Suburb / Locality · Area profile
Wauchope
18 km²
A significantly large First Nations population sets Wauchope apart from most similar areas. This community is noticeably older than the national average, with over a quarter of residents aged 65 and over. While it is a large town of 6,589 people, it is marked by lower typical incomes and a higher need for health support. These factors combine to create a place where many residents face daily challenges with health and financial security.
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The area has a much higher proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people than most areas, at 10.2%. It is an older community, with a typical resident aged 43 and 25.4% of the population aged 65 or over, which is well above the national figure of 17.2%.
Wauchope is less diverse than the state average, with only 7.1% of people born overseas. Most residents were born in Australia (86.0%), and those with European roots primarily identify as Australian or English.
English is the dominant language here, with 91.8% of people using it at home. This is far below the New South Wales average, where 26.6% of people use a language other than English.
Over half of the community identifies as Christian, while 40.1% report having no religion. This lack of religious affiliation is a little above the national figure of 38.9%.
Educational attainment is much lower than in most areas, with only 33.2% of residents completing Year 12, compared to 58.8% nationally. Only 7.9% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, which is far below the state average.
Typical incomes are much lower than the national average, with a typical household earning $1,114 a week. Very few households earn $3,000 or more per week, at just 6.5%, which is far below the state figure of 25.2%.
Health challenges are common here, as 39.0% of people have a long-term health condition and 13.1% have a mental health condition. This is much higher than most areas, and 10.1% of residents need help with daily activities.
Unpaid care is a strong feature of the community, with 15.7% of people providing this support, which is well above the national figure of 11.9%. There is also a higher rate of Defence Force veterans compared to most areas.
The First Nations community is large and notably young, with a typical age of just 18. While unemployment among this group is well below the national rate at 5.9%, their typical personal income of $542 is lower than most areas.
One-parent families are very common, making up 24.7% of households, which is far above the national average of 14.1%. Additionally, 29.9% of people live alone, a rate higher than most areas.
Detached houses are the norm for 85.4% of homes, far above the state average. While 36.0% of homes are owned outright, renting is much more common here than in most similar areas at 32.1%.
Most people rely on cars to get to work, and only 0.4% use public transport. Working from home is very rare at 6.2%, which is far below the state figure of 31.0%.
The community has seen significant movement, with 39.8% of people moving in the last five years. However, recent arrivals from overseas are few, at just 4.3%.
Fewer people are working or looking for work compared to the national average, at 49.3%. The unemployment rate is 6.3%, which is a little above the national figure of 5.1%.
The town is somewhat walkable, though many homes are further from schools and parks than the state average. Notably, residents have much better access to health services within a 15-minute walk than those in other parts of NSW.