Lithgow

The population is much older than most areas, with 28.8% of people aged 65 and over. In contrast, children under 15 make up only 14.4%, which is well below the national figure of 18.2%.

Most residents were born in Australia (79.9%), and the area has far fewer overseas-born people than the state average. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, together accounting for over 80% of the population.

English is the main language for 87.2% of the community. While 6.0% of people use another language at home, this is far below the New South Wales average of 26.6%.

Over half the population (51.5%) identifies as Christian. Those with no religion make up 36.9%, which is a little below the national figure of 38.9%.

Education levels are much lower than in most areas, with only 35.4% of residents completing Year 12, far below the national figure of 58.8%. Only 11.9% hold a bachelor degree or higher.

Incomes are much lower than the national average, with a typical weekly household earning $1,010. Just 9.4% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, which is far below the state average.

Health challenges are common here, as 40.9% of people have a long-term health condition—far above the national figure of 27.7%. This includes a high rate of mental health conditions at 13.8%.

Volunteer rates are much lower than most areas at 12.6%. Unpaid care for children is also well below the national average, likely reflecting the fact that there are fewer children in the community.

The First Nations community is large, and while unemployment is lower than the national average at 6.4%, school completion is far below the national figure at 26.0%.

A high number of people live alone (43.7%), and one-parent families are far more common here than in most other areas. This helps explain why homes are smaller, with only 2.0 people per home.

Separate houses make up 81.7% of dwellings, and 39.1% are owned outright. Renting is more common here than in most areas, though the typical weekly rent of $280 is well below the state average.

While public transport stops are abundant, only 0.4% of people use them to commute. Car use is dominant, though 15.2% of homes have no motor vehicle, which is well above the national figure.

About 33.6% of people moved in the last five years, which is lower than the national figure. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 9.2% of the population.

Fewer adults are working or looking for work compared to most areas (47.2%). The unemployment rate is 6.1%, which is a little above the national figure of 5.1%.

This is a walker's paradise, with a score of 8.2. Almost every home is within a 15-minute walk of a park, a school, and groceries, far exceeding the state averages.