Urban Centre · Area profile
Morisset - Cooranbong
44 km²
A noticeably older population marks Morisset - Cooranbong, where the typical resident is 44. This community has seen a significant shift since 2016, with the number of seniors rising to 26.1%. It is a predominantly residential area where most people live in large, detached houses. While the population shrank by 35% recently, the area remains a significant hub within Lake Macquarie, blending a strong sense of home ownership with a growing number of retirees.
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Residents are generally older than those in the rest of the state, and 26.1% are seniors. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population is 5.9%, which is higher than most areas, though this fell 6.5 points since 2016.
Most people were born in Australia (82.6%), but the proportion of overseas-born residents rose to 13.6%. English, Australian, Scottish and Irish ancestries are the most common.
English is the main language for 90.8% of the community. Those who use another language at home make up 4.9% of the population, which is far below the national figure.
Over half the population identifies as Christian (54.4%). People with no religion make up 37.9%, a figure that rose 17 points since 2016.
A higher number of residents hold a bachelor degree or higher (16.6%) compared to similar areas, though this remains well below the national average. Those who completed Year 12 make up 41.3% of the community.
Typical household income is $1,399 a week, which is higher than in similar areas but well below the New South Wales figure. High earners are more common here than in similar areas, with 15.0% of households earning over $3,000 a week.
Health challenges are much more common here than in most areas, with 38.3% of people having a long-term health condition. Those needing help with daily activities rose to 8.7%, which is a little above the national average.
Unpaid care is common, as 13.3% of people provide unpaid care and 23.9% do 15 or more hours of housework weekly. Volunteering has fallen since 2016 to 15.1%.
Families with children are common, making up 51.1% of households. One-parent families are slightly more common here (16.8%) than in the rest of the state.
The area is dominated by detached houses (88.6%), with 78.1% of homes having three or more bedrooms. Home ownership is strong, as 37.2% of houses are owned outright, while renting fell to 24.8%.
Cars are essential here, with 55.6% of people driving to work and only 0.6% using public transport. Working from home rose sharply to 20.2% since 2016.
The area has seen significant movement, with 45.4% of people moving in the last five years. However, recent arrivals from overseas fell sharply to 6.3%.
About half the adults (52.4%) are working or looking for work, which is well below the national figure. The most common industries are health care and social assistance, followed by construction.
The area is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 3.9. Many residents live far from basic services, as only 37.7% are within a 15-minute walk of groceries.