Urban Area · Area profile
Batemans Bay
94 km²
The population of Batemans Bay has grown by 11% since 2011, reflecting a community that is becoming increasingly older. It is a place where seniors now make up nearly a third of the residents, while children under 15 are much less common than in other areas. With a high proportion of people owning their homes outright, the town has a settled feel, though it remains a regional hub where many people work in health, retail, and construction.
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This is an older community where the typical resident is 53, far older than the national figure of 38. The number of people aged 65 and over has risen to 32.2%, while the proportion of children under 15 has fallen to 14.7% since 2011.
Most residents were born in Australia, though 15.4% were born overseas, a figure that has risen slightly since 2011. English, Australian, and Irish are the most common ancestries.
English is the main language spoken here, with only 5.3% of people using another language at home. This is far below the national figure of 22.3%.
About half of the population identifies as Christian, while those with no religion now make up 39.4%. This is a significant increase of 20 percentage points since 2011.
Educational attainment is lower than the state average, with 40% of adults completing Year 12 and 14.6% holding a bachelor degree or higher.
Typical incomes are much lower than the national figure, with the typical household earning $1,170 a week. Only 9.4% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly, though this has risen since 2011.
Health needs are high here, with 38.3% of people living with a long-term health condition. About 8.3% of residents need help with daily activities, which is higher than most areas.
The community has a strong history of service, with 4.6% of people having served in the Defence Force. Around 15% of residents are volunteers, and 24.3% do a fair amount of unpaid housework.
Homes here tend to be smaller, with 2.2 people per household. This is consistent with the high number of people living alone, who make up 31.4% of the population.
Home ownership is very high, with 45.4% of homes owned outright. Most residents live in separate houses, and 77.2% of homes have three or more bedrooms.
Cars are essential for getting around, as 66% of people drive to work and very few use public transport. Only 5.5% of homes do not have a motor vehicle.
The area has seen a fair bit of movement, with 41.9% of people moving house in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 6% of the population.
Fewer people here are working or looking for work compared to the state average, at 44.7%. The local workforce is mainly employed in health care, retail, and construction.
The area is considered somewhat walkable, though many homes are far from schools and groceries. However, 84.7% of homes are within a 10-minute walk of public transport.