Suburb / Locality · Area profile
Armidale
275 km²
A significant wave of new arrivals has shaped Armidale, with 45.9% of residents moving here in the last five years. This regional centre is notably younger than the national average, with a typical resident aged 36. It is a highly educated community where many people hold university degrees, which reflects the strong presence of education and health services in the local economy. The town blends a large First Nations population with a growing international influence, creating a diverse social landscape.
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The community is noticeably younger than the state average, with a typical age of 36. Armidale also has a much higher proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people at 7.9% compared to 3.4% in New South Wales.
While 74% of people were born in Australia, the area has a higher-than-usual percentage of overseas-born residents at 16.4%. English, Australian, Irish, and Scottish are the most common ancestries.
About 11.7% of residents use a language other than English at home, which is much higher than most similar areas. However, this is still far below the New South Wales figure of 26.6%.
Christianity is the most common faith at 44.4%, while 36.8% of the population reports having no religion. This figure for no religion is well above the state average.
The area is highly qualified, with 28.7% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. This is a little above the national figure and is mirrored by a high proportion of people who completed Year 12.
Typical weekly household incomes are $1,432, which is well below the New South Wales figure of $1,829. Personal incomes are also a little lower than the national average.
Mental health conditions are more common here than in most areas, affecting 10.2% of residents. This is a little above the national average of 8.8%.
Volunteering is very high, with 20% of people pitching in, well above the state figure of 13%. Fewer people here provide unpaid childcare compared to the national average.
The First Nations community is among the largest at this level, with 1,896 people. This group is noticeably younger than the national average, with a typical age of 21.
Many people live alone here, at 32.8%, which is well above the national figure. There is also a much higher share of one-parent families than in most other areas.
Renters make up 37.7% of households, a figure well above the national average. Most homes are separate houses, and 75.2% have three or more bedrooms.
While there are many public transport stops, only 0.3% of people use them to commute. Instead, 50.8% drive to work and 22% work from home.
The area has seen a lot of movement, with 45.9% of people moving in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals are especially high, reaching 37.9%.
Jobs are concentrated in education and health, which together employ 37.8% of the workforce. The unemployment rate is 5.7%, which is much higher than in most similar areas.
The town is somewhat walkable, with 89.3% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a park. However, fewer people can walk to groceries compared to the state average.