East Kempsey

The community is older than the national figure, with a typical resident aged 41 and over 22% of people aged 65 or more. About 19.5% of the population are children under 15, which is higher than most similar areas.

Most residents were born in Australia, and the area has a much lower proportion of overseas-born people (6.1%) than the state or national figures. English and Australian are the most common ancestries reported.

English is the primary language for 90.3% of the population, which means the use of other languages at home is far below the national figure. Very few people here speak little or no English.

About 41.5% of people report having no religion, a figure that is a little above the national average. Christianity remains the most common affiliation at 49.3%.

Education levels are lower than most areas, with only 11.3% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Year 12 completion is also far below the state and national figures at 36.6%.

Typical incomes are much lower than the national average, with the typical household earning $1,116 a week. Only 7.9% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly, which is far below the state figure.

Health challenges are common here, as long-term health conditions (36.8%) and mental health conditions (12.0%) are both much higher than in most areas. Consequently, 7.5% of people need help with daily activities.

Providing unpaid care is more common here than in most areas, with 15.6% of people doing so. There is also a higher rate of former Defence Force members compared to the state average.

The First Nations community is a significant part of the area, with 166 people identifying as such. This group is noticeably younger than the state average, with a typical age of 21, and 9% speak a First Nations language.

Single-person households are very common at 36.6%, and one-parent families (24%) are far more numerous than in the rest of the state. Because of this, there are typically fewer people per home than in most areas.

Most people live in separate houses, and 34.2% of homes are rented, which is well above the national figure. However, weekly rents ($300) and home-loan payments are well below the national averages.

Cars are the main way people get to work, and very few people work from home. While there are many public transport stops, only 0.6% of people actually use them to commute.

About 37% of residents have moved house in the last five years, which is higher than in most similar areas. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 8.6% of the population.

The proportion of adults working or looking for work is lower than the national average, at 52.7%. Most employed residents work in health care and social assistance or retail trade.

The area is very walkable, with 97% of homes within a 15-minute walk of groceries and health services. This accessibility is far above the state average.