# Bungwahl

Suburb / Locality · Area profile

Located in: New South Wales › Rest of NSW › Mid-Coast › 2423, NSW

Area: 61 km²

A far older population than the national average defines Bungwahl, where the typical resident is 54. This rural community is mostly made up of separate houses and is marked by a high proportion of seniors. It is a quiet, stable area with few recent movers and a strong tendency toward home ownership. With low typical incomes and a significant number of people living alone, the area feels distinct from the faster-paced urban centres of New South Wales.

## Demographics & Identity

The community is far older than the national figure, with 28.5% of people aged 65 and over. It also has a higher proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents (4.8%) compared to the state average.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Total population | 249 | -2.0% since 2011 |
| Median age | 54 yrs | +5.9% since 2011 |
| Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander population | 4.8% | +74.2% since 2011 |
| People aged 65 and over | 28.5% | +24.4% since 2011 |
| Children under 15 | 16.1% | +27.0% since 2011 |
| People in a de facto relationship | 17.3% | +64.7% since 2011 |

**Age structure** — Older adults (45–64) 34.1%, Seniors (65+) 28.5%, Young adults (25–44) 16.5%, Children (0–14) 16.1%, Youth (15–24) 6.8%

**Marital status** — Married 39.0%, Never married 35.7%, Divorced 15.5%, Widowed 6.6%, Separated 6.1%

## Ancestry & Birthplace

Most residents were born in Australia (75.1%), and the area has far fewer overseas-born residents than the state or national averages. English and Australian are the most common ancestries.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People born overseas | 11.6% | -15.5% since 2011 |

**Country of birth** — Australia 75.1%, England 2.8%, New Zealand 1.6%

**Ancestry** — English 49.0%, Australian 34.9%, Scottish 8.4%, Irish 7.2%, Dutch 3.6%, German 2.0%, Italian 1.2%

## Language

English is the primary language here, and the proportion of people using another language at home is far below the national figure. No residents reported speaking little or no English.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People using another language at home | 3.6% | +31.2% since 2011 |
| People who speak little or no English | 0.0% | — |

**Language used at home** — English only 83.5%

## Religion

A large number of residents report having no religion (47.4%), which is far above the New South Wales figure. Christianity is the next most common affiliation at 34.1%.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People with no religion | 47.4% | +43.3% since 2011 |

**Religious affiliation** — No religion 47.4%, Christianity 34.1%, Not stated 15.7%, Judaism 2.4%, Buddhism 1.2%

## Education & Qualifications

While the area has more adults with bachelor degrees than similar areas, this is still far below the state average. Most residents have a Certificate III or IV as their highest qualification.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Completed Year 12 | 42.0% | +0.1% since 2011 |
| Adults with a bachelor degree or higher | 17.4% | +18.3% since 2011 |
| Schools per 1,000 children | 25.00 | — |
| Schools within 3 km | 1 | — |
| Average school size | 36 | — |
| Average school ICSEA | 1,037 | — |

**Highest year of school** — Year 12 42.0%, Year 10 31.2%, Year 9 or below 7.8%, Year 11 4.9%

**Highest qualification level** — Certificate III / IV 32.2%, Bachelor degree 16.4%, Advanced diploma / diploma 8.9%, Postgraduate degree 6.8%, Certificate I / II 3.4%, Graduate diploma / certificate 2.1%

**Field of qualification** — Architecture & building 15.8%, Engineering & related 15.1%, Health 6.8%, Society & culture 6.8%, Education 6.2%, Food, hospitality & personal services 6.2%, Agriculture & environment 4.8%, Management & commerce 3.4%, Information technology 2.7%, Creative arts 2.7%, Natural & physical sciences 2.1%

## Income

Incomes are well below the national and state figures, with the typical weekly household earning $1,199. Only 6.1% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, which is much lower than most areas.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Median personal income (weekly) | $583 | +44.7% since 2011 |
| Median household income (weekly) | $1,199 | +48.6% since 2011 |
| Median family income (weekly) | $1,446 | +53.2% since 2011 |
| People earning $2,000+ a week | 4.2% | — |
| Households earning $3,000+ a week | 6.1% | — |

**Household income distribution** — $650–$1,499 32.7%, $1,500–$2,999 29.6%, Under $650 25.5%, $4,000 or more 6.1%

**Personal income distribution** — Under $650 50.2%, $650–$1,499 30.0%, $1,500–$2,999 8.0%, $3,000 or more 4.2%

## Health & Disability

More people here live with a long-term health condition (30.9%) than in the rest of the country. Arthritis and mental health are the most frequently reported conditions.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People with a long-term health condition | 30.9% | — |
| People with a mental health condition | 8.8% | — |
| People needing help with daily activities | 3.6% | -48.8% since 2011 |

**Long-term health conditions reported** — Arthritis 9.2%, Mental health 8.8%, Asthma 8.4%, Other condition 7.2%, Cancer 4.0%, Diabetes 3.2%, Heart disease 2.8%, Stroke 2.4%, Lung condition 1.6%, Dementia 1.2%

**Number of long-term health conditions** — None 54.6%, One condition 21.3%, Two conditions 4.8%, Three or more 1.2%

## Community Participation

A high proportion of residents provide unpaid care or do significant amounts of unpaid housework, far exceeding state levels. There is also a higher rate of Defence Force veterans compared to most areas.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Volunteers | 14.6% | -34.2% since 2011 |
| People providing unpaid care | 15.0% | -23.8% since 2011 |
| People caring for children unpaid | 25.8% | +2.8% since 2011 |
| People who served in the Defence Force | 3.7% | — |
| People doing 15+ hours of unpaid housework | 32.4% | -11.0% since 2011 |

