Goonellabah

The community is older than the national figure, with 22.4% of people aged 65 and over, which is well above the state average. First Nations people make up 7.5% of the population, a much higher proportion than in most other areas.

Most residents were born in Australia, and those with overseas heritage primarily identify as English, Irish, or Scottish. Only 9.7% of people were born overseas, which is far below the national figure.

English is the main language for 88.5% of the community. While 6.1% of residents use another language at home, this is far below the state and national averages.

Christianity is the most common religion at 51.1%, while 38.8% of people report having no religion, which is well above the New South Wales figure.

About 18.4% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, which is well below the national average. Year 12 completion is also far below the state figure at 45.0%.

Typical incomes are lower than the national average, with a typical weekly household income of $1,318. Only 11.5% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, which is far below the state level.

Health challenges are more common here than in most areas, with 37.0% of people living with a long-term health condition. This includes a high rate of mental health conditions at 13.5%.

Volunteering is more common here than in the state, with 16.5% of people pitching in. Unpaid care is also a bit more frequent than the national figure, at 14.1%.

There are 996 First Nations people in the area, and 8.5% speak a First Nations language, which is well above the state average. The unemployment rate for this group is 12.4%, a little above the state figure.

Living arrangements vary widely, as one-parent families (20.2%) and people living alone (31.3%) are both much more common than in most other areas.

Separate houses are very common, making up 77.7% of homes, and 80.6% of dwellings have three or more bedrooms. This is well above the national figure.

Cars are the primary way to get to work for 66.7% of residents. Working from home is far less common here than across the state, at only 10.8%.

The area has seen significant movement, with 40.7% of people moving house in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 12.4% of the population.

Health care and social assistance is the biggest employer, accounting for 22.7% of jobs. About 57.2% of adults are working or looking for work, which is well below the national figure.

While 87.8% of homes are within a 10-minute walk of public transport, the area is generally less walkable than the state average. This is partly due to the terrain, as the average slope is well above the state figure.