Waratah West

The area is much younger than most, with a typical age of 31 and far fewer children under 15 than the state average. There is a strong First Nations presence, and a higher proportion of people live in de facto relationships compared to the national figure.

About 18.7% of residents were born overseas, which is much higher than in similar areas, though still well below the New South Wales average. English and Australian are the most common ancestries.

While 80.7% of people speak only English, about 14.7% use another language at home, which is much higher than in most similar areas. However, this is still far below the state average.

A large number of residents report no religion, at 46.1%, which is far above the New South Wales figure of 33.2%. Christianity is the next most common affiliation at 40.1%.

The area has a high proportion of qualified adults, with 24.3% holding a bachelor degree or higher. This is much higher than most similar areas, though still a little below the national average.

Typical weekly household income is $1,518, which is a little below the national figure. Personal incomes are also lower than most similar areas, with 45.6% of people earning under $650 a week.

Residents face more health challenges than most, with 30.8% having a long-term health condition and 13.9% reporting a mental health condition, both of which are well above the national figures.

Unpaid work and volunteering are much lower here than in most similar areas. This includes fewer people caring for children unpaid and a lower rate of volunteering at 11.6%.

The First Nations community is sizable, with 231 people. The typical First Nations resident is noticeably younger than the national figure at 21, and the unemployment rate is slightly higher than the national average.

One-parent families are much more common here than in most similar areas, making up 18.6% of households. About 27.9% of people live alone, which is a little above the state average.

Rental properties are very common, with 44.1% of households renting, a figure far above the national average. Detached houses make up 85.2% of homes, which is far more than in most similar areas.

The area is well served by public transport, with 18 stops and a very high number of weekly departures per 1,000 people. However, only 1.8% of people use public transport to commute.

The community is highly transient, with 49.7% of people moving in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals are also among the highest at this level, at 29.1%.

Unemployment is a little above the national figure at 6.0%. While more adults are working or looking for work than in most similar areas, full-time employment is well below the state average.

Most homes are within a short walk of a park, school or health service. However, the area is far below the state average for access to groceries, with only 23.2% of homes within a 15-minute walk.