Statistical Area 2 (SA2) · Area profile
Muswellbrook
262 km²
A growing population and a shifting social landscape mark the recent evolution of Muswellbrook. This community is notably younger than most of Australia, with a typical resident aged 35 and a high proportion of children under 15. It is a place where First Nations presence is strong and the local economy is heavily tied to the mining industry. The town's character is defined by large family homes and a workforce largely focused on technical trades.
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The area has a strong First Nations presence, with 13.1% of people identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, a figure that rose 7.0 points since 2011. It is a young community where 22.0% of residents are children, and the typical age of 35 is noticeably lower than the national figure.
Most residents were born in Australia (84.7%), and the area has far fewer overseas-born residents (8.9%) than the state or national averages. Australian and English are the most common ancestries, making up 44.2% and 38.2% respectively.
English is the primary language for 86.9% of the community. Only 4.9% of people use another language at home, which is far below the national figure of 22.3%, and very few people speak little or no English.
Over half of the community identifies as Christian (52.5%). The number of people reporting no religion rose 22 points since 2011 to reach 35.9%, which is a little below the national figure.
Qualifications are often practical, with 45.7% of people holding a Certificate III or IV, while only 8.7% have a bachelor degree. Year 12 completion is far below the national average at 33.1%.
Typical weekly household income is $1,603, a little below the national figure. While the typical personal income is $759, a higher than usual 13.5% of people earn $2,000 or more per week.
Long-term health conditions are more common here than in most areas, affecting 32.0% of residents. Mental health conditions are particularly high at 11.4%, well above the national figure.
A higher than average 28.4% of people provide unpaid childcare. However, volunteering is much lower than in most areas, with only 10.0% of residents volunteering.
The First Nations community is large, with 1,600 people, and is notably young with a typical age of 21. Year 12 completion is far below the national figure at 26.5%.
One-parent families are much more common than in most areas, making up 19.8% of households. There is also a higher than usual rate of people living alone at 29.6%.
Homes here are typically large, with 83.8% having three or more bedrooms, and 87.1% are separate houses. Renting is much more common than average at 38.0%, though typical weekly rent of $310 is well below the state average.
The community is heavily reliant on cars, with 67.8% of people driving to work. Public transport use is among the lowest at this level, with only 0.2% of people commuting by PT.
The area sees a fair amount of movement, with 42.1% of people having moved in the last five years. This includes recent overseas arrivals, who make up 15.9% of the population.
Mining is a major employer for 22.3% of the workforce, and full-time employment is much higher than most areas at 63.2%. The unemployment rate is 6.0%, which is a little above the national figure.
Muswellbrook ranks low for overall advantage and education and job skills compared to similar areas. Population growth since 2021 has been 1.7%, which is well below the state figure.
The area is warmer than most and receives more rainfall than the New South Wales average, with an annual total of 721mm.
The town is only somewhat walkable, as many homes lack a 15-minute walk to groceries (46.8%) or health services (30.9%), both of which are far below state averages.