Chidlow

The population is slightly older than the national typical age of 38, and children under 15 make up only 9.8% of the community, which is well below the national figure. First Nations people represent a significant part of the population, rising to 13.7% since 2011.

Most residents were born in Australia, and those born overseas make up 21.3% of the population, which is well below the national figure. English and Australian ancestries are the most common.

English is the dominant language here, with only 2.2% of people using another language at home, a figure far below the national average of 22.3%. Very few people speak little or no English.

About 34.0% of residents report having no religion, which is well below the national figure of 38.9%. Other religious affiliations are very low.

Educational attainment is lower than in most areas, with only 32.7% of residents completing Year 12, far below the national figure of 58.8%. However, the number of people with a bachelor degree or higher rose to 9.5% since 2011.

Typical weekly household incomes are $1,959, which is a little above the national figure of $1,746. Since 2011, typical household incomes have risen by $619.

Residents report fewer long-term health conditions than most areas, with only 17.0% affected, far below the national figure of 27.7%. Similarly, only 2.6% of people need help with daily activities.

Community participation in unpaid work is low, with only 9.4% of people volunteering, which is well below the national figure of 14.1%. Unpaid care for children and housework are also much lower than usual.

The First Nations community is larger than in most similar areas, and while the typical personal income is well below the national figure, the unemployment rate is remarkably low at 0.0%.

Homes here are larger than typical, with 2.6 people per home. Most families consist of couples with children (57.2%) or couples without children (30.3%).

Housing is almost exclusively detached houses (99.5%), and 87.7% of homes have three or more bedrooms, which is far above the national figure. Renting is very uncommon, with only 9.5% of households renting.

The area is heavily reliant on cars, as 99.5% of homes have at least one motor vehicle. Only 1.3% of people use public transport to get to work, and the drive time to the city is 43 minutes.

The community is very stable, with only 16.5% of people moving in the last five years, far below the national figure of 40.7%. Recent overseas arrivals are also very rare at 1.6%.

Only 36.1% of adults are working or looking for work, which is far below the national figure of 61.1%. The most common industries for those employed are mining, health care, and construction.

The area scores high for access to money and resources but lower for education and job skills. Population growth since 2021 has been strong at 16.2%, well above the state figure.

The climate is characterised by an average maximum temperature of 24.8 degrees and annual rainfall of 689mm, which is far above the state average.

The area is highly car-dependent with a very low walkability score of 1.4. Almost no homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries, and only 13.5% are near a park.