Ballina Surrounds

The typical resident is 46, making the area far older than the national average. Seniors aged 65 and over make up 23.7% of the population, a figure that rose 4.3 percentage points since 2011.

This is a community with strong ties to Australia and England, with 82.9% of people born in Australia. Only 12.0% were born overseas, which is far below the national figure.

English is the primary language for 91.0% of residents. Only 4.3% use another language at home, a rate far below that of New South Wales.

A large proportion of the community reports no religion, at 43.1%. This figure has risen significantly, climbing 21 percentage points since 2011.

While 50.1% of residents completed Year 12, this is well below the state average. However, the number of adults with a bachelor degree or higher rose 5.3 percentage points since 2011 to 22.9%.

Typical weekly household income is $1,565, which is a little below the national figure. This is an improvement from 2011, when the typical household earned $1,002.

About 31.3% of people have a long-term health condition, which is well above the national average. Mental health and arthritis are the most common reported conditions.

Volunteering is much more common here than in most similar areas, with 18.9% of people pitching in. Unpaid care is also frequent, with 14.2% of people providing support to others.

There are 726 First Nations people in the area. The typical adult is 25 years old, and 37.1% have completed Year 12.

Most households are couples, with 53.6% having children. About 23.0% of people live alone, which is slightly lower than the state average.

Housing is dominated by separate houses, which make up 86.5% of dwellings. A high 42.6% of homes are owned outright, far above the national figure of 31.0%.

The area is heavily car-dependent, with 59.0% of people driving to work and only 0.3% using public transport. Very few homes have no motor vehicle, at just 2.9%.

About 38.1% of residents moved in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 8.6% of the population, which is well below the national average.

The unemployment rate is 3.2%, which is much lower than most similar areas. Health care and social assistance is the most common industry, employing 17.6% of the workforce.

The area is home to 2,196 businesses and has an overall advantage score of 1,003, which is slightly above the national average.

The region is very wet, with average annual rainfall of 1,822mm, far above the New South Wales average. Minimum temperatures are also well above the state figure.

Most residents are car-dependent, with a low walkability score of 3.5. Only 33.7% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries, far below the state average.