Inverell - Tenterfield

The community is significantly older than the national average, with 26.7% of people aged 65 and over. First Nations people make up 9.1% of the population, which is well above the state and national figures and has risen since 2011.

The area has a very strong traditional Australian and British heritage, with 82.5% of residents born in Australia. Only 7.1% were born overseas, a figure far below the national average.

English is the dominant language, with 87.4% of people using it only at home. Very few people speak little or no English, at just 0.4%, which is much lower than most of Australia.

Christianity remains the most common faith at 57.1%. The proportion of people reporting no religion is 29.9%, which is well below the national figure but has risen by 16 points since 2011.

Educational attainment is much lower than in most areas, with only 10.5% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Year 12 completion is also far below the state average at 34.2%.

Incomes are among the lowest at this level, with a typical household earning $1,020 a week, which is far below the national figure of $1,746. Only 8% of households earn $3,000 or more per week.

Residents experience more health challenges than most, with 34.2% reporting a long-term health condition. This is well above the national average, and 7.7% of people need help with daily activities.

Community spirit is evident in volunteering, which is much higher than most areas at 19%. Unpaid care for others is also more common here than in the rest of the state.

First Nations people face significant disadvantages, with an unemployment rate of 17.8% and typical personal incomes well below the national figure. Year 12 completion for this group is also far below the Australian average.

The area has a high proportion of people living alone (32.1%) and more one-parent families than most areas. Typical households are smaller, with 2.3 people per home.

Housing is dominated by separate houses (92.6%) and high levels of outright ownership at 45.2%. Rents are much lower than most areas, with a typical weekly rent of $240.

The region is heavily car-dependent, with 60.8% of people driving to work and only 0.3% using public transport. Very few homes are within a 10-minute walk of a transport stop.

The population is relatively stable, with fewer people moving in the last five years compared to the state average. However, recent overseas arrivals have risen slightly to 14.8%.

Agriculture, forestry and fishing is a major employer at 18.1%. The rate of adults working or looking for work is much lower than most areas, and unemployment is slightly higher than the national figure.

Population growth has been slow, with a 2.3% increase since 2021, which is well below the New South Wales average of 6.1%.

The area receives 722mm of annual rainfall, which is well above the state average. Summer temperatures are typical for the region, though minimum temperatures are much lower than most areas.

Most of the area is car-dependent, with a walkability score of 3.3. Only 35.4% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries, far below the state average.