Cessnock Surrounds

The community is noticeably older than the national figure, with a typical resident aged 42. It is also a diverse area for First Nations people, who make up 7.6% of the population, a figure that has risen by 4.0 points since 2011.

The area is overwhelmingly Australian-born, with 85.9% born here. This is far below the state and national figures, and those born overseas make up only 8.2% of the population.

English is the primary language for 92.7% of residents. Only 2.0% of people use another language at home, which is among the lowest rates in the country.

There has been a significant shift in faith, with those reporting no religion rising 18 points since 2011 to reach 42.8%. This is well above the national figure of 38.9%.

Education levels are much lower than most areas, with only 40.6% of residents completing Year 12. However, this has improved by 7.9 points since 2011.

Typical weekly household income is $1,814, which is about the same as the state average. Personal incomes are slightly lower than the national figure, with a typical weekly amount of $728.

Health challenges are more common here than in most areas; 32.7% of people live with a long-term health condition, and 10.0% have a mental health condition.

Unpaid work is very common, with 28.1% of people doing 15 or more hours of housework weekly. This is well above the national figure of 20.7%.

The First Nations community is relatively large, with 699 people. This group is noticeably younger than other First Nations populations, with a typical age of just 20.

Homes here are larger than usual, with 2.8 people per home. This is consistent with the high proportion of couples with children, who make up 56.0% of families.

Housing is dominated by detached houses, making up 99.3% of all dwellings. Renting is very rare at 9.9%, while 41.0% of homes are owned outright.

The area is highly dependent on cars, as only 0.2% of people commute via public transport. Almost every home has a vehicle, and 39.8% of households own two.

The population is moderately mobile, with 36.3% of residents moving in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals are very rare at 3.7%.

Full-time employment is much lower than in most areas at 54.1%. The local workforce is concentrated in health care, social assistance, and construction.

While residents generally have good access to money and resources, the area ranks lower for overall advantage and job skills compared to most other regions.

The landscape is wetter than the state average, with annual rainfall of 958mm. Temperatures are typical for the region, with an average maximum of 23.6 degrees.

The area is almost entirely car-dependent, with a very low walkability score of 1.4. Only 1.7% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries.