Coffs Harbour - North

The population is noticeably older than the state and national figures, with the typical resident aged 42 and 23% being seniors. This community also has a much higher proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people at 6.9%, a figure that has risen since 2011.

Most residents were born in Australia (77%), and the area has far fewer overseas-born people (16.3%) than the national average. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, though recent arrivals from overseas have increased to 19.8%.

English is the main language for 82.4% of the community, which is far above the state and national figures. However, the number of people using another language at home has risen to 10.9% since 2011.

About 39.5% of residents report having no religion, a figure that has risen by 18 points since 2011 and is well above the New South Wales average. Christianity remains the most common affiliation at 47.1%.

Educational attainment is much lower than in most areas, with only 15.3% of adults holding a bachelor degree and 41.8% completing Year 12. Both figures are far below state and national levels, though they have risen since 2011.

Incomes are much lower than the national figure, with a typical weekly household income of $1,257. Only 11% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, which is far below the state average of 25.2%.

Health challenges are more common here than in most areas, with 34.2% of people living with a long-term health condition. This includes a higher than usual rate of mental health conditions (11.7%) and arthritis (12.4%).

Community participation is around the national average, with 13.5% of people volunteering. There is a slightly higher rate of former Defence Force members (3.4%) compared to the state average.

The area is home to 1,252 First Nations people, and 8.2% speak a First Nations language, which is well above the state average. However, the unemployment rate for this group is 13.8%, which is well above the state figure.

Households are generally smaller, with 31.9% of people living alone and only 2.3 people per home. There is a much higher rate of one-parent families (21.5%) compared to the national figure of 14.1%.

Renting is more common here than elsewhere, with 36.1% of homes rented. Detached houses are less frequent than the national average, and the typical weekly rent is $355, which is slightly below the state figure.

Most people rely on cars, and only 0.5% of the workforce commutes by public transport. Working from home is also much less common than in the rest of the state, at just 9%.

The community is quite mobile, with 40.9% of people having moved in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals are much more common here (19.8%) than in the rest of the country.

Employment levels are much lower than in most areas, and the unemployment rate of 6.1% is higher than the state average. Many residents work in health care and social assistance (20%) or retail trade (11.6%).

The area ranks low for overall advantage, with a score of 3 out of 10. This reflects challenges in access to money, resources, and job skills, which are all smaller than in 70% of similar areas.

The area is very wet, with average annual rainfall of 1,870mm, which is far above the New South Wales average. Minimum temperatures are also higher than the state typical.

The area is somewhat walkable, and almost every home is within a 15-minute walk of a park. However, it is far harder to reach schools and groceries on foot than in other parts of the state.