## First Nations

There are 12 First Nations people in the area. This group is far older than the national average for First Nations people, with a typical age of 47.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people | 12 | — |
| First Nations median age | 47 yrs | — |
| First Nations median personal income | $450 | — |
| First Nations household income | $1,374 | — |

## Family & Households

Homes here are smaller than usual, with just 2.1 people per home. This is consistent with the fact that 36.7% of people live alone, which is far above the state average.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Average household size | 2.1 | -4.5% since 2011 |
| One-parent families | 13.5% | -46.1% since 2011 |
| People living alone | 36.7% | +9.2% since 2011 |

**Family composition** — Couples with children 41.9%, Couples without children 37.4%, One-parent families 13.5%, Other families 1.9%

**Household size** — 1 person 36.7%, 2 people 33.7%, 3 people 8.2%, 4 people 8.2%, 5 people 3.1%

## Housing & Dwellings

Every home in Bungwahl is a separate house. A high 48% of these are owned outright, and typical monthly mortgage payments are far below the national figure.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Median rent (weekly) | $320 | +166.7% since 2011 |
| Median mortgage repayment (monthly) | $1,000 | +1.6% since 2011 |
| Average people per bedroom | 0.70 | -41.7% since 2011 |
| Households renting | 15.3% | -25.6% since 2011 |
| Homes owned outright | 48.0% | +0.6% since 2011 |
| Separate (detached) houses | 100.0% | +8.1% since 2011 |
| Homes with three or more bedrooms | 74.5% | +13.9% since 2011 |

**How homes are owned or rented** — Owned outright 48.0%, Owned with a mortgage 33.7%, Rented 15.3%

**Types of homes** — Separate house 100.0%

**Bedrooms per home** — 3 bedrooms 43.9%, 4 bedrooms 19.4%, 2 bedrooms 15.3%, 5 or more 11.2%, 1 bedroom 5.1%, Studio / none 4.1%

**Weekly rent distribution** — $350–$549 66.7%, $200–$349 26.7%, Under $200 20.0%

**Monthly mortgage distribution** — Under $1,000 30.3%, $1,000–$1,799 12.1%, $3,000 or more 12.1%, $1,800–$2,999 9.1%

## Transport & Vehicles

The area is heavily reliant on cars, as no one commutes by public transport. While there are more bus stops per person than in other similar areas, it takes a typical resident 60 minutes to walk to the nearest one.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Homes with no motor vehicle | 8.2% | +180.3% since 2011 |
| People working from home | 10.4% | +247.2% since 2011 |
| Commuting by public transport | 0.0% | — |
| Public transport stops | 2 | — |
| PT stops per 1,000 people | 8.03 | — |
| Weekly PT departures per 1,000 people | 152.6 | — |
| Public transport routes | 2 | — |
| Walk to nearest stop (min) | 60 | — |

**How people get to work** — Car (driver) 63.5%, Worked at home 10.4%, Car (passenger) 3.1%, Walked 3.1%

**Motor vehicles per home** — 2 vehicles 44.9%, 1 vehicle 28.6%, 3 vehicles 11.2%, 4 or more 9.2%, No vehicle 8.2%

## Migration & Movement

The population is very stable, with far fewer people moving in the last five years compared to the state or national averages.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People who moved in the last 5 years | 23.9% | -2.6% since 2011 |
| Recent arrivals from overseas | 10.3% | +27.6% since 2011 |

## Jobs & Industry

Far fewer adults are working or looking for work (46.9%) compared to the national figure. The most common industries are health care, social assistance, and construction.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | -52.0% since 2011 |
| Labour-force participation | 46.9% | -5.2% since 2011 |
| Employed full-time | 28.1% | -30.4% since 2011 |

**Industries people work in** — Health care & social assistance 16.7%, Construction 15.6%, Retail trade 9.4%, Education & training 9.4%, Accommodation & food 8.3%, Agriculture, forestry & fishing 7.3%, Professional & technical 6.3%, Administrative & support 5.2%, Manufacturing 4.2%, Media & telecommunications 3.1%, Other services 3.1%

**Occupations people work in** — Technicians & trades 21.9%, Labourers 16.7%, Managers 14.6%, Professionals 13.5%, Community & personal service 13.5%, Sales workers 7.3%, Machinery operators & drivers 5.2%, Clerical & administrative 3.1%

## Walkability

Bungwahl is very car-dependent, with a walkability score far below the state average. Most homes are far from parks, schools, and health services due to the steep terrain and lack of amenities.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Walkability score | 1.1 | — |
| Amenity types within a 15-minute walk | 1.0 | — |
| Homes with a 15-minute-city walkshed | 5.9% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of groceries | 20.5% | — |
| Homes within 10 min walk of public transport | 13.7% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of a school | 18.7% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of a park | 0.9% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of health services | 0.0% | — |
| Walkable amenities per 1,000 residents | 28.1 | — |
| Street connectivity (intersections/km²) | 1 | — |
| Mean terrain slope | 14.2% | — |

## Schools serving Bungwahl

1 school, 36 students, average ICSEA 1,037.

By sector: Government 1

By type: Primary 1

| School | Sector | Type | Distance | Students |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Bungwahl Public School | Government | Primary | 3.5 km | 36 |

## Nearby areas

[Wallingat](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL14134/wallingat) · [Tarbuck Bay](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL13777/tarbuck-bay) · [Myall Lake](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL12883/myall-lake) · [Topi Topi](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL13935/topi-topi) · [Yagon](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL14470/yagon) · [Whoota](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL14298/whoota) · [Smiths Lake](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL13579/smiths-lake) · [Charlotte Bay](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL10886/charlotte-bay)

Interactive profile: https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL10684/bungwahl