Region (SA4) · Area profile
Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven
6,705 km²
Typical household incomes are much lower than the national figure in Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven. This is a far older community than most of Australia, with nearly 30% of residents aged 65 or over. The area is predominantly residential and spacious, with a high proportion of detached houses owned outright. A growing population of seniors and a modest number of overseas arrivals create a stable, predominantly English-speaking region with a strong connection to the land.
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The population is far older than the state average, with a typical resident aged 48. Seniors make up 28% of the community, a figure that rose 5.2 percentage points since 2011, while the proportion of children has fallen.
English and Australian ancestries are most common. Only 15% of residents were born overseas, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%.
English is the dominant language, with 88.3% of people using it only. Very few residents speak little or no English, at just 0.6%, which is much lower than the state average.
About 40.1% of people report having no religion, a figure that rose 20 percentage points since 2011. This is well above the New South Wales average of 33.2%.
While 19% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, this is well below the national figure of 26.3%. Year 12 completion has improved since 2011, reaching 45.2% of adults.
Weekly household incomes are much lower than in most areas, with the typical family earning $1,722. Only 15.3% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, though this rose 11 percentage points since 2011.
Long-term health conditions are common, affecting 35.3% of people, which is well above the national figure. Around 7.3% of residents need help with daily activities, a rate much higher than most areas.
The area has a high rate of volunteers at 16.2% and a strong presence of former Defence Force members. Unpaid care is also more common here than in most other areas.
First Nations people make up 5.1% of the population, which is a little above the state average. Typical personal income for this group is $558, and 31% have completed Year 12.
Living alone is more common here than in most areas, with 27.7% of people in single-person households. Typical homes house 2.4 people, which is about the same as the national figure.
Housing is dominated by separate houses, which make up 88.3% of dwellings. Home ownership is very high, with 44.6% of homes owned outright, far above the national figure of 31%.
Car use is essential, as only 0.4% of people commute by public transport. Most homes have multiple vehicles, and 16.5% of the workforce now works from home.
About 38.7% of residents moved in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 7.4% of the population, which is well below the national average.
Only 51.2% of adults are working or looking for work, which is much lower than most areas. Health care, construction, and retail are the main industries for those employed.
The population has grown by 2.8% since 2021, though this is much lower than the New South Wales growth rate of 6.1%.
The region is wetter and cooler than average, with annual rainfall of 1,130mm, which is far above the state figure of 515mm.
The area is only somewhat walkable, as 42% of homes have access to a 15-minute-city walkshed. This is far below the state average of 71.9%.