Hawkesbury

The typical resident is 41, which is noticeably older than the national figure. While the population of seniors has risen since 2011, children under 15 make up 18.9% of the community, a figure slightly higher than the state average.

This is a community with deep roots in Australia and the UK, as 84.5% of residents were born in Australia. Only 12.1% of people were born overseas, which is far below the national and state figures.

English is the dominant language here, spoken by 91.5% of the population. Only 5.0% of residents use another language at home, a figure far below the national average of 22.3%.

Christianity remains the most common faith at 57.0%. However, the number of people reporting no religion has risen sharply by 18 percentage points since 2011 to reach 36.3%.

Educational attainment is lower than the state average, with 46.7% of residents completing Year 12. The number of adults with a bachelor degree or higher is 17.3%, which is well below the national figure.

The area is relatively wealthy, with typical household incomes at $2,230 a week, which is well above the national figure. Higher earners are common, as 31.0% of households earn $3,000 or more per week.

Residents generally report good health, with only 4.3% needing help with daily activities, which is much lower than most similar areas. Long-term health conditions affect 27.5% of the population, around the national average.

Local life involves a high level of unpaid work, as 29.9% of people spend 15 or more hours a week on housework, well above the national figure. Unpaid childcare is also more common here than in most areas.

First Nations people in the area are generally younger and more prosperous than those in other regions, with a typical personal income of $696 and a very low unemployment rate of 3.8%.

Families tend to be larger here, with 2.9 people per home, which is much higher than in most areas. This is reflected in the family makeup, where 64.6% of households are couples with children.

Housing is dominated by large, detached houses, which make up 98.4% of all homes. The area has a very low rental rate of 11.5% and a high proportion of homes owned outright at 36.9%.

Car dependency is very high, with 98.4% of homes owning at least one vehicle and only 0.3% of people commuting by public transport. However, working from home has become more common, rising to 27.0% since 2011.

The population is very stable, with only 28.6% of people moving in the last five years, among the lowest rates for its level. Recent arrivals from overseas are also very rare at 3.3%.

The workforce is very active, with 66.0% of adults working or looking for work, which is well above the national figure. Construction is the most common industry, employing 17.5% of the workforce.

Growth in the area has been very slow recently, with the population increasing by only 0.6% since 2021, well below the state average of 6.1%.

The region is wetter than most of the state, with an average annual rainfall of 1,054mm, far above the New South Wales average of 515mm.

The area is highly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 1.7. Most homes are far from basic needs, with only 13.2% within a 15-minute walk of groceries.