Griffith - Murrumbidgee (West)

The population is 49,559 and has grown 6.4% since 2011. First Nations people make up 7.0% of the community, which is well above the national figure of 3.2%. Children under 15 also make up a larger share of the population than usual at 19.8%.

Most residents were born in Australia (74.7%), and the area has far fewer overseas-born residents than the state average. However, there is a notable Italian influence, with 16.1% of people claiming Italian ancestry.

English is the main language for 75.4% of people, though the number of people using another language at home rose to 16.1% since 2011. This is still well below the national figure of 22.3%.

Faith remains common here, with 60.5% identifying as Christian. The proportion of people with no religion is 22.3%, which is far below the national figure of 38.9%.

Education levels are much lower than most similar areas, with only 12.4% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Year 12 completion is also far below the national average at 38.5%, though this rose 9.0 points since 2011.

The typical family earns $1,896 a week, which is a little below the national figure. While typical incomes have risen since 2011, only 6.7% of people earn $2,000 or more per week, a figure well below the national average.

Health outcomes are around the middle for similar areas, with 28.6% of people living with a long-term health condition. Mental health conditions are reported by 7.8% of residents, which is about the same as the state average.

Volunteer rates are a little above the national average at 15.5%, though this fell 5.3 points since 2011. Unpaid care for children is common, with 25.8% of people providing this support.

First Nations people in the area are typically younger, with a median age of 22. However, they face challenges, as the unemployment rate is a little above the national average and Year 12 completion is far below at 24.1%.

Homes here are larger than usual, with 2.6 people per household. This is consistent with the fact that 56.6% of households are couples with children.

The area is dominated by separate houses (87.1%) and large homes, with 80.1% having three or more bedrooms. Rent is much lower than most areas, with a typical weekly cost of $250.

The community is heavily reliant on cars, with 70.2% of people driving to work and only 0.3% using public transport. Working from home is very uncommon here, at just 7.3%.

The area has seen a surge in recent overseas arrivals, with 29.5% of the population arriving in the last five years. This is far above the national figure of 14.5%.

Employment is strong, with a full-time work rate of 65.2% and an unemployment rate of 3.4%, which is lower than most areas. Much of the work is in manufacturing (16.0%) and agriculture (15.8%).

Population growth since 2021 has been very low at 0.6%, which is well below the New South Wales average of 6.1%.

The region is quite dry, with an average annual rainfall of 466mm, which is a little below the state average. Summer maximums are typically around 25.0 degrees.

The area is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 3.9. Many residents live far from essentials, as only 41.5% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries.