Gunnedah Surrounds

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population is well above the national figure at 10.9%, a figure that has risen since 2011. Residents are slightly older than the national average, though there are more children under 15 here than in most similar areas.

The community is overwhelmingly Australian-born, with only 3.9% of people born overseas, which is far below the state and national figures. Most people identify as having Australian or English ancestry.

English is the primary language here, with only 1.4% of people using another language at home. This is far below the national figure, and very few residents speak little or no English.

Christianity is the most common religion at 58.1%. While the proportion of people with no religion has risen significantly since 2011, it remains well below the national figure.

Educational attainment is much lower than in most areas, with only 35.5% of people completing Year 12 and 11.5% holding a bachelor degree or higher. The area has a high number of primary schools per child.

Typical weekly household income is $1,585, which is a little below the national figure. However, more households are earning $3,000 or more a week now compared to 2011.

Long-term health conditions are a little more common here than across Australia, with 28.8% of people reporting one. Mental health conditions are less common than in most areas.

Volunteering is very common, with 19.8% of people volunteering, which is well above the national figure. Unpaid care for children and housework is also more frequent than in most areas.

The First Nations community is relatively large, with 478 people. This group has an unemployment rate of 4.2%, which is much lower than in most similar areas, though Year 12 completion is far below the national average.

Families tend to be larger than the national average, with 2.6 people per home. Over half of households are couples with children, and fewer people live alone compared to the national figure.

The area is dominated by detached houses, which make up 97.6% of dwellings. Renting is far less common than in the rest of the state, and typical weekly rents at $275 are much lower than the national figure.

Car ownership is very high, with only 1.6% of homes lacking a vehicle. Public transport use is low, consistent with the small number of available stops and routes.

The population is relatively stable, as far fewer people moved in the last five years compared to the national figure. Interestingly, recent arrivals from overseas have risen since 2011.

Full-time employment is very high at 67.3%, and the unemployment rate is much lower than in most similar areas. Many residents work in agriculture, forestry, fishing, or mining.

The area has a moderate level of access to money and resources, though its score for education and job skills is lower than about 70% of similar areas.

This is a warm region with an average maximum temperature of 26.7 degrees. Annual rainfall is 610mm, which is a little above the New South Wales average.

The area is mostly car-dependent, with very low walkability scores. Most homes are far from groceries, health services, and public transport.