Narrandera

The area is noticeably older than the state and national figures, with 23.2% of people aged 65 and over. This senior population is well above the national average, while the total population shrank by 3.5% since 2011.

Most residents were born in Australia, and only 5.5% were born overseas, which is far below the national figure. English and Irish ancestry are the most common backgrounds after Australian.

English is the primary language for 86.4% of the community. Only 3.5% of people use another language at home, a figure far below the national average.

Many people identify as Christians (57.7%), though the number of people with no religion rose 16 points since 2011 to reach 29.8%, which is still well below the national figure.

Educational attainment is much lower than most areas, with only 32.2% of residents completing Year 12. This is far below the national figure, and only 10.6% hold a bachelor degree or higher.

Typical household incomes are much lower than the national figure, with the usual weekly income sitting at $1,184. Only 10.1% of households earn $3,000 or more a week, which is far below the state average.

Health challenges are more common here, as 33% of people have a long-term health condition. This is well above the national figure, and 7.7% of residents need help with daily activities.

Community spirit is strong, with 20.9% of people volunteering, which is well above the national figure. About 13.2% of residents also provide unpaid care.

First Nations people make up a significant part of the community, but they face tougher conditions with an unemployment rate of 19.5%, which is well above the national figure.

Homes tend to be smaller in occupancy with 2.3 people per house, but one-parent families are much more common here than in most areas, at 18.9%.

Housing is dominated by separate houses (94.2%), and 41.6% of people own their home outright. This is far above the national figure, while typical weekly rents are very low at $200.

Public transport is rarely used, with only 0.2% of people commuting by it. Most residents rely on cars, and 66% of workers drive to their jobs.

The area is relatively stable, as 30.1% of people moved in the last five years, which is far below the national average. However, there has been a rise in recent arrivals from overseas.

Agriculture, forestry and fishing is the biggest employer at 17.9%. While full-time employment is higher than the national average, the overall percentage of adults working or looking for work is much lower.

The area ranks low for overall advantage, scoring 2 out of 10. This reflects a combination of low job skills and limited access to money and resources.

The climate is relatively dry with an average annual rainfall of 548mm, which is about the same as the New South Wales average.

The town is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score far below the state average. Fewer than half of homes are within a 15-minute walk of a 'city' set of amenities.