Wagga Wagga

The area has a much higher proportion of First Nations people than most similar regions, at 6.5%. While the typical resident is 38, the community is seeing an increase in seniors, with those aged 65 and over rising to 19.3% since 2011.

Wagga Wagga is far less diverse than the state average, with only 9.8% of people born overseas. Most residents claim Australian or English ancestry, though the proportion of people born abroad has risen slightly since 2011.

English is the primary language for 86.1% of the community, which is far above the national figure. The number of people using another language at home has risen to 7.1%, but those who speak little or no English remain few at 1.3%.

Christianity remains the most common affiliation at 59.0%. The number of people reporting no religion has risen sharply by 16 percentage points since 2011, though at 29.6% it is still well below the national figure.

Year 12 completion is far below the national average at 44.3%, though this has improved since 2011. The area is well-served by schools, with a much higher number of institutions per child than most similar areas.

Typical weekly household income is $1,486, which is a little below the national figure. While the number of high-earners is lower than in most areas, typical incomes have risen since 2011.

Residents report more long-term health conditions than most areas, including asthma and arthritis. About 32.1% of the population lives with a long-term health issue, and 6.3% need help with daily activities.

Volunteerism is much higher here than in most areas, with 18.0% of people helping out. There is also a stronger presence of Defence Force veterans than is typical for similar regions.

The community includes 6,405 First Nations people, one of the largest populations at this level. This group is younger than the state average, with a typical age of 22.

Families are often larger here, with 55.2% of homes consisting of couples with children. At the same time, more people live alone compared to the state average, at 28.4%.

Detached houses are far more common here than nationally, making up 88.1% of homes. Most are large, with 80.1% having three or more bedrooms, and typical rents are much lower than the state average.

Cars are essential for the 67.5% of people who drive to work, as very few people use public transport. It is a car-dependent area where 37.7% of homes have two vehicles.

The area has seen a significant influx of new arrivals from overseas, which is far above the national average. About 39.6% of the population has moved house in the last five years.

Full-time employment is much higher than the national figure at 62.4%, and the unemployment rate is quite low at 3.9%. Most people work in health, education, or retail.

The population is growing, though at a rate of 1.8% which is well below the state average.

The local climate is slightly cooler than the state average, with a typical maximum temperature of 22.7 degrees and annual rainfall of 614mm.

Many residents live far from essential services, as only 42.7% can walk to groceries within 15 minutes. This makes the area far less walkable than the state average.