Suburb / Locality · Area profile
Gunnedah
518 km²
A high proportion of separate houses and a strong mining presence shape daily life in Gunnedah. The community is notably young, with children under 15 making up 22.7% of the population. This younger age profile, combined with a significant First Nations community, gives the area a distinct character compared to the state average. It is a place where family life is central, with a high number of large homes and many residents working in full-time roles.
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Gunnedah has a young population, with the typical resident aged 37 and children under 15 making up 22.7% of the people—well above the national figure of 18.2%. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people represent 16.7% of the community, which is far above the state average.
The area is overwhelmingly Australian-born, with 85.5% born here and only 5.6% born overseas, a figure far below the national average of 27.7%. Most residents claim Australian or English ancestry.
English is the primary language for 87.7% of the community. Only 3.7% of people use another language at home, which is far below the New South Wales figure of 26.6%.
Christianity is the most common religion at 56.5%. About 32.7% of residents report having no religion, which is well below the national figure of 38.9%.
Educational attainment is lower than in most areas, with only 11.8% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. This is far below the national figure of 26.3%, and only 36.8% of residents completed Year 12.
Typical weekly household income is $1,564, which is a little below the national figure of $1,746. While 19.1% of households earn $3,000 or more a week, this is still well below the state average.
About 30% of people live with a long-term health condition, which is a little above the national figure. Those needing help with daily activities make up 6.5% of the population, which is higher than in most areas.
Volunteering is common here, with 16.4% of people volunteering—well above the state average. There is also a high rate of people caring for children unpaid, at 29.0%.
The First Nations community is large, with a typical age of 21, which is noticeably younger than the national figure. Year 12 completion is 26.3%, which is far below the national average of 37.0%.
One-parent families are much more common here than in most areas, making up 16.7% of households. Conversely, 29.4% of people live alone, which is well above the state average.
Housing is dominated by separate houses, which make up 88.1% of dwellings—far above the national figure. Homes tend to be large, with 80.8% having three or more bedrooms, and typical weekly rent is well below the national average at $300.
Most people rely on cars, with 65.8% driving to work and only 7.5% working from home, which is far below the state average. Despite this, the area has more public transport stops than most similar areas.
The population is quite mobile, with 39.6% of people moving in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 20.7% of the community, which is well above the national figure.
Mining is a major employer, with 16.0% of the workforce in the industry. Full-time employment is much higher than in most areas, with 64.3% of the workforce in full-time roles.
The area is only somewhat walkable, with a score of 4.2. Many residents lack easy walking access to essentials, as only 24.3% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries—far below the state average.