Shoalhaven Heads

Seniors make up 36.5% of the population, leaving children under 15 well below the state average at 14.6%. About 3.6% of residents are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, which is higher than in most similar areas.

Most residents were born in Australia, with 13.3% born overseas, a figure far below the New South Wales average of 29.3%. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, accounting for 47% and 39.3% respectively.

English is the primary language, with 91.3% of people using it at home. Only 2.8% of residents use another language, which is far below the national figure of 22.3%.

About 41.6% of people report having no religion, which is well above the national figure of 38.9%. Half of the community identifies as Christian.

Education levels are lower than the state average, with only 16.4% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. This is consistent with Year 12 completion rates, which are far below the state figure at 37.8%.

Incomes are generally low, with the typical household earning $1,066 a week, which is far below the state figure of $1,829. Only 12.1% of households earn $3,000 or more per week.

Long-term health conditions are much more common here than in most areas, affecting 37.8% of residents. This includes a high rate of arthritis at 17.1% and a higher than average 9.4% with mental health conditions.

Volunteering is well above the national average at 17.9%, and there is a strong military connection, with 5.5% of people having served in the Defence Force.

The First Nations community is larger than in about 88% of similar areas. The typical age for First Nations residents is 30, which is noticeably older than the state average of 23.

Many residents live alone, accounting for 35.9% of households, which is far above the national figure of 25.6%. This contributes to a low typical household size of 2.1 people.

Home ownership is very high, with 54.5% of homes owned outright, far above the national figure of 31%. Renting is far less common than in the state, at only 18.2%.

While 99.8% of homes are within a short walk of public transport, no one uses it to commute to work. Most people drive, and 5% of homes have no motor vehicle, which is much higher than in most areas.

About 33.7% of people moved house in the last five years, which is higher than in most similar areas. Recent arrivals from overseas are very low at 0.9%.

Only 43.8% of adults are working or looking for work, which is far below the national figure of 61.1%. Health care and construction are the most common industries for those employed.

The area is somewhat walkable, with most homes within a 15-minute walk of parks and groceries. However, no homes are within a 15-minute walk of health services.