Newcastle

The area has a higher proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people than most similar areas, at 4.6%. People in de facto relationships are much more common here than across the state, and the population is a little younger than the national figure.

People born overseas make up 14.6% of the population, which is far below the New South Wales figure of 29.3%. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, with 40.8% and 38.0% respectively.

English is the main language for 85.1% of residents. The proportion of people using another language at home is far below the state and national averages, though it has risen by 2.1 percentage points since 2011.

A large number of residents report having no religion, at 45.1%, which is well above the national figure. This is a significant shift for the area, as the figure rose by 23 percentage points since 2011.

Newcastle is well-qualified, with 27.7% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. The number of people who completed Year 12 rose by 11 percentage points since 2011, and the area has a higher number of schools per 1,000 children than most similar areas.

Typical personal weekly income is $843, which is higher than most similar areas. Higher earners are more common here, with 22.7% of households earning $3,000 or more a week, a figure that rose by 14 percentage points since 2011.

Long-term health conditions are much more common here than in most areas, affecting 32.4% of people. This includes mental health conditions, which affect 12.4% of the population, among the highest rates for its level.

Volunteering is lower than in most similar areas at 13.9%. Around 12.2% of the community provides unpaid care, while 3.6% of residents have served in the Defence Force, a higher rate than the state average.

The First Nations community is among the largest at this level, with 8,182 people. Typical personal income and Year 12 completion rates for First Nations people are higher than the national figures.

Living alone is more common here than in most areas, with 29.3% of people in one-person households. One-parent families also make up a slightly higher share of the community than the state average.

Renting is much more common here than in most areas, at 35.9%. Homes with three or more bedrooms are less common than the national figure, and the typical weekly rent of $400 is higher than in most similar areas.

Working from home is much more common than in most areas, at 23.3%. While the area has a very high number of public transport stops and departures, only 1.2% of people use public transport to commute to work.

The area is quite mobile, with 43.3% of people moving house in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 18.9% of the population, which is well above the national average.

Adults working or looking for work are more common here than in most areas, at 63.3%. The biggest employers are in health care and social assistance, which employ 20.4% of the workforce.

The population has grown by 5.9% since 2021, which is about the same as the New South Wales average of 6.1%.

The area is much wetter than the state average, with annual rainfall of 1,081mm. Minimum temperatures are also well above the New South Wales figure.

Newcastle is very walkable, with a score of 7.3. This is reflected in the fact that 97.2% of homes are within a 10-minute walk of public transport, far above the state average.