Tweed Heads West

Tweed Heads West is far older than most areas, with a typical age of 47 and a very high proportion of seniors at 29%. It also has a much higher Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population than the state average, at 6.5%.

While 73.2% of residents were born in Australia, the area has a much higher proportion of overseas-born residents than most similar areas, at 18.8%. The most common ancestries are English, Australian, Irish, and Scottish.

English is the main language for 83.3% of the community. While 7.4% of people use another language at home—which is higher than in similar areas—this is still far below the New South Wales average.

About 40.3% of people report having no religion, a figure that is a little above the national average. Christianity is the most common religious affiliation at 45.9%.

Educational attainment is lower than in most areas, with only 39.1% of residents completing Year 12, far below the national figure of 58.8%. Similarly, only 12.4% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher.

Incomes are much lower here than in most other areas. The typical household earns $1,029 a week, which is far below the New South Wales figure of $1,829.

Health challenges are common, with 35.2% of people living with a long-term health condition—well above the national average. This is reflected in the 7.8% of residents who need help with daily activities.

Volunteer rates are much lower than most areas at 10.7%. However, there is a slightly higher rate of former Defence Force members compared to the state average.

The First Nations community is among the largest at this level. While their unemployment rate is well below the national figure at 5.0%, their typical household income of $1,108 is much lower than most areas.

Single-person households are very common at 36.4%, far above the national average. One-parent families are also much more frequent here than in other areas, at 22.4%.

Homes here are typically smaller than average, with 50% having three or more bedrooms compared to 73.8% nationally. About 39.2% of homes are owned outright, which is well above the state average.

Most people commute by car, and only 9.2% work from home, which is far below the state and national figures. About 8.8% of homes have no motor vehicle, a rate higher than most areas.

The area is relatively mobile, with 38.2% of people moving in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 10.7% of the population.

The workforce is smaller than in most areas, with only 48.6% of adults working or looking for work. The unemployment rate of 5.8% is higher than the national average.

The area is quite walkable, with 76.6% of homes within a 15-minute walk of useful amenities. Residents have excellent access to health services and groceries, though no homes are within a 15-minute walk of a school.