Dubbo - East

The community is noticeably younger than the state and national figures, with a high percentage of children and a typical age of 35. This youthfulness is mirrored in the First Nations population, which rose to 18.1% by 2021.

Most residents were born in Australia, and the area has a much lower proportion of overseas-born people (8.8%) compared to the national figure of 27.7%.

English is the dominant language, with only 7.4% of people using another tongue at home, which is far below the national average of 22.3%.

Christianity remains the most common faith at 56.8%, although the number of people reporting no religion rose significantly by 16 points since 2011 to reach 28.3%.

Educational attainment is much lower than in most areas, with only 16.6% of adults holding a bachelor degree and just 42.7% completing Year 12.

Typical weekly household income is $1,679, which is about the same as the national figure, though the number of high-earners is well below the state average.

Health challenges are more common here than in most areas, with 31.8% of people living with a long-term health condition and a much higher rate of mental health conditions at 11.2%.

More people provide unpaid childcare here than in most areas, at 29.3%, while volunteer rates have fallen to 12.8% since 2011.

With 1,922 First Nations residents, this is one of the largest populations at this level, though Year 12 completion is well below the national figure at 30.6%.

Homes are larger than usual, averaging 2.6 people, and the area has a much higher rate of one-parent families than most areas at 18.4%.

The area is dominated by detached houses, 82.6% of which are separate dwellings. Renting is more common than the national average, but weekly rents are much lower at $295.

Car travel is essential, as only 0.4% of people commute by public transport and 7.1% work from home, which is far below the state average.

While about 37.1% of residents moved in the last five years, the area has seen a surge in recent arrivals from overseas, now representing 27.9% of the population.

Employment is strong, with a much higher full-time work rate of 64.8% and an unemployment rate of 3.7%, which is lower than both the state and nation.

The area ranks in the lower 30% for overall advantage compared to other regions, reflecting gaps in job skills and general access to resources.

The local climate features an average maximum temperature of 25.2 degrees and annual rainfall of 676mm, which is well above the New South Wales average.

The area is only somewhat walkable, as many residents live far from essential services, with only 40.2% within a 15-minute walk of groceries.