Waratah

The community is noticeably older than the national figure, with 25% of residents aged 65 and over. This contributes to a much lower proportion of children under 15, at just 12.2%.

Most residents were born in Australia, and those born overseas make up 16% of the population, which is far below the New South Wales figure of 29.3%. English and Australian are the most common ancestries.

English is the primary tongue for 78.7% of people, and while the 11.2% who use another language at home is much higher than in similar areas, it remains far below the state average.

About 39.6% of people report no religion, which is well above the state average of 33.2%, while 43.5% identify as Christian.

The area is well-qualified, with a bachelor degree or higher held by 24.1% of adults, a figure that is much higher than most similar areas.

Typical weekly family income is $2,090, which is about the same as the national figure of $2,120.

Health challenges are significant here, with 36.3% of people living with a long-term health condition and 15.2% reporting a mental health condition, both of which are among the highest rates for its level.

Participation in unpaid care and housework is among the lowest for similar areas, while 3.6% of residents have served in the Defence Force, which is higher than most areas.

There are 221 First Nations people in the area, with a Year 12 completion rate of 43.8% that is well above the national figure of 37.0%.

Living arrangements are varied, as 35.9% of people live alone and 20.8% of families are one-parent households, both of which are much higher than in most areas.

Renting is very common at 46.4%, which is far above the national average of 30.6%. Conversely, only 21.3% of homes are owned outright, a figure far below the state average.

Public transport access is a major feature, with 43 stops and a typical walk of just 3 minutes to the nearest one, which is much lower than most areas.

The area is quite dynamic, with 43.5% of people having moved in the last five years and 19.5% arriving recently from overseas.

Many residents work in health care and social assistance (22.8%) or education and training (10.5%), though the percentage of adults working or looking for work is lower than most areas.

Waratah is a walker's paradise with a score of 8.7, where 100% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of public transport, parks, schools, and health services.