Southern Highlands

The area is far older than the national average, with the typical resident being 53. This is reflected in the high proportion of seniors, who make up 30.8% of the population, while children under 15 are well below the national figure at 14.8%.

Most residents were born in Australia, and the area is far below the state average for overseas-born people at 17.7%. English, Australian, and Scottish are the most common ancestries.

English is the primary language for nearly 90% of the community. The proportion of people using another language at home is much lower than most areas and far below the national figure.

More than half the population identifies as Christian, while 38.6% report no religion. This last group has grown by 17 points since 2011, which is well above the state average.

Residents are well qualified, with 28% holding a bachelor degree or higher. This is slightly above the national figure, and the number of people who completed Year 12 rose nearly 10 points since 2011.

Typical weekly household income is $1,574, which is a little below the national figure. However, a higher than usual proportion of people earn $2,000 or more per week.

Long-term health conditions are much more common here than in most areas, affecting 32.4% of people. Arthritis and asthma are the most frequently reported conditions.

Volunteering is much more common here than in most areas, with 21.6% of people pitching in. A high number of residents also spend 15 or more hours a week on unpaid housework.

First Nations residents in this area have a much higher typical household income of $2,312 and a much lower unemployment rate of 5.0% compared to national figures.

Families with children make up 48.5% of households, while 25% of people live alone. One-parent families are much less common here than in most other areas.

Housing is dominated by large detached homes, with 98% of dwellings being separate houses. Over half of all homes are owned outright, far above the national figure of 31%.

The area is heavily car-dependent, with 98.2% of homes owning a vehicle. Working from home is much more common here than across Australia, at 26.7%.

Around 37% of residents moved house in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas are much less common here than in other parts of the state.

The unemployment rate is among the lowest at this level at 2.4%. However, the proportion of adults working or looking for work is much lower than the national average.

The community has very high access to money and resources, ranking higher than about 90% of similar areas. Its overall advantage score is also above the national average.

The local climate is cooler than the state average, with a typical maximum temperature of 20.5 degrees. Rainfall is well above the New South Wales average.

The area is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score far below the state average. Only 30.5% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of basic amenities.