Kempsey - Nambucca

The population is far older than the national figure, with 27.8% of residents aged 65 and over. A significant 10.9% of people identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, a figure that has risen since 2011 and is well above the state average.

The community is predominantly Australian-born, with 82.4% born here. Only 8.7% of residents were born overseas, which is far below the national average.

English is the primary language for the vast majority, and only 3.0% of people use another language at home. This is among the lowest levels found in similar areas.

Nearly half of residents identify as Christian, while 39.2% report no religion. The proportion of people with no religion has risen sharply by 20 percentage points since 2011.

Educational attainment is much lower than the state average, with only 11.3% of adults holding a bachelor degree. Year 12 completion is also far below the national figure at 33.5%.

Incomes are among the lowest for this level, with a typical family earning $1,331 a week. Only 8.1% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly, which is far below the state figure.

Health challenges are common here, as 36.9% of people have a long-term health condition. This includes 11.4% with a mental health condition, which is well above the national average.

Unpaid care is a notable part of local life, with 14.5% of people providing unpaid care. The area also has a higher proportion of Defence Force veterans than most other areas.

The First Nations community is large, numbering 5,599 people. However, this group faces significant disadvantage, with an unemployment rate of 17.6% and a typical personal income well below the national average.

Single-person households are common, with 30.7% of people living alone. One-parent families make up 20.4% of the community, which is well above the state average.

The housing market is dominated by separate houses, and 46.6% of homes are owned outright. Typical weekly rents of $300 are well below the national figure.

Car dependence is very high, with 65.1% of people driving to work and only 0.3% using public transport. Only 10.7% of the workforce works from home.

The population is relatively stable, as only 33.8% of people moved in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals are also much less common here than in other areas.

The local job market is struggling, with an unemployment rate of 7.0% and only 44.6% of adults working or looking for work. Health care and social assistance are the main employers.

Population growth has been slower than the state average, with an estimated increase of 3.8% since 2021.

The region is very wet, with an average annual rainfall of 1,259mm, which is far above the New South Wales average.

The area is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 3.7. Most homes are far from essential services, with only 46.4% within a 15-minute walk of groceries.