Oberon

The community is far older than the state and national averages, with 26.1% of residents aged 65 and over. About 5.5% of the population are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, which is much higher than in most similar areas.

Most residents were born in Australia (76.5%), and those with ancestral roots most commonly identify as Australian or English. Only 11.4% were born overseas, a figure far below the national average.

English is the dominant language for 83.9% of residents. While a higher number of people use another language at home than in similar areas, this is still far below the state and national figures.

Religious affiliation is more common here than elsewhere, as the proportion of people reporting no religion (26.6%) is far below the national figure of 38.9%. Christianity is the most common faith at 58.8%.

Educational attainment is lower than in most areas, with only 10.3% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Year 12 completion is also far below the national average at 33.6%.

Typical weekly household incomes are well below the national figure, and only 12.1% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, which is lower than in most areas.

Residents experience more health challenges than most, with 32.8% reporting a long-term health condition. About 6.6% of people need help with daily activities, which is higher than in most similar areas.

Volunteer rates are much lower than in most areas at 11.6%. About 12% of the community provide unpaid care, which is about the same as the state and national figures.

There are 184 First Nations people in the area, and while their typical personal income is a little above the national figure, the unemployment rate is well above it at 17.6%.

People are more likely to live alone here than in most areas, with 31.7% of households consisting of one person. One-parent families are also well above the national average at 18.5%.

Housing is dominated by separate houses (90.6%), and 78.9% of homes have three or more bedrooms. Outright home ownership is well above the national figure at 40.5%.

Car use is essential, as 68.3% of people drive to work and the drive time to the city is among the highest for similar areas. Only 0.4% of residents commute using public transport.

The area has seen a fair amount of movement, with 34.9% of people moving in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 15.8% of the population, which is a little above the national figure.

Full-time employment is well above the national average at 63.2%, though fewer adults are working or looking for work overall. Many residents work in manufacturing (22.1%) or as machinery operators and drivers.

The area is somewhat walkable, though many homes are far from parks, schools, and groceries compared to the state average. However, there are far more walkable amenities per 1,000 residents than in most other areas.