Port Macquarie - West

The area is much older than most, with a typical resident aged 47 and a high proportion of seniors. It is also home to a significant First Nations community, with 6.5% of people identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, which is well above the national figure.

Most residents were born in Australia, and the area has a lower proportion of overseas-born people (14.6%) than both the state and the nation. English and Australian are the most common ancestries.

English is the dominant language, with only 6.2% of people using another language at home, which is far below the national average. Very few residents speak little or no English.

Over half of the population identifies as Christian. Those reporting no religion make up 36.5% of the community, a figure that has risen by 21 points since 2011.

Education levels are lower than most areas, with only 15.1% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. However, school completions and degree attainment have both risen since 2011.

Typical weekly incomes are well below the state and national figures, with a typical household earning $1,193. Only 10.9% of households earn $3,000 or more a week, which is much lower than most areas.

Health challenges are common here; 39% of people have a long-term health condition and 9.6% need help with daily activities, both of which are far above the national average.

More people provide unpaid care (13.0%) than in most areas, though fewer people care for children unpaid. There is a notably higher proportion of former Defence Force members compared to the state.

The area has a large First Nations population of 1,370 people. The typical age for this group is 22, which is a little younger than the state and national typical ages.

Single-person households are very common, with 33% of people living alone. There is also a much higher proportion of one-parent families (18.5%) than in most other areas.

Home ownership is relatively strong, with 36.2% of homes owned outright. While separate houses are the most common type, the area has a higher rental rate (33.7%) than the national figure.

Cars are essential for most, as only 0.5% of people commute by public transport. While there are many bus stops, it takes much longer to walk to the nearest one than in most other areas.

The community is quite mobile, with 49% of people having moved in the last five years, which is well above the national average. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 10.3% of the population.

Fewer adults are working or looking for work (49.9%) compared to the state. Health care and social assistance is the biggest employer, accounting for 23.8% of jobs.

The area has a high number of businesses but scores lower than most areas for overall advantage and access to resources. Population growth since 2021 has been much higher than the state average.

The region is very wet, with average annual rainfall of 1,424mm, which is far above the New South Wales average.

The area is somewhat walkable, and almost everyone lives within a 15-minute walk of a park. However, access to groceries and health services on foot is far below the state average.