Hunter Valley exc Newcastle

The population is slightly older than the national average, with 19.3% of residents aged 65 and over. Children under 15 make up 19.5% of the community, which is a little above the national figure, while de facto relationships are much more common here than in most other similar areas.

The area has one of the lowest proportions of overseas-born residents at 9.4%, far below the national figure of 27.7%. Most residents claim Australian or English ancestry, and the vast majority were born in Australia.

Very few people use a language other than English at home (4.1%), which is far below the national average of 22.3%. Similarly, the proportion of people who speak little or no English is much lower than in most other areas.

Over half of the community identifies as Christian, while those with no religion make up 38.1% of the population. The number of people reporting no religion has risen sharply by 21 points since 2011.

Educational attainment is much lower than in most areas, with only 12.9% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Year 12 completion is also far below the national average at 39.3%, though this has risen by 8 points since 2011.

Typical weekly household incomes are a little below the national figure at $1,557. While personal incomes are lower than in most other areas, the proportion of households earning $3,000 or more a week has risen by 9.6 points since 2011.

Health challenges are more common here than in most areas, with 34.5% of people living with a long-term health condition. Mental health conditions are notably more frequent, affecting 11.9% of residents, well above the national figure.

Unpaid care is a significant part of local life, with much higher rates of people caring for children or doing housework than in most other areas. There is also a much higher proportion of former Defence Force members compared to the rest of the state.

The First Nations community is one of the largest for an area at this level, with a typical age of 22, which is younger than the national figure. Household incomes for First Nations people are a little above the national average.

Homes tend to be larger, with 2.5 people per household. There is a higher rate of one-parent families than in most areas, and 54.2% of households consist of couples with children.

Separate houses are far more common here than across Australia, with 86.7% of dwellings being detached. Most homes are large, as 82.0% have three or more bedrooms, which is well above the national average.

Car reliance is very high, with only 0.4% of people commuting by public transport. Most homes have at least one vehicle, and 39.3% of households own two, making the area much less dependent on public transit than most others.

The community is quite mobile, with 40.8% of residents moving in the last five years. However, recent arrivals from overseas are much less common here than in most other areas.

Adults working or looking for work make up 58.4% of the population, which is a little below the national figure. The local workforce is concentrated in health care, retail, and construction, with a notable 8.2% working in mining.

The population has grown by 7.9% since the last census, which is a little above the New South Wales average of 6.1%.

The region is warmer than the state average, with an average maximum temperature of 25.5 degrees. Annual rainfall is also well above the New South Wales figure.

The area has low walkability, with a score of 4.1, well below the state average. Most homes are far from essential services, with only 39.4% within a 15-minute walk of groceries.