Statistical Area 2 (SA2) · Area profile
Lord Howe Island
16 km²
An older population defines Lord Howe Island, where the typical resident is 46, far older than the national figure of 38. This small community of 445 people has grown by 24% since 2011, yet it remains distinct for its high number of people living alone and those who own their homes outright. The island is largely a place of leisure and service, where many residents work in accommodation and food, and a high proportion of the population now identifies as having no religion.
Lord Howe Island is well supplied with schools for its relatively small share of children.
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The community is noticeably older than most areas, with 22.5% of people aged 65 and over, a figure well above the national average. There is also a high proportion of people in de facto relationships, at 19.4%, which is well above the state and national figures.
Most residents were born in Australia (74.8%), and the area has far fewer overseas-born people (17.3%) than the rest of the country. English, Irish, and Scottish are the most common ancestries after Australian.
English is the dominant language, with 85.8% of people using it only. Only 7.2% of residents use another language at home, which is far below the national figure of 22.3%.
A large number of residents report no religion, at 48.8%, which is well above the national average. This figure has risen significantly by 22 points since 2011.
About 19.3% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, which is well below the state and national figures. The island has a single, small government school with 35 enrolments.
Typical personal weekly income is $961, which is a little above the national figure. However, very few households earn $3,000 or more a week (10.6%), which is far below the state average.
Residents are generally healthier than most, with only 21.6% having a long-term health condition—well below the national average. Only 2.7% of people need help with daily activities.
Volunteering is very common here, with 29% of people volunteering, far above the national figure of 14.1%. There is also a higher than usual number of former Defence Force members (5.3%).
The First Nations population is small, consisting of 5 people. Those who identify as First Nations are far younger than the national typical age, with a typical age of just 15.
Homes are smaller than usual, with 2.2 people per home. Many people live alone (32.3%), which is well above the national average, while one-parent families are much less common than in most areas.
Home ownership is high, with 41.6% of homes owned outright, far above the national figure. Rent is lower than typical, with a typical weekly rent of $310, and 78.3% of homes are separate houses.
Bicycles and walking are popular ways to get to work, as 22.4% bike and 16.2% walk. There are no public transport stops or routes, and 20.8% of homes have no motor vehicle.
The population is relatively stable, as only 32% of people moved in the last five years, which is well below the national figure of 40.7%.
Many residents work in accommodation and food (37.8%), and more people are working or looking for work (64.6%) compared to the national average. Unemployment is very low at 2.4%.
The area has 78 businesses and an overall advantage score of 1,014, which is slightly above the national average. Population growth has stalled, falling by 0.5% since 2021.
The area is very walkable, with 83.1% of homes within a 15-minute walk of various amenities and 97.9% within a short walk of a park. However, there is no public transport available within a 10-minute walk.