Walgett - Lightning Ridge

The population has shrank by 19% since 2011 to 5,534 people. It is an older community where 21.7% are seniors, and the typical resident is 44, which is noticeably older than the national figure of 38.

Most residents were born in Australia, and only 8.1% were born overseas, a figure far below the national average of 27.7%. Australian and English are the most common ancestries.

English is the dominant language, with only 5.1% of people using another language at home, which is far below the national figure of 22.3%. Very few residents speak little or no English.

Christianity is the most common religion at 42.1%. While 29.7% of people report no religion, this is well below the national figure of 38.9%.

Education levels are among the lowest for similar areas, with only 8.9% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Just 29.5% of residents completed Year 12, far below the national figure of 58.8%.

Typical weekly household income is $991, which is far below the national figure of $1,746. Only 9.6% of households earn $3,000 or more a week, though this has risen since 2011.

About 26.3% of people have a long-term health condition, which is about the same as the national average. Mental health conditions are reported by 6.3% of residents.

Volunteer rates are around 14.4%, which is about the same as the national figure. However, the proportion of people providing unpaid care or housework is much lower than in most other areas.

First Nations people are a significant part of the community, numbering 1,252. This group faces significant challenges, with an unemployment rate of 15.9% and a typical household income of $948, both well below national figures.

The area has a high number of people living alone (37.3%) and one-parent families (23.1%), both of which are well above the national average. Typical homes are small, with just 2.2 people per dwelling.

Housing is very affordable, with a typical weekly rent of $179 and typical mortgage payments of $852. Outright home ownership is high at 40.8%, well above the national figure of 31.0%.

Cars are essential here, as only 0.3% of people commute by public transport. Very few people have access to public transport, with only 3 stops serving the entire area.

The community is relatively stable, with only 24.2% of people moving in the last five years, which is far below the national figure of 40.7%.

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing employ 27.1% of the workforce. While 63.3% of people work full-time, the overall rate of adults working or looking for work is far below the national average.

This area is among the most disadvantaged in the state, ranking 1 out of 10 for access to money and resources. Population growth has also been negative, falling by 3.0% since 2021.

The climate is hot and dry, with an average maximum temperature of 28.5 degrees. Annual rainfall is low at 457mm, which is below the New South Wales average.

The area is somewhat walkable, and residents have very high access to walkable amenities compared to other areas. However, only 34.3% of homes are within a 10-minute walk of public transport.