Tumut

The community is noticeably older than the national average, with the typical resident aged 42 and 22.4% of people aged 65 and over. There is a strong First Nations presence, with 7.7% of the population identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, which is well above the state figure.

Most residents were born in Australia (83.2%), and the population is far less diverse than the state or national averages. English, Irish, and Scottish ancestries are the most common besides Australian.

English is the primary language for 87.7% of the community. While 5.4% of people use another language at home—a higher rate than most similar areas—this is still far below the state and national figures.

Religious affiliation is common here, with 60% of people identifying as Christian. This is reflected in the fact that the proportion of people with no religion (28.9%) is well below the national figure of 38.9%.

Education levels are lower than in most areas, with only 11.8% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. This is far below the national figure of 26.3%, and only 36.6% of residents completed Year 12.

Typical incomes are well below the state and national figures, with the usual household earning $1,242 a week. Only 11.3% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly, which is far below the New South Wales average of 25.2%.

Residents experience higher rates of health issues, with 34.7% having a long-term health condition. This is well above the national figure, and 7.5% of people need help with daily activities, which is much higher than most areas.

Volunteering is more common here than in the rest of the state, with 16.7% of people contributing their time. Other participation rates, such as providing unpaid care or housework, are around the national average.

Tumut has one of the largest First Nations populations at this level, totalling 508 people. This group is noticeably younger than the general population, with a typical age of 21.

Family structures vary, but there is a much higher rate of one-parent families (18.4%) and people living alone (31.7%) than in most similar areas. On average, there are 2.3 people per home.

The area is dominated by separate houses (85.4%), which is far above the national average. While 36.8% of homes are owned outright, typical weekly rents are well below the national figure at $245.

Cars are essential for most, as 70% of people drive to work and only 0.5% use public transport. This is consistent with the fact that only 5.1% of people work from home, far below the state average.

The community has seen a fair amount of movement, with 35.9% of people moving in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 15.2% of the population.

Manufacturing, healthcare, and retail are the main industries. While full-time employment is around the national average, the proportion of adults working or looking for work (56.1%) is well below the national figure.

The area is somewhat walkable, and most homes are within a 15-minute walk of a park, school, or grocery store. However, very few homes (25.1%) are within a 10-minute walk of public transport, which is far below the state average.