Urban Area · Area profile
Tamworth
241 km²
A significant number of residents identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander in Tamworth, where 14.1% of the population belongs to these groups. The community has grown rapidly, adding about 18,453 people since 2011. It is a relatively young area with a high proportion of children and a typical resident age of 37. This mix of a growing population and a strong Indigenous presence gives the town a distinct social character within New South Wales.
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Tamworth is much younger than most similar areas, with 20.6% of people under 15 and a typical age of 37. Its Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population is far above the national 3.2%, and has risen by 6.8 points since 2011.
Most residents were born in Australia, with only 9.7% born overseas—a figure far below the national average of 27.7%. English is the most common ancestry after Australian.
While English is the main language for 85.1% of people, those using another language at home rose to 7.4% by 2021. However, the proportion of people who speak little or no English remains well below the state figure.
Religion remains common here, with 55.8% of people identifying as Christians. The proportion of people with no religion is 32.4%, which is well below the national figure of 38.9%.
Qualifications have risen since 2011, with 15.5% of adults now holding a bachelor degree or higher. However, the 42.3% of residents who finished Year 12 is far below the national average.
Typical weekly household income is $1,411, which is a little below the national figure. While typical personal incomes are about the same as the national average, only 7.3% of people earn $2,000 or more per week.
Long-term health conditions are more common here than across Australia, affecting 33.0% of residents. This includes mental health conditions, which are reported by 11.1% of the population.
Volunteer rates have fallen to 14.2% since 2011. About 12.6% of residents provide unpaid care, which is a little above the New South Wales average.
One-parent families are much more common here than in most areas, making up 20.5% of households. Additionally, 30.1% of people live alone, which is well above the national average.
Separate houses are very common, making up 84.2% of homes. Renting is much more frequent than in most areas, with 37.5% of households renting at a typical weekly cost of $300.
The town is heavily reliant on cars, with only 0.3% of people using public transport to commute. Working from home has become more common, rising to 10.8% since 2011.
Tamworth has seen significant movement, with 43.1% of people moving house in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas have surged, now representing 31.4% of the population.
Full-time employment is much higher here than in most areas, at 63.2%. The largest industries for local workers are health care and social assistance, retail, and manufacturing.
The area is somewhat walkable, though many homes are far from essentials. Only 39% of residents live within a 15-minute walk of health services, which is far below the state average.