Bowral

Bowral is far older than most of Australia, with 38.8% of people aged 65 and over. This senior population has risen nearly 10 points since 2011, while the proportion of children under 15 has fallen to 14.2%, which is well below the state average.

Most residents were born in Australia, though 21.3% were born overseas, a figure that has risen since 2011. English is the most common ancestry at 46.2%, followed by Australian and Irish.

English is the dominant language, with 88% of people using only English at home. Only 6.9% use another language, which is far below the national figure.

Over half the community is Christian, while 33.7% of people report having no religion. This last group has grown significantly, rising 15 points since 2011.

The area is well-qualified, with 31.4% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher, which is well above the national figure. This high level of education is reflected in the local schools, which have a much higher advantage score than most areas.

Household incomes are generally high; nearly a quarter of households earn $3,000 or more a week. People earning $2,000 or more weekly are more common here than in most other areas.

Long-term health conditions are much more common than in other areas, affecting 34.4% of people. Arthritis is the most frequent condition, and 6.4% of residents need help with daily activities.

Volunteerism is very high at 20.2%, well above the state average. A higher-than-usual 4.4% of the population has served in the Defence Force.

First Nations people make up 1.0% of the population. Those in this community have a much higher Year 12 completion rate at 59.3% compared to the national figure of 37.0%.

Homes tend to be smaller, with 2.3 people per household, and nearly 30% of people live alone. This is higher than in most other areas.

Home ownership is very strong, with 53.1% of homes owned outright. Most properties are separate houses with three or more bedrooms, though typical rents and mortgage payments are much higher than the national average.

The town is car-dependent, with very few people using public transport to commute. However, 31.2% of the workforce now works from home, a huge increase from 2011.

The community is relatively mobile, with 41.2% of people moving in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals make up 7.2% of the population, which is well below the state average.

While unemployment is very low at 2.8%, the proportion of adults working or looking for work is far below the national figure, likely due to the high number of retirees. Many of those employed work in health, professional services, or education.

Bowral is a highly advantaged area, ranking in the top 10% for access to money and resources. It has a large number of businesses for its size, with 1,884 in total.

The local climate is cooler and wetter than the state average, with annual rainfall of 989mm and a typical maximum temperature of 19.7 degrees.

The area is somewhat walkable, as nearly 89% of homes are within a 10-minute walk of public transport. However, it is much harder to reach groceries or health services on foot compared to the state average.