South Grafton

The population is diverse in age, with children under 15 and seniors over 65 both making up 21.4% of the community. First Nations people make up 14.6% of the population, which is far above the national figure of 3.2%.

Most residents were born in Australia, and only 5.4% were born overseas, which is far below the New South Wales average of 29.3%. Australian and English are the most common ancestries.

English is the primary language for the vast majority, with only 2.6% of people using another language at home. This is far below the national figure of 22.3%.

Religious affiliation is split, with 46.9% identifying as Christian and 40.5% reporting no religion, which is a little above the national figure.

Educational attainment is much lower than in most areas; only 28.6% of residents completed Year 12, and 6.8% hold a bachelor degree or higher, both far below the state average.

Incomes are much lower than most areas, with a typical household earning $975 a week compared to the national figure of $1,746. Only 5.8% of households earn $3,000 or more per week.

Health challenges are common here, as 39.3% of people have a long-term health condition—far above the national figure of 27.7%. Mental health conditions are also among the highest at this level at 14.9%.

Unpaid care is a common part of life, with 14.7% of people providing unpaid care, which is well above the state average. This is consistent with the high number of people needing help with daily activities.

There are 920 First Nations people in the area, though they face significant disadvantages with an unemployment rate of 19.4%, which is well above the national figure of 12.3%.

Family structures vary widely, and one-parent families are among the highest at this level at 30.1%. People living alone also make up 32.1% of households, well above the national average.

The area is dominated by separate houses, which make up 90.2% of dwellings. Renting is much more common here than in most areas at 36.3%, though typical weekly rents of $280 are well below the state average.

Most people drive to work, and only 5.7% work from home, far below the national figure of 21.0%. Despite this, the area has a high number of public transport stops compared to other similar areas.

The community is relatively mobile, with 34.0% of people having moved in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals make up 10.8% of the population.

Unemployment is among the highest at this level at 9.9%, well above the national figure of 5.1%. Many residents work in health care, social assistance, or retail trade.

The area is somewhat walkable, and 85% of homes are within a 10-minute walk of public transport. However, access to health services is lower than the state average, with only 43.1% of homes within a 15-minute walk.