Wingham

The area is much older than most, with seniors making up 25.6% of the population. A notable 7.3% of residents are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, a figure that has risen since 2011 and is well above the national average.

Wingham is overwhelmingly Australian and English in its ancestry, with 86.4% of people born in Australia. Only 6.6% were born overseas, which is far below the state and national figures.

English is the primary language for 91.0% of the community. Very few people use another language at home (2.3%), and only 0.2% speak little or no English, both of which are among the lowest rates in the region.

Over half of residents identify as Christian, though the number of people reporting no religion rose 22 points since 2011 to reach 38.8%.

Educational attainment is lower than the national average, with only 9.5% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Year 12 completion sits at 31.5%, which is far below the state figure of 58.9%.

Typical incomes are well below the national average, with the typical household earning $1,105 a week. Only 7.1% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, among the lowest rates for similar areas.

Health challenges are common here, as 38.6% of people live with a long-term health condition. Mental health conditions (13.7%) and arthritis (13.7%) are the most reported issues, and 8.4% of residents need help with daily activities.

Unpaid care is a significant part of local life, with 14.8% of people providing unpaid care. About 23.9% of residents spend 15 or more hours a week on unpaid housework, which is well above the national figure.

The First Nations community is notably younger than the general population, with a typical age of 20. While unemployment among this group is much lower than the national average at 5.6%, Year 12 completion is well below at 30.0%.

One-parent families are very common at 23.2%, well above the national average. Additionally, 30.8% of people live alone, which is much higher than in most other areas.

Housing is dominated by separate houses (92.0%), and a high 43.2% are owned outright. While typical weekly rents are lower than the state average at $306, the area has a very low density of people per bedroom (0.70).

Cars are essential, as 72.8% of workers drive to work and only 0.3% use public transport. Despite having many bus stops, most people live 16 minutes away from the nearest one.

The population is relatively stable, with 34.2% of people moving in the last five years, which is lower than the national figure. Recent arrivals from overseas are also very few at 6.1%.

Fewer adults are working or looking for work (48.3%) compared to the national average of 61.1%. The unemployment rate of 7.0% is a little above the national figure, though it has fallen since 2011.

The area ranks among the lowest for overall advantage and job skills. With only 274 businesses and a low access to resources score of 2, the economy faces significant challenges compared to other areas.

Wingham is a high-rainfall area, averaging 1,303mm annually, which is far above the New South Wales average of 515mm.

The area is only somewhat walkable, as 40.4% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries, far below the state average of 67.7%.