Urban Centre · Area profile
Gunnedah
33 km²
A significant Indigenous presence defines Gunnedah, where 18.8% of the population identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. This is far above the national figure and has risen steeply since 2011. The community is younger than most Australian areas, with a typical resident aged 36 and a high number of children. It is a growing regional centre that has added over 1,600 people in the last decade, blending a strong mining industry with a high proportion of families.
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The population has grown 24% since 2011 to reach 8,338 people. It is a young community, with a typical age of 36, and 21.9% of residents are children under 15, which is well above the national average.
Most residents were born in Australia, and only 6.0% were born overseas, which is far below the state and national figures. English, Irish, and Scottish are the most common ancestries after Australian.
English is the primary language for 86.6% of the community. Only 4.1% of people use another language at home, a figure far below the national average and one that has fallen since 2011.
Over half of residents identify as Christian, while 34.0% report no religion. This lack of religious affiliation has risen by 23 percentage points since 2011, though it remains well below the national figure.
The area has a lower rate of higher education than the state, with 10.8% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. However, the number of people completing Year 12 has risen by 8.7 percentage points since 2011.
Weekly personal income is typically $763, and the typical family earns $1,871 per week. Both figures are higher than in most similar areas, and those earning $2,000 or more a week have increased to 10.5% since 2011.
A higher number of people need help with daily activities compared to most areas, at 7.3%. Long-term health conditions are also more common than the national average, with arthritis and asthma being the most reported.
Unpaid care for children is more common here than in most areas, at 27.2%. While volunteering is higher than the state average, the number of volunteers has fallen by 7.3 percentage points since 2011.
One-parent families are much more common than in most areas, making up 20.0% of households. Additionally, 32.7% of people live alone, which is well above the national figure.
Detached houses are very common, making up 85.6% of homes. Renting is more frequent than in most similar areas at 35.4%, and the typical weekly rent is $300.
Most people drive to work, with 65.7% using a car as the driver. Working from home is rare at 6.1%, which is far below the national average.
The community is quite mobile, with 40.9% of people moving in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas are also much more common here than in similar areas, at 21.2%.
Full-time employment is well above the national average at 64.5%. Mining is the most prominent industry at 15.9%, and the most common jobs are machinery operators and technicians.
The area is somewhat walkable, with most homes within a short walk of a park or public transport. However, only 29.1% of homes are within 15 minutes of groceries, which is far below the state average.