Broken Hill and Far West

The community is noticeably older than the state and national averages, with a significant rise in residents aged 65 and over since 2011. First Nations people make up 12.1% of the population, a figure well above the national average.

The area is very homogenous, with only 5% of people born overseas, which is far below the national figure. Most residents claim Australian or English ancestry.

English is the primary language for 87.2% of the community. Very few people speak another language at home, and only 0.4% speak little or no English, which is much lower than most other areas.

A large proportion of the community reports no religion at 47.9%, a figure well above the national average. This has seen a sharp increase of 22 percentage points since 2011.

Educational attainment is among the lowest at this level, with only 10.3% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Year 12 completion is also far below the state average at 28.9%.

Incomes are well below the national figure, with a typical weekly household earning $1,166. Only 12.1% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, though this has risen since 2011.

Health challenges are common here, as 36.6% of people have a long-term health condition, which is well above the national figure. This includes a high rate of mental health conditions at 11.2%.

Unpaid care for children is much lower than in most areas, while 14% of the population volunteers. The number of volunteers has fallen by 4.5 percentage points since 2011.

First Nations residents face significant disadvantage, with a typical weekly personal income of $505 and Year 12 completion rates far below the national average at 21%.

Living arrangements are unusual, with a very high number of people living alone (37%) and one-parent families (23.2%) well above the state average.

Housing is dominated by detached houses, with 93.3% of homes being separate dwellings. Rent and mortgage payments are among the lowest in the country, and 42% of homes are owned outright.

The area is heavily dependent on cars, as only 0.2% of people commute by public transport. Very few people work from home at 6.9%, far below the national figure.

The population is relatively stable, with only 28% of people moving in the last five years. However, there has been a recent increase in arrivals from overseas.

Full-time employment is well above the national average at 62.9%, though the overall rate of people working or looking for work is much lower than most areas.

The population is among the smallest at this level and has shrunk by 0.9% since 2021, contrasting with the growth seen across New South Wales.

The region is very dry and hot, with average annual rainfall far below the state average and maximum temperatures that are much higher than most areas.

Many residents enjoy good walkability, with 83.2% of homes within a 15-minute walk of various amenities, including groceries and health services.