Urban Area · Area profile
Goulburn
65 km²
A high rate of full-time employment defines Goulburn, where 61.5% of the working population is employed full-time. The community is predominantly Australian-born and English-speaking, though it has grown by 14% since 2011. It is a place of contrasts, featuring a high proportion of large detached houses alongside a significant number of people living alone. This blend of family homes and single-person households creates a diverse residential character in the heart of the region.
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The population is slightly older than the national figure, with 20.9% of residents aged 65 and over, a figure that rose 3.3 points since 2011. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 5.3% of the community.
The area is far less diverse than the state average, with only 10.8% of people born overseas. Australian and English are the most common ancestries, though the proportion of overseas-born residents rose 3.1 points since 2011.
English is the main language for 85.6% of the community, and the 6.7% who use another language at home is far below the national figure. Only 1.0% of residents speak little or no English.
Christianity remains the most common faith at 56.7%, while 31.0% of people report no religion. This latter group has grown significantly, rising 19 points since 2011.
Educational attainment is far below the national figure, with 41.0% of residents completing Year 12 and 14.1% holding a bachelor degree or higher. Both figures have risen since 2011.
Typical weekly household income is $1,418, which is well below the New South Wales figure. However, there has been a notable increase in wealth, with the share of households earning over $3,000 a week rising 9.9 points since 2011.
Health challenges are more common here than in most areas, with 35.4% of people living with a long-term health condition. This is well above the national figure of 27.7%.
Service to the country is more common here than in most areas, with 3.5% of people having served in the Defence Force. Conversely, the 13.0% who volunteer is much lower than in similar areas.
Single-person households are very common at 32.7%, well above the national figure. This sits alongside a high rate of one-parent families, which at 18.3% is well above the state average.
Detached houses are far more common than the national average, with 84.4% of homes being separate houses. Most of these are large, with 77.9% having three or more bedrooms.
Car travel is the primary way to get around, with 69.4% of people driving to work. Public transport use is very low, with only 0.4% of the population commuting this way.
The area is moderately mobile, with 40.0% of people moving in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals make up 16.5% of the population, which is a little above the national figure.
Full-time work is more common here than in most areas, and the unemployment rate of 4.5% is about the same as the state average. Many residents work in health care, social assistance, or public administration.
The area is only somewhat walkable, with a score of 4.8. While 91.1% of homes are near a park, far fewer have easy access to groceries (48.3%) or health services (40.2%).