Suburb / Locality · Area profile
West Wyalong
801 km²
Daily life in West Wyalong centers around a stable, aging community with a strong connection to the land. It is a place where one in four residents is a senior, and there is a notable First Nations presence. The town is defined by a high rate of home ownership and a workforce heavily involved in mining and agriculture. This creates a relaxed pace of life where most people own their homes outright and live in spacious, detached houses.
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The area has a significant First Nations population at 7.6%, which is well above the national figure. It is also an older community, with 25.1% of people aged 65 and over, far higher than the state average.
Most residents were born in Australia, and only 6.5% were born overseas, which is far below the New South Wales figure. Those with European roots primarily identify as Australian, English, Irish or Scottish.
English is the primary language for 88.3% of the community. Only 3.4% of people use another language at home, which is far below the national average.
Faith remains important here, as 67.5% of people identify as Christians. This helps explain why the proportion of people with no religion is far below the national figure.
Educational attainment is much lower than in most areas, with only 35.5% of residents completing Year 12. This is far below the state and national figures.
Typical weekly household income is $1,427, which is well below the New South Wales figure. However, the area has a higher proportion of people earning $2,000 or more a week than most similar areas.
Long-term health conditions are more common here than in the state average, affecting 30% of residents. Arthritis is the most reported condition at 12.5%.
Volunteering is very high at 22.1%, well above the national figure. More people also spend time caring for children unpaid compared to most other areas.
The First Nations community is relatively large and notably young, with a typical age of 19. While unemployment among this group is far below the national figure, Year 12 completion is also much lower.
Living arrangements are varied, with a high proportion of people living alone (34%) and a high number of one-parent families. The typical home is smaller than usual, with 2.3 people per household.
Housing is overwhelmingly detached, with 87.8% of homes being separate houses. Many residents have security in their housing, as 44.3% own their homes outright, far above the national average.
While 59% of people drive to work, West Wyalong has a higher use of public transport for commuting than most similar areas. Very few people work from home, at just 7.5%.
The community has seen some movement, with 33.8% of people moving in the last five years. Notably, recent overseas arrivals make up 20.4% of the population, which is well above the national figure.
Mining (16.6%) and agriculture (10.4%) are the dominant industries. The area has a strong employment rate, with an unemployment rate of 2.4%, which is lower than the state average.
The town is somewhat walkable, and residents have far better access to health services and groceries within a 15-minute walk than the state average. However, far fewer people are within a 10-minute walk of public transport.