Lithgow - Mudgee

The typical resident is 44, which is noticeably older than the national figure of 38. Seniors aged 65 and over make up 22.6% of the population, a figure well above the national average. First Nations people represent 7.3% of the community, which is much higher than in most other similar areas.

This is a community with very few overseas-born residents, at just 8.9%, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%. Those with Australian or English ancestry make up the vast majority of the population.

Only 3.7% of people use a language other than English at home, a figure far below the New South Wales average of 26.6%. Consequently, very few people here speak little or no English.

More than half the population identifies as Christian, while those with no religion make up 34.8%. This last group has seen a large increase, rising 19 percentage points since 2011.

Educational qualifications are much lower than in most areas, with only 12.5% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. While Year 12 completion has risen to 37.2% since 2011, this remains far below the national figure of 58.8%.

Typical incomes are much lower than the national figures, with the typical household earning $1,332 a week. Only 15.6% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, which is well below the state average.

Long-term health conditions are much more common here than in most areas, affecting 33.1% of residents. This is well above the national figure of 27.7%, and 6.7% of people need help with daily activities.

Volunteering is slightly more common than the national average at 15.6%. A higher than usual proportion of people also spend 15 or more hours a week on unpaid housework.

There are 3,487 First Nations people in the area, which is a larger count than in about 81% of similar regions. Year 12 completion among this group is 27.6%, which is well below the national average.

People are more likely to live alone here than in most other areas, with 31% of households consisting of one person. One-parent families are also slightly more common than the national average.

The area is dominated by detached houses, which make up 90.8% of dwellings. Home ownership is very high, with 40.5% of homes owned outright, far above the national figure of 31%.

Almost no one uses public transport to commute, and 63.8% of workers drive to their jobs. While there are many public transport stops, they are often very far from where people live.

The population is relatively stable, with 35.3% of people moving in the last five years, which is well below the national figure of 40.7%. Recent arrivals from overseas are also much lower than in most other areas.

The local workforce is smaller than in most similar areas, with 54.2% of adults working or looking for work. Mining is a major employer, accounting for 12.3% of jobs.

Since 2021, the population has grown by 1.2%, which is much lower than the New South Wales growth rate of 6.1%.

The area is cooler than the state average, with a typical minimum temperature of 7.4 degrees. Rainfall is also well above the New South Wales average.

Most residents are car-dependent, with a walkability score far below the state average. Only 40.5% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries, and only 27.3% are near health services.