or more per week rose 11 points since 2011.

Long-term health conditions are more common here than in most areas, affecting 31.1% of residents. Arthritis is the most reported condition at 13.3%.

Volunteering is very high, with 24.2% of people participating—far above the national figure of 14.1%. This sits alongside a high rate of people doing over 15 hours of unpaid housework.

First Nations people make up 3.3% of the population. The median age for this group is 18, which is noticeably younger than the national figure of 24.

Homes here are smaller than average, with 2.2 people per home. This is consistent with a high number of people living alone, accounting for 35% of households.

Housing is dominated by separate houses, which make up 95.7% of dwellings. Nearly half of all homes (49.6%) are owned outright, and typical weekly rents are very low at $200.

The area is heavily reliant on cars, with 64.6% of workers driving to work and 0.0% using public transport. Only 3.9% of homes do not have a motor vehicle.

The community is relatively stable, with 30.6% of people moving in the last five years—well below the national figure of 40.7%.

Agriculture, forestry and fishing is the largest industry, employing 28.7% of workers. Full-time employment is higher than most areas at 62.3%.

The area ranks in the bottom 30% for overall advantage compared to all other areas. Population growth has been slow, rising only 1.0% since 2021.

Bombala has a cool climate, with an average minimum temperature of 5.2 degrees and an average maximum of 19.3 degrees, both far below the state figures.

The area is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 3.2. Only 39.9% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries.