Lithgow

Lithgow has a population of 12,385 and is noticeably older than most areas, with 25.5% of residents aged 65 or over. This senior population is well above the state and national figures, and the typical age has risen by 4 years since 2011.

The community is predominantly Australian and English in ancestry, with only 10.5% of people born overseas. This is far below the national figure of 27.7%, though the proportion of overseas-born residents has risen slightly since 2011.

English is the primary language for most, as only 4.9% of people use another language at home. This is far below the national average, and very few people (0.7%) speak little or no English.

Over half of the population identifies as Christian, while 34.9% report no religion. This figure for those with no religion has risen by 19 points since 2011, though it remains well below the national figure.

Educational attainment is among the lowest for its level, with only 34.0% of residents completing Year 12, which is far below the national figure. Only 10.8% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher.

Household incomes are among the lowest at this level, with a typical weekly household income of $1,088, which is well below the national figure of $1,746. Only 11.7% of households earn $3,000 or more per week.

Health challenges are common here, as 37.0% of residents have a long-term health condition, among the highest for this level. Additionally, 8.5% of people need help with daily activities, which is a little above the national figure.

Unpaid care is a common part of life, with 12.9% of people providing unpaid care. This is a little above the national figure, though the number of people caring for children unpaid has fallen since 2011.

The area has a large First Nations community of 1,033 people. However, this group faces significant gaps, with a Year 12 completion rate of 21.7%, which is far below the national figure.

Many residents live alone (38.1%), which is far above the national average. One-parent families are also much more common here than in most other areas, making up 21.2% of households.

Housing is mostly made up of separate houses (85.4%), and many are owned outright. Rent is much lower than the national figure, with a typical weekly rent of $270.

Most people rely on cars to get to work, and only 0.4% commute by public transport. While there are many public transport stops relative to the population, the drive time to the city is among the highest for this level.

The population is relatively stable, with only 31.9% of people having moved in the last five years, which is well below the national figure. Recent arrivals from overseas are also much lower than most areas.

Fewer people are working or looking for work compared to other areas, at 47.8%. The unemployment rate is 6.5%, which is a little above the national figure of 5.1%.

Lithgow ranks very low for overall advantage, with a score of 892. It is among the lowest 10% of areas for education and job skills and has seen a population decline of 2.3% since 2021.

The area is cooler and wetter than the state average, with an average maximum temperature of 19.0°C and annual rainfall of 973mm, which is far above the New South Wales figure.

The town is very walkable, with 97.5% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a park. It has far more walkable amenities per 1,000 residents than the state average.