Paxton

The community is much younger than the national average, with children under 15 making up 25% of the population. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 10.2% of residents, which is well above the New South Wales figure of 3.4%.

Most people here were born in Australia, with only 5.1% born overseas—a figure far below the national average of 27.7%. English, Irish and Scottish ancestries are the most common heritage groups.

English is the primary language for almost everyone, with only 1.2% of residents using another language at home. This is far below the state and national figures.

Nearly half of the population (49.1%) report having no religion, which is far above the national figure of 38.9%. Christianity is the next most common affiliation at 44.9%.

Educational qualifications are lower than in most areas, with only 8.2% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Just 36.3% of residents completed Year 12, which is far below the national figure of 58.8%.

Typical weekly household income is $1,692, which is about the same as the national figure. However, the proportion of households earning $3,000 or more a week is well below the state and national averages.

Health challenges are more common here than in most areas, with 32.9% of people living with a long-term condition. Mental health conditions are particularly prevalent at 12.8%, which is well above the national average.

There is a high level of unpaid care in the area, with 34.3% of people caring for children—well above the national average. Conversely, volunteering rates are much lower than in most other areas.

The First Nations community is notably young, with a typical age of 19. While unemployment for this group is lower than the national average at 7.7%, Year 12 completion is far below the national figure at 24.3%.

Homes in Paxton tend to be larger, with an average of 2.9 people per household. One-parent families are much more common here than in most areas, making up 19.5% of households.

Almost every home is a separate house (99.5%), and 87.2% of dwellings have three or more bedrooms. This is far above the national average, although the proportion of homes owned outright is a little below the national figure.

The area is highly car-dependent, with 65% of workers driving to work and very few using public transport. Most homes have at least one vehicle, and the drive time to the city is over 100 minutes.

The area has seen significant movement, with 43.3% of residents moving in within the last five years. This is well above the national average, despite a lower-than-average rate of recent overseas arrivals.

About 59.6% of adults are working or looking for work, which is consistent with state figures. The local workforce is concentrated in health care, construction, and hospitality, with many employed as technicians and tradespeople.

While many residents can walk to a park or school, the area is mostly car-dependent. There are no grocery stores or health services within a 15-minute walk, leaving it far below the state average for amenity access.