Old Bar - Manning Point - Red Head

This is a far older community than the national average, with a typical resident aged 53 and 32.1% of people aged 65 or over. The population has become older since 2011, while the proportion of children under 15 has fallen to 16.0%.

Most residents were born in Australia, and the area has a much lower proportion of overseas-born people (11.3%) than the New South Wales average. English, Australian, Irish and Scottish are the most common ancestries.

English is the primary language here, with 91.0% of people using it only. The proportion of people using another language at home is 3.3%, which is far below the national figure.

Over half of the population identifies as Christian, though the number of people with no religion rose 19 points since 2011 to reach 38.6%.

The area has lower levels of formal qualifications than most, with only 17.3% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Year 12 completion rose to 40.5% since 2011, though this remains far below the state average.

Typical incomes are much lower than the national figure, with the usual weekly household income sitting at $1,243. Only 11.5% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, which is far below the state average.

Health challenges are more common here than in most areas; 37.0% of people have a long-term health condition, and 7.4% need help with daily activities. Arthritis and asthma are the most frequent long-term conditions reported.

Residents are more likely to volunteer (17.8%) and provide unpaid care (14.5%) than those in most other areas. The proportion of people doing 15 or more hours of unpaid housework is also well above the national average.

First Nations people make up 5.6% of the population, a little above the national average. This group is notably younger than the general community, with a typical age of 21.

Homes are generally smaller, with 2.3 people per household, which is a little below the state average. About 26.1% of people live alone, and 41.7% of families are couples without children.

The area is dominated by detached houses (86.9%), and 48.2% of homes are owned outright, which is far above the national figure. Renting is much less common here, with only 18.9% of households renting.

Car dependence is very high, with 66.7% of workers commuting by car and only 0.4% using public transport. Very few homes (2.3%) lack a motor vehicle.

The area has seen a fair amount of movement, with 41.3% of people moving house in the last five years. However, recent arrivals from overseas are among the lowest for this level at 3.6%.

Fewer adults are working or looking for work (47.5%) compared to the state average, and full-time employment is also well below the national figure. Health care, education and construction are the main industries.

The region has a moderate level of advantage, ranking around the middle for education and job skills. Since 2021, the population has grown by 8.2%, which is a little above the state average.

The area is very wet, with an average annual rainfall of 1,382mm, which is far above the New South Wales average of 515mm.

The region is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 3.0. Very few residents can walk to health services, and only 35.4% are within a 15-minute walk of groceries.