West Kempsey

About 20.6% of the population are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, which is far above the national figure of 3.2%. The community is also older than most, with 23.7% of residents aged 65 and over.

The area is predominantly Australian born, with only 5.7% of people born overseas, which is far below the New South Wales figure of 29.3%. Most residents claim Australian or English ancestry.

English is the primary language for 86.8% of the community. Only 3.0% of people use another language at home, which is far below the national average of 22.3%.

Over half of the population, 50.3%, identify as Christian. Another 36.3% report no religion, a figure that is a little below the national average of 38.9%.

Education levels are much lower than in most areas, with only 28.3% of residents completing Year 12, far below the national figure of 58.8%. Just 6.9% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher.

Incomes are much lower than usual, with a typical household earning $925 a week, far below the national figure of $1,746. Only 5.1% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly.

Health challenges are common here, as 39.4% of people have a long-term health condition and 15.2% have a mental health condition, both of which are far above state figures.

A higher than average 14.3% of residents provide unpaid care. However, volunteering is much lower than in other areas, at 10.8%.

The community has one of the largest First Nations populations in the region, though this group faces high unemployment at 21.5% and a typical personal income of $455 per week.

One-parent families are very common at 36.3%, far above the national figure of 14.1%. This is alongside a high proportion of people living alone, who make up 34.0% of households.

Separate houses make up 88.5% of homes, far above the state average. Renting is also much more common than in most areas, at 39.6% of households.

Most people rely on cars, and 11.0% of homes have no motor vehicle, which is well above the national figure. Only 2.9% of people work from home, one of the lowest rates in the region.

About 35.8% of residents moved house in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas are relatively uncommon, at 8.3%.

Working or looking for work is much lower than average at 40.2%, and the unemployment rate of 11.2% is well above the national figure of 5.1%. Health care and social assistance are the main industries for workers.

The area is very accessible, with 96.5% of homes within a 10 minute walk of public transport and 99.4% within 15 minutes of a park.