Snowy Mountains

The community is older than most, with a typical resident aged 43 and 20.0% of people aged 65 or over. While the number of children has fallen since 2011, the population grew by 9.4% to reach 20,717 people.

Most residents were born in Australia, and the area has a much lower proportion of overseas-born people (13.8%) compared to the rest of the state. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, each reported by 39.8% of people.

English is the dominant language, with only 6.3% of people using another tongue at home, a figure far below the national average. Only 0.7% of residents speak little or no English.

A large number of residents report no religion (41.9%), which is well above the national figure. This reflects a significant trend, as this group rose by 21 percentage points since 2011.

While 50.2% of residents completed Year 12, this is well below the state average. There is a strong presence of professional qualifications in engineering and management, and the area has a very high number of schools per 1,000 children.

Typical weekly personal income is $825, which is about the same as the national figure. Typical household income is $1,562, and the proportion of households earning over $3,000 a week has risen sharply since 2011.

A little more than the national average (29.3%) of residents live with a long-term health condition, with arthritis being the most common. However, only 5.0% of people need help with daily activities.

Volunteering is very common here, with 20.7% of people helping out, well above the national figure. There is also a higher rate of former Defence Force members (3.6%) than in most other areas.

First Nations residents are generally older than those in the rest of the country, with a typical age of 27. They also have a much higher typical personal income ($738) and a very low unemployment rate of 5.7%.

Many people live alone (30.2%), and homes are generally smaller than average with 2.3 people per dwelling. This is consistent with the higher number of seniors living in the area.

The area is dominated by detached houses (86.4%), and home ownership is very high, with 40.5% of homes owned outright. Both typical rents ($300) and mortgage payments ($1,408) are well below the state average.

Cars are essential, as only 0.5% of people use public transport to commute and very few homes have no vehicle. Public transport options are limited, with only seven routes serving the region.

The area has seen a significant increase in recent overseas arrivals, who now make up 17.3% of the population. About 37.9% of residents moved to the area in the last five years.

The local workforce is very strong, with a low unemployment rate of 2.8% and more people working or looking for work than in most similar areas. Many people work in accommodation, food, and construction.

Recent population growth has been slow, rising by 3.1%, which is well below the New South Wales rate of 6.1%.

The region is much colder than the state average, with typical minimum temperatures of just 4.3 degrees. It also receives less rainfall than most other areas.

The landscape is steep and car-dependent, with a walkability score of 3.6. Most homes are far from groceries, health services, and schools, though many are within a 15-minute walk of a park.