Shellharbour

The area has a noticeably older population than the state and national averages, while the proportion of children under 15 is well below the national figure of 18.2%. About 3.8% of residents are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, which is higher than most similar areas.

English and Australian ancestries are most common, and while 15.0% of people were born overseas, this is far below the New South Wales average of 29.3%.

Most residents speak only English, and the 7.5% who use another language at home is far below the national figure. However, the proportion of people who speak little or no English is much higher than in most similar areas.

Over half the population identifies as Christian, while 36.3% report no religion, a figure that is well above the state average but a little below the national figure.

Qualifications are lower than the national average, with only 16.7% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Around 43.6% of residents completed Year 12, which is far below the national figure of 58.8%.

Typical family income is $2,066 per week, which is about the same as the state and national figures. High earners are present, with 21.8% of households earning over $3,000 a week, a rate higher than most similar areas.

Long-term health conditions are more common here than in most areas, affecting 31.5% of people. This is well above the national figure of 27.7%, with arthritis being the most reported condition.

Unpaid care is common, as 13.8% of people provide unpaid care, which is a little above the national average. Interestingly, the number of volunteers is much lower than in most similar areas.

There are 132 First Nations people in the area, with a typical age of 27, which is noticeably older than the national figure. The unemployment rate for this group is 5.6%, well below the national average of 12.3%.

Family sizes are typical, with 2.5 people per home. One-parent families make up 14.3% of households, which is higher than most similar areas.

Home ownership is strong, with 37.3% of homes owned outright, well above the national average. However, renting is much more common here than in most similar areas, with a typical weekly rent of $420.

Public transport infrastructure is excellent, with 28 stops and a typical one-minute walk to the nearest one. Despite this, only 0.2% of people use it to commute, as most rely on cars.

The area is relatively stable, though 34.3% of residents have moved in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas are rare at 1.3%, far below the national figure of 14.5%.

Full-time employment is well below the national average at 51.6%. The most common industries for workers are health care and social assistance, followed by construction and education.

Shellharbour is very walkable, with a score of 7.7 and 100% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a park. This high accessibility extends to groceries and health services, which are far more reachable than in the rest of the state.