Tamworth - North

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 10.6% of the population, which is well above the national figure of 3.2%. The community is also quite young and old at the same time, with 20.1% of residents under 15 and 21.1% aged 65 and over.

Most residents were born in Australia (81.4%), and the area has far fewer overseas-born residents than the state average. However, this has changed recently, with the proportion of people born overseas rising to 12.1% since 2011.

English is the main language for 83.9% of the community. The proportion of people using another language at home has risen to 9.3%, though this remains far below the national figure of 22.3%.

Over half the population (56.5%) identifies as Christian. Those with no religion make up 30.5% of the area, a figure that is well below the national average of 38.9% but has risen significantly since 2011.

The area has a high number of schools and enrolments, though only 48% of residents finished Year 12, which is far below the national figure. Higher education is increasing, with 21.6% of adults now holding a bachelor degree or higher.

Typical weekly household income is $1,513, which is a little below the national figure. While typical personal income is $826, only 15.9% of households earn $3,000 or more a week, which is lower than most similar areas.

Health challenges are more common here than in most areas, with 32.4% of people living with a long-term health condition. This includes a high rate of mental health conditions at 10.8%.

Residents are more active in volunteering than in most other areas, with 16% providing their time. About 12.5% of the community also provide unpaid care for others.

Home to 1,745 First Nations people, the area has a typical median age of 22, which is younger than the state and national averages. Year 12 completion is 31.6%, well below the national figure of 37%.

The community has a high number of people living alone (32.9%) and a much higher rate of one-parent families (17.2%) compared to the rest of the country.

Separate houses are very common, making up 79% of homes. Renting is much more frequent here than in most areas at 38.4%, though typical weekly rents of $320 are well below the state average.

Cars are the primary way to get around, and public transport is rarely used for commuting. While the area has many bus stops, only 12.1% of people work from home, which is far below the state average.

The area is seeing significant movement, with 46.8% of residents having moved in the last five years. This is driven partly by recent overseas arrivals, who now make up 32.7% of the population.

Employment is strong, with 64% of people working full-time, which is well above the national average. Many residents work in health care and social assistance, which employs 22.4% of the workforce.

The area has a large number of businesses, totaling 1,707. However, its overall advantage score is 966, which is lower than the national average.

The climate is characterised by an average maximum temperature of 25 degrees. Annual rainfall is 756mm, which is well above the New South Wales average of 515mm.

The area is somewhat walkable, but many residents lack easy access to essentials; only 52.4% can reach groceries within a 15-minute walk, which is far below the state average.