Broken Hill

The typical resident is 44, making the area noticeably older than the state and national averages. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 10% of the population, a figure that has risen by 4.3 percentage points since 2011.

Most residents were born in Australia (86%), and the area has far fewer overseas-born residents than the national average. This is reflected in the heritage data, with Australian and English ancestries being the most common.

English is the primary language for 88% of people, and the proportion of those using another language at home is far below the state figure. Only 0.4% of the population speak little or no English.

A striking 49.2% of residents report no religion, which is far above the national figure. This represents a large shift over the last decade, rising by 31 percentage points since 2011.

The area has a much lower rate of Year 12 completion than most similar areas, at 29%. Qualifications are often practical, with 39.3% of the highest qualifications being a Certificate III or IV.

Typical weekly household income is $1,167, which is well below the national figure. While the number of people earning $2,000 or more a week has risen since 2011, overall incomes remain lower than in the wider state.

Long-term health conditions are far more common here than in the rest of the country, affecting 38.2% of people. This includes a higher-than-average rate of mental health conditions at 11.9%.

Volunteer rates have fallen by 4.7 percentage points since 2011 to 13.3%. The area also has fewer people caring for children unpaid compared to national figures.

Single-person households are very common, with 37.2% of people living alone. There is also a much higher proportion of one-parent families than in most other areas.

Separate houses dominate the landscape at 94.6%, and 42.1% of homes are owned outright. This helps keep housing costs low, with typical weekly rents at $220, far below the national figure.

Cars are essential for most, as only 0.1% of people commute by public transport. Very few people work from home (4.0%), which is far below the state average.

While fewer people have moved into the area in the last five years compared to the state average, there has been a notable increase in recent arrivals from overseas.

Full-time employment is well above the national average at 61.6%. The workforce is concentrated in health care, retail, and mining, with 51.9% of adults working or looking for work.

The area is very walkable, with 93.5% of homes having a 15-minute-city walkshed. Most residents are within a short walk of groceries, schools, and public transport.