Bega

The typical resident is 43, making the area noticeably older than the national figure. It has a much higher proportion of First Nations people than most areas, at 6.7%, and a high number of seniors, with 23.6% aged 65 and over.

Bega is predominantly Australian born, with only 8.8% of people born overseas, which is far below the state and national figures. English and Irish are the most common ancestral backgrounds after Australian.

English is the primary language here, and the 4.4% of people using another language at home is far below the national figure. Very few residents, just 0.3%, speak little or no English.

A large proportion of the community reports no religion at 44.6%, which is well above the national average. Christianity is also common, accounting for 43.1% of residents.

Education levels are lower than the state average, with only 14.9% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Far fewer people have completed Year 12 compared to the national figure, sitting at 37.7%.

Typical incomes are well below the national average, with the usual family earning $1,564 a week. Only 9.9% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly, which is far below the state figure.

Residents face higher health challenges, with 35.7% living with a long-term health condition. This is well above the national average and is reflected in a high rate of mental health conditions and arthritis.

Volunteerism is strong here, with 17.0% of people volunteering, which is well above the state average. This is consistent with a higher than usual rate of people providing unpaid care.

The First Nations community is relatively large and much younger than other groups, with a typical age of 19. While unemployment is well below the national figure at 6.1%, Year 12 completion is far below at 26.0%.

Homes are smaller than average with 2.3 people per household. There is a high number of people living alone (32.4%) and a much higher rate of one-parent families compared to most areas.

Detached houses are very common, making up 87.6% of homes. While typical weekly rents are a little below the national figure at $320, a high proportion of people rent their homes.

Cars are the primary way to get to work, and only 0.3% of people use public transport to commute. Very few people work from home at 7.5%, which is far below the national figure.

The area has seen significant movement, with 38.8% of people moving in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals make up 11.3% of the population, which is higher than most similar areas.

Working or looking for work is less common here than nationally, at 52.5%. The local workforce is concentrated in health care and social assistance, with labourers being the most common occupation.

Bega is somewhat walkable, with 91% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a park. However, far fewer homes are within walking distance of groceries compared to the state average.