Bonalbo

The community is much older than most areas, with 31.1% of people aged 65 and over. This trend is mirrored in the small number of children, as those under 15 make up only 11.2% of the population, which is well below the state and national figures.

While 80.2% of residents were born in Australia, Bonalbo has a higher proportion of overseas-born people than most similar areas. English is the most common ancestry at 44.4%, followed by Australian at 36.1%.

English is the primary language for 90.2% of the community. The proportion of people using another language at home is 4.1%, which is far below the national figure of 22.3%.

Religious views are split, with 44.7% identifying as Christian and 42.0% reporting no religion. This lack of religious affiliation is well above the national average.

Education levels are lower than in most areas, with only 33.7% of residents completing Year 12, compared to 58.8% nationally. Only 14.6% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher.

Incomes are among the lowest for this level, with a typical weekly household income of $668. Only 3.6% of households earn $3,000 or more a week, which is far below the state figure of 25.2%.

Health challenges are prominent here, as 43.5% of people have a long-term health condition and 16.0% need help with daily activities. Both figures are far above the national average.

Residents are more likely to volunteer (21.6%) and provide unpaid care (16.9%) than people in most other areas. This high level of community support is consistent with the high number of seniors requiring care.

First Nations people make up 10.9% of the population, well above the national average. This group is younger than the general population with a typical age of 39, though their weekly income of $599 is far below the state average.

The area is defined by small households, with 44.6% of people living alone. One-parent families are also far more common here (25.6%) than they are across the state.

Housing is mostly made up of separate houses, and 54.8% are owned outright, which is far above the national figure. Rents are also much lower than usual, with a typical weekly rent of $210.

Cars are the primary way to get around, as there are no public transport stops or routes in the area. About 10.2% of the workforce works from home, which is far below the national figure of 21.0%.

The community is relatively stable, though 36.4% of people have moved in the last five years. There have been no recent arrivals from overseas.

Job opportunities are limited, with only 35.5% of adults working or looking for work. The unemployment rate of 10.3% is well above the national average of 5.1%.

Despite the lack of public transport, most homes are within a 15-minute walk of health services (92.0%), groceries (91.3%), and schools (91.6%).