Region (SA4) · Area profile
Central West
70,297 km²
A significant First Nations presence sets the Central West apart, with 8.1% of the population identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. This is a mature community where the typical resident is 41, and seniors make up 21% of the population. While the area is sparsely populated across a huge land area, it is defined by a strong preference for detached housing and a high rate of home ownership. It is a stable region where people tend to stay long-term, though it has grown by 8.2% since 2011.
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The population is older than the national figure, with a typical age of 41. It is also a diverse age mix, containing both a high proportion of seniors and a children's population that is a little above the state average at 19.4%.
Most residents were born in Australia (84.2%), and the proportion of people born overseas is among the lowest for similar areas at 8.4%, which is far below the state average.
English is the primary tongue for 88.1% of the community. Only 4.5% of people use another language at home, a figure far below both the state and national averages.
Christianity remains the most common faith at 58.1%. Those reporting no religion make up 31.0% of the population, which is well below the national figure but has risen 17 points since 2011.
Educational attainment is lower than in most areas, with only 41.7% of residents completing Year 12. While a bachelor's degree or higher is held by 15.7% of adults, this is far below the state average.
Typical weekly household income is $1,434, which is well below the New South Wales figure. However, there has been a notable increase in wealth, with the share of households earning $3,000+ a week rising 10 points since 2011.
Health challenges are more common here than in most areas, with 32.6% of people living with a long-term health condition. Mental health issues are also a little above the national average at 10.3%.
Residents are more likely to volunteer than those in other areas, with 16.8% participating. Unpaid care is also common, as 12.6% of people provide unpaid support and more people do significant housework than the state average.
The First Nations community is larger than in 91% of similar areas. This group is notably young, with a typical age of 22, though Year 12 completion is well below the national average at 29.2%.
People are more likely to live alone here than in most areas, with 29.4% of households being single-person. One-parent families are also a little more common than the state average.
Homes are overwhelmingly separate houses (89.2%), and 37.8% are owned outright, which is much higher than the national figure. Rent is also much lower, with a typical weekly payment of $290.
Cars are essential for travel, with 65.1% of people driving to work and only 0.4% using public transport. This reliance on vehicles is reflected in the fact that 61% of homes have two or more cars.
The population is relatively stable, as the share of people who moved in the last five years is lower than in most areas. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 12.8% of the community.
Full-time employment is much higher than in most areas at 61.3%. The unemployment rate is also quite low at 4.1%, which is a little below the national figure.
Population growth since 2021 has been 1.6%, which is well below the New South Wales average of 6.1%.
The area is generally drier than the state average, with 669mm of annual rainfall. Minimum temperatures are also a little lower than the state average.
The region has low walkability, with only 48.7% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a 'city' center. This is far below the state average, and access to groceries and health services by foot is similarly low.