Suburb / Locality · Area profile
Murwillumbah
12 km²
Seniors and older adults make up a large part of the population in Murwillumbah, where the typical resident is 46. This community is much older than the national figure and is marked by a high number of people living alone. While it is a larger centre for the region, it faces significant challenges with lower typical incomes and higher rates of long-term health conditions. Despite this, it maintains a strong connection to its roots with a notable First Nations presence and a high proportion of residents born in Australia.
Murwillumbah's schools draw a more advantaged community than local incomes would suggest.
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The area is far older than the national average, with 25.4% of residents aged 65 and over, a figure well above the Australian average of 17.2%. About 3.8% of the population are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, which is higher than most similar areas.
Most residents were born in Australia (80.4%), and those born overseas make up 13.3% of the population, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%. English, Australian, and Irish are the most common ancestries.
English is the main language for 87.2% of the community. While 5.2% of people use another language at home, which is higher than in many similar areas, this is still far below the New South Wales average of 26.6%.
A little over 40% of people report having no religion, which is well above the New South Wales figure. Christianity is the most common affiliation at 43.2%.
The area has far fewer people with a university degree (16.5%) and fewer who finished Year 12 (42.8%) compared to the national average. However, there are more schools per child here than in most similar areas.
Incomes are well below the national average, with a typical household earning $1,147 a week. Only 8.4% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly, which is much lower than most areas.
Health challenges are common here, with 33.4% of people having a long-term health condition and 11.5% living with a mental health condition, both of which are well above the state average.
Volunteering is more common here than in the rest of the state, with 16.4% of people pitching in. A little above the national average, 14.3% of residents provide some form of unpaid care.
The First Nations community is larger than in most similar areas. This group is noticeably younger than the state average, with a typical age of 20, and an unemployment rate of 8.9%.
Living arrangements are distinctive, with 31.1% of people living alone and 21.7% of families being one-parent households, both figures being well above the national average.
Separate houses make up 75.8% of homes, which is far above the state average. While 34.4% of homes are owned outright, 30.1% of the community rent, a rate much higher than most similar areas.
Most people drive to work, and only 10% work from home, which is far below the national figure. However, 95.3% of homes are within a 10-minute walk of public transport.
The area has seen significant movement, with 40% of people moving house in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas are uncommon, making up only 4.5% of the population.
Fewer people are working or looking for work (51.2%) compared to the national figure of 61.1%. The unemployment rate is 5.5%, which is higher than in most similar areas.
While almost every home is within a 15-minute walk of a park or school, less than half are within a similar distance of groceries or health services. The overall walkability is somewhat lower than the state average.