Macksville - Scotts Head

This is an older community where the typical resident is 50, far older than the national figure of 38. People aged 65 and over make up 29% of the population, a figure that rose 3.5 points since 2011.

Most residents were born in Australia, and the area has a much lower proportion of overseas-born people (8.6%) compared to the national figure of 27.7%. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, both at 43.4%.

English is the primary language for 89.9% of the community. Only 3.8% of people use another language at home, which is far below the national figure of 22.3%.

Half of the population identifies as Christian, while 37.9% report no religion. The proportion of people with no religion rose by 19 points since 2011.

Educational qualifications are much lower than in most areas, with only 12.8% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Year 12 completion rose 10 points since 2011 to reach 36%.

Incomes are among the lowest at this level, with a typical household earning $998 a week. This is far below the national figure of $1,746.

Health challenges are common here; 37.3% of people have a long-term health condition, and 9.7% need help with daily activities, both of which are well above the national average.

Volunteering is more common here than in most areas, with 17% of people pitching in. Unpaid care is also high, as 15.9% of residents provide unpaid care, which is well above the national figure.

First Nations people make up 7.6% of the population, well above the national figure of 3.2%. The typical First Nations resident is 26 years old and earns a weekly personal income of $470.

One-parent families are much more common here (19.1%) than in most areas. About 29.7% of people live alone, and homes are generally smaller, with 2.3 people per house.

The area is dominated by detached houses (89.9%), and nearly half (47.9%) are owned outright. This helps explain why the typical monthly mortgage payment of $1,382 is much lower than in most other areas.

Cars are essential here, as only 0.2% of people commute by public transport. Most homes have at least one vehicle, and the walk to the nearest stop is much longer than in most areas.

About 38.2% of people moved in the last five years, which is about the same as the national figure. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 10.6% of the population.

Working or looking for work is much less common here than in most areas, at 44%. The unemployment rate is 6.1%, which is a little above the national figure of 5.1%.

The area ranks low for overall advantage and access to resources. It has a small number of businesses (432) compared to similar areas.

The region is very wet and warm, with an average annual rainfall of 1,675mm, far above the New South Wales average of 515mm.

The area is only somewhat walkable, with a score of 4.3. Many residents live far from essential services, with only 53.4% within a 15-minute walk of groceries.