Lake Munmorah - Mannering Park

The area is far older than most, with 33.5% of people aged 65 and over, a figure that rose 7.4 percentage points since 2011. Conversely, children under 15 make up only 14.5%, which is well below the national figure. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people represent 6.1% of the population, which is a little above the state average.

Most residents were born in Australia (82.5%), and those born overseas make up only 11.8%, far below the national figure of 27.7%. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, accounting for 45.5% and 42.8% respectively.

English is the primary language for 92.1% of the community. Only 2.6% of people use another language at home, which is among the lowest rates in the country, and almost everyone speaks English well.

Over half the population identifies as Christian (56.9%). Those with no religion make up 35.5%, a figure that has risen 17 percentage points since 2011.

Educational attainment is well below state and national levels, with only 8.7% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. About 30.9% of residents completed Year 12, which is far below the national figure of 58.8%.

Incomes are much lower than most areas, with a typical household earning $1,079 a week, far below the national figure of $1,746. Only 9.4% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, though this has risen since 2011.

Health challenges are common here, with 42.3% of people living with a long-term health condition, far above the national figure of 27.7%. This is consistent with the older population, as 8.8% of residents need help with daily activities.

Unpaid care for others is slightly more common than usual, with 13.6% of people providing care. However, volunteering is much lower than in most areas, at just 10.0%.

There are 666 First Nations people in the area, with a typical age of 25. Year 12 completion is much lower than most areas at 31.7%, and only 2.0% speak a First Nations language.

Homes are often smaller, with a typical size of 2.2 people. A high number of people live alone (31.8%) or in one-parent families (17.4%), both of which are well above the national average.

The area is dominated by separate houses (94.1%), and 51.7% of homes are owned outright, far above the national figure. Renting is much less common than elsewhere, occurring in only 17.0% of households.

The community is heavily reliant on cars, with 57.9% of workers driving and only 0.4% using public transport to commute. Despite this, there are 103 public transport stops, which is more than 90% of similar areas.

The population is relatively stable, with 33.8% of people having moved in the last five years, which is well below the national rate of 40.7%. Recent overseas arrivals are also very rare at 1.8%.

Fewer adults are working or looking for work (44.9%) compared to the national figure of 61.1%. Those employed are most commonly found in health care, social assistance, and construction.

The area ranks low for overall advantage and job skills compared to other regions. Population growth since 2021 has been very slow at 0.6%, well below the state average.

The area receives much more rain than the state average, with 1,262mm annually. Minimum temperatures are also well above the New South Wales figure.

The area is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 3.8. While most homes are near a park or public transport stop, very few are within a 15-minute walk of groceries (18.8%) or health services (13.1%).