Urban Centre · Area profile
Dubbo
86 km²
A massive population jump of 81% since 2011 has transformed Dubbo into a rapidly growing regional hub. It is a notably young community where the typical resident is just 35, and children under 15 make up over 21% of the people. This growth is driven by a high number of recent overseas arrivals and a strong professional workforce. The area is distinctive for its significant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, which now makes up 16.7% of the population.
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The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population has risen sharply to 16.7%, which is far above the national figure. Dubbo is also much younger than most areas, with a typical age of 35 and a high proportion of children.
While 80.4% of residents were born in Australia, there has been a rise in people born overseas to 11.2%. The most common ancestries are Australian and English, followed by Irish and Scottish.
More people are using another language at home than in 2011, now reaching 9.8%. Despite this increase, English remains dominant and only 1.0% of the community speaks little or no English.
Christianity is the most common faith at 56.0%, while those with no religion make up 28.1%. This figure for no religion is far below the national average, though it has risen 16 points since 2011.
The community is becoming more qualified, with the share of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher rising to 19.1% since 2011. Many residents have completed Year 12, which is higher than in most similar areas.
Typical weekly personal income is $867, which is about the same as the national figure. Typical family incomes have risen significantly since 2011 and are now much higher than in most similar areas.
About 31.1% of residents have a long-term health condition, which is well above the state average. Mental health and asthma are among the most commonly reported conditions.
A higher than average 28.7% of people spend time caring for children unpaid. However, the number of volunteers has fallen to 13.3%, which is much lower than in most similar areas.
Families with one parent are more common here than in most areas, at 18.8%. Homes tend to be slightly larger than usual, with an average of 2.5 people per household.
Detached houses are very common at 81.7%, and 78% of homes have three or more bedrooms. Renting is more common than in most areas, while far fewer people own their homes outright compared to the state average.
Most people drive to work, and only 0.4% use public transport. Very few homes lack a motor vehicle, with only 6.0% having none.
Dubbo is a highly mobile area, with 43.8% of people moving house in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals are among the highest for this level at 25.2%.
The area has a strong workforce, with 62.8% of adults working or looking for work and an unemployment rate of 3.6%. Jobs are heavily concentrated in health care, social assistance, and retail.
Most homes are within a short walk of parks and public transport, but far fewer are near health services or groceries compared to the state average. The overall walkability score is 5.7, making it somewhat walkable.