Shoalhaven

Seniors make up 28.1% of the population, a figure far above the national average. This contributes to the typical age being 48, which is 10 years older than the Australian figure.

The area is predominantly Australian-born, with 80.0% born here and only 13.5% born overseas, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%. English and Australian are the most common ancestries.

English is the primary language for 88.4% of the community. Only 4.9% of people use another language at home, which is much lower than in most other Australian areas.

About 41.6% of residents report no religion, a figure that has risen by 22 points since 2011. Christianity remains the most common affiliation at 48.0%.

Education levels are lower than in most areas, with only 40.6% of residents completing Year 12 and 15.8% holding a bachelor degree or higher.

Incomes are well below the national figures, with the typical household earning $1,248 a week. Only 12.1% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly, which is much lower than most areas.

Health challenges are more common here than elsewhere, with 36.7% of people living with a long-term health condition and 8.1% needing help with daily activities.

Unpaid care is common, as 13.5% of people provide unpaid care, which is higher than the national average. There is also a strong connection to the Defence Force, with 6.3% of residents having served.

The First Nations community is significant here, with 7,060 people. However, typical personal income for this group is $545, which is lower than in most other areas.

Homes are generally smaller, with 2.3 people per dwelling. This is partly because 28.5% of people live alone, a rate higher than the national average.

Housing is dominated by detached homes, which make up 87.2% of dwellings. Home ownership is very high, with 44.6% of homes owned outright.

The area is heavily reliant on cars, with 63.8% of people driving to work and only 0.2% using public transport. Very few homes, just 4.4%, have no motor vehicle.

Movement is steady, with 37.7% of people having moved in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas are few, at 6.9%, which is well below the national average.

Fewer adults are working or looking for work compared to most areas, at 48.8%. The most common industry is health care and social assistance.

Population growth since 2021 has been 2.8%, which is well below the New South Wales figure of 6.1%.

The region is wetter than most of the state, with average annual rainfall of 1,130mm, which is far above the New South Wales average of 515mm.

The area is only somewhat walkable, with a score of 4.2. This is reflected in the fact that only 40.8% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries.