Coonabarabran

Coonabarabran is far older than the state and national average, with the typical resident being 50 years old. This ageing trend has grown, as the proportion of people aged 65 and over rose 6.7 points since 2011 to reach 28.4%.

The community is overwhelmingly Australian or English in ancestry, with 79.3% of residents born in Australia. Only 5.8% were born overseas, a figure that is far below the national average.

English is the primary language for almost everyone, with only 2.4% of people using another language at home. Very few residents—just 0.2%—speak little or no English.

Christianity remains the most common faith at 56.5%. While the proportion of people with no religion rose 12 points since 2011, it remains well below the national figure at 27.0%.

Educational qualifications are much lower than in most areas, with only 33.0% of residents completing Year 12. Only 10.3% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, which is far below the state average.

Earnings are among the lowest for similar areas, with the typical personal weekly income being $557. Only 8.4% of households earn $3,000 or more a week, which is far below the national figure.

Long-term health conditions are much more common here than elsewhere, affecting 33.7% of people. This is reflected in the 7.9% of residents who need help with daily activities, a figure higher than the state average.

Volunteering is very common, with 21.3% of people helping out, which is well above the national figure. More people provide unpaid care here than in most areas, though the number of people caring for children has fallen since 2011.

First Nations people make up 11% of the population, which is well above the national average. This group is typically younger than the wider community, with a typical age of 22, but faces higher unemployment at 13.5%.

A high number of people live alone—32.6%—which is well above the national average. This is consistent with the older population and results in smaller households, with 2.3 people per home.

Housing is dominated by separate houses, which make up 94.9% of dwellings. Home ownership is very high, with 49% of homes owned outright, while typical weekly rents of $200 are far below the national figure.

The town is heavily car-dependent, with 55.7% of workers driving to work and only 0.4% using public transport. Very few homes lack a motor vehicle, and public transport stops are far less frequent than in most areas.

The population is very stable, as only 26.5% of people moved in the last five years, which is far below the national average. Recent overseas arrivals are also uncommon at 8.2%.

Agriculture, forestry and fishing is the largest industry, employing 26.4% of the workforce. While full-time employment is steady, the unemployment rate of 6.4% is higher than the national average.

Coonabarabran is ranked as having low overall advantage compared to other areas. Access to money, resources, and job skills are all rated low, and the population has not grown since 2021.

The area is warmer than the state average for minimum temperatures but receives more rainfall, with an average of 748mm annually.

The town is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 3.0, far below the state average. Only 41.1% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of basic amenities like groceries or health services.