Urban Area · Area profile
Armidale
275 km²
Daily life in Armidale is shaped by a high number of professionals and a strong connection to education. The typical resident is 36, making it noticeably younger than most similar areas. It is a place of contrast, where a highly qualified workforce and a growing number of overseas arrivals live alongside a significant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. With many people working from home and a high rate of volunteering, the community maintains a distinct local character in regional New South Wales.
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 7.9% of the population, which is well above the national figure of 3.2%. While the area is younger than most, the proportion of seniors has risen to 18.4% since 2011.
People born overseas account for 16.4% of the population, a figure that has risen since 2011. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, making up 36.1% and 34.9% respectively.
The number of people using a language other than English at home has risen to 11.7%, which is much higher than in most similar areas. However, this remains far below the New South Wales average of 26.6%.
Religious affiliation is varied, with 44.4% of people identifying as Christian. Those reporting no religion now make up 36.8%, a significant increase of 15 points since 2011.
Armidale is highly qualified, with 28.7% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. This is among the highest for its level, and the number of people who completed Year 12 has also risen to 57.2%.
Typical weekly household income is $1,432, which is well below the New South Wales figure of $1,829. Despite this, the number of households earning $3,000 or more a week has risen by 9.8 points since 2011.
The area has a lower proportion of people needing help with daily activities than most similar areas. However, 29.9% of residents have a long-term health condition, which is a little above the national average.
Volunteering is very common here, with 20.0% of people helping out, though this is down from 27.1% in 2011. This high level of engagement sits alongside a lower-than-usual rate of people caring for children unpaid.
Living arrangements are distinctive, with a much higher than usual 32.8% of people living alone. One-parent families also make up 17.4% of households, well above the national figure of 14.1%.
Renters make up 37.7% of households, which is much higher than most areas. Detached houses are very common at 81.8%, and 75.2% of homes have three or more bedrooms.
Working from home is very popular at 22.0%, a huge increase from 3.9% in 2011. Conversely, only 0.3% of people commute using public transport, which is much lower than in most areas.
The community is quite mobile, with 45.9% of people having moved in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas are especially common, representing 37.9% of the population.
Jobs in education and health are prominent, reflecting the local professional population. The unemployment rate is 5.7%, which is much higher than in most similar areas.
Armidale is somewhat walkable with a score of 5.8, and has more walkable amenities per 1,000 residents than the state average. While 89.3% of homes are near a park, only 59.3% are within a 15-minute walk of groceries.