Balranald

The community is far older than the state and national averages, with 23.9% of residents aged 65 and over. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 8.9% of the population, which is well above the national figure of 3.2%.

The area has a very low proportion of overseas-born residents at 7.3%, far below the national figure of 27.7%. Most residents claim English, Australian, or Irish ancestry.

English is the main language for 80.9% of people, and the 6.7% who use another language at home is far below the national average. However, the proportion of people who speak little or no English is much higher than in most similar areas.

Over half of the population identifies as Christian. The 29.4% of residents who report no religion is well below the national figure of 38.9%.

Educational attainment is far below the national average, with only 8.1% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher and 32.5% completing Year 12. The area has a higher number of schools per 1,000 children than most similar areas.

Typical incomes are well below the national figures, with a typical household earning $1,197 a week. Only 10% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly, which is far below the New South Wales figure of 25.2%.

Daily living is more challenging here than in most areas, with 7.1% of people needing help with daily activities. This is a little above the national average of 5.8%.

Volunteering is exceptionally common, with 28.1% of people volunteering, which is far above the national figure of 14.1%.

The First Nations community is larger than in 88% of similar areas. Typical personal income for First Nations residents is $478, which is a little below the national figure of $540.

Many residents live alone, accounting for 34.1% of households, which is well above the national figure of 25.6%. One-parent families are also a little more common here than in most areas.

Detached houses are very common, making up 89.3% of dwellings. Housing is far more affordable than in the state or nation, with typical weekly rents at $200 and typical monthly mortgage payments at $893.

Most people drive to work, and only 6.2% work from home, which is far below the national figure of 21%. No one in the area commutes using public transport.

The population is quite stable, with far fewer people moving in the last five years compared to the national average. Interestingly, recent arrivals from overseas make up 40.7% of the population, far above the national figure.

Full-time employment is well above the national figure at 63.5%. The workforce is heavily concentrated in agriculture, forestry, and fishing, which employs 24.2% of the community.

The area is very walkable, with 81.7% of homes within a 15-minute walk of groceries and 77.5% within a 15-minute walk of health services, both far above state averages.