Mittagong

The area is older than most, with 24.3% of people aged 65 and over, a figure well above the national average. While the total population grew 35% since 2011, the proportion of children under 15 fell slightly to 17.7%.

Most residents were born in Australia, though the share of people born overseas rose to 20.2% since 2011. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, making up 42.3% and 37.1% respectively.

English is the main language for 85.1% of the community, and those who speak little or no English are well below the national figure at just 1.0%. However, the use of other languages at home rose to 10.5% over the last decade.

Christianity remains the most common faith at 49.9%, while 37.1% of residents now report having no religion. This last group saw a significant increase of 18 points since 2011.

Higher education is common here, with 25.7% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher, a figure that rose 9.4 points since 2011. There are 6 schools in the area, which is more than most similar places.

Typical weekly household income is $1,637, which is about the same as the national figure. The number of households earning $3,000 or more a week rose by 15 points since 2011 to reach 21.3%.

Long-term health conditions are much more common here than in most areas, affecting 32.2% of residents. Arthritis and mental health are the most reported conditions.

Volunteering is more common than in most areas, with 16.1% of people pitching in, though this is 5.4 points lower than in 2011. Unpaid housework is also well above the national figure.

First Nations people make up 2.4% of the population. This group has an unemployment rate of 7.7%, which is well below the national average of 12.3%.

Families with children make up 55% of households, and the typical home holds 2.5 people. About 26.9% of people live alone.

Detached houses are the norm for 90% of residents, and 81.7% of homes have three or more bedrooms. Ownership is high, with 39.2% of homes owned outright, well above the national figure.

Cars are essential, as only 0.7% of people commute via public transport and the drive to the city takes 83 minutes. However, working from home is more common here than in most areas at 21.3%.

The area is seeing high movement, with 48.4% of people having moved house in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals also rose to 11.3% since 2011.

Unemployment is very low at 3.3%, much lower than most similar areas. The biggest employers are in health care and social assistance, followed by construction and education.

The area is generally advantaged, scoring a 6 out of 10 for overall advantage, which is higher than about 60% of similar areas.

The climate is cool and wet, with average annual rainfall of 1,128mm and average maximum temperatures that are lower than the state average.

The area is only somewhat walkable, with many residents living far from essential services. For example, only 35.7% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of health services, far below the state average.