State Electorate · Area profile
Coffs Harbour
1,174 km²
A noticeably older population sets Coffs Harbour apart from the rest of the state, where the typical resident is 44. This community has grown steadily, adding about 7,120 people since 2011. It is a place where many residents are retirees, with a high proportion of seniors and a significant number of people who own their homes outright. While it remains predominantly Australian in heritage, there is a growing trend of new overseas arrivals moving to the area.
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The area is older than the national figure, with people aged 65 and over making up 23.1% of the population. It also has a much higher proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (5.8%) compared to the 3.2% national average.
Most residents were born in Australia (78.4%), and the area has far fewer overseas-born people (15.6%) than the New South Wales average of 29.3%. However, this figure has risen by 8.7 percentage points since 2011.
English is the main language for 84.8% of the community. The proportion of people using another language at home is far below the national figure, though it has risen from 1.8% in 2011 to 9.2%.
A large number of residents report having no religion (42.1%), which is well above the national average of 38.9%. This trend has grown significantly, rising 23 percentage points since 2011.
Fewer people here have completed Year 12 (45.3%) or hold a bachelor degree (18.2%) compared to state and national figures. Despite this, there are more schools per 1,000 children than in most similar areas.
Typical incomes are much lower than the national figure, with the typical household earning $1,363 a week. Very few households earn $3,000 or more per week (13.9%) compared to 22.6% across Australia.
Health challenges are more common here, as 33% of people have a long-term health condition. This is well above the national figure, and the area also has a higher rate of mental health conditions (10.8%).
Unpaid care is more common here than in most areas, with 13.1% of people providing such support. Volunteers make up 15.1% of the community, which is slightly above the national average.
The area has a much higher rate of one-parent families (17.2%) than the national average of 14.1%. People living alone are also more common, accounting for 27.5% of households.
Home ownership is strong, with 37.3% of homes owned outright—well above the national figure. Separate houses are the most common dwelling type (75.7%), and the typical weekly rent is $375.
Cars are the primary way to get around, as only 0.7% of people commute by public transport. Working from home is also much less common here (10.7%) than across the state (31%).
The area is seeing a surge in international migration, with recent overseas arrivals (18.3%) being well above the national average. About 40.5% of the population moved house in the last five years.
Fewer adults are working or looking for work (55.5%) compared to the national average of 61.1%. The most common industries for local workers are health care and social assistance.
The area is only somewhat walkable, with a score of 4.6, which is well below the state average. Only about half of homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries or schools.