Katoomba

Katoomba is far older than the national figure, with a typical age of 48 and a high proportion of seniors aged 65 and over (23.5%). It also has a higher rate of de facto relationships than most areas, at 15.8%.

English, Australian, and Irish are the most common ancestries. While 22.4% of residents were born overseas—much higher than most similar areas—this is well below the New South Wales figure of 29.3%.

English is the main language for 86.0% of the community. While 9.8% use another language at home, which is much higher than most similar areas, this remains far below the state average.

A majority of residents (56.8%) report having no religion, a figure that is far above the national average of 38.9% and among the highest at this level.

The area is highly qualified, with 31.2% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher, well above the national figure of 26.3%. Year 12 completion is also a little above the state and national averages.

Typical incomes are well below state and national figures, with the typical household earning $1,171 a week. Only 11.4% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly, which is lower than most areas.

Residents experience health challenges at higher rates than most areas, with 35.7% having a long-term health condition. Mental health conditions are especially common, affecting 15.0% of the population.

Volunteering is common here, with 18.8% of people volunteering, well above the national figure of 14.1%. Unpaid care for children is lower than most areas.

The First Nations community is among the largest at this level, and 7.0% speak a First Nations language, which is a little above the state average. However, unemployment is higher than most areas at 15.0%.

Many residents live alone—39.5%, which is far above the national figure of 25.6%. This helps explain why homes are smaller, with a typical of 2.1 people per home.

Separate houses are very common at 81.8%, far above the state average. Renting is also more common than in most similar areas, with 33.5% of households renting.

The area has a high number of public transport stops and 31.8% of people work from home. Interestingly, 14.3% of homes have no motor vehicle, which is well above the national figure.

The community is quite mobile, with 40.1% of people having moved in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals make up 9.1% of the population.

Full-time employment is far below the national average at 43.0%. The unemployment rate of 6.0% is a little above the national figure, and only 53.1% of adults are working or looking for work.

Katoomba is very walkable, with 95.8% of homes within a 10-minute walk of public transport. This is far above the New South Wales average of 85.7%.