Urban Centre · Area profile
Nambucca Heads
14 km²
A typical resident in Nambucca Heads is 57, making the community far older than most across Australia. It is a place where seniors make up 37.5% of the population, a figure that has risen sharply since 2011. This aging profile is reflected in the local lifestyle, with many people living alone and a high number of residents requiring help with daily activities. Despite these challenges, the population has grown by 13% over the last decade, adding about 778 people to the area.
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Seniors are very prominent here, with the 65 and over group making up 37.5% of the population. In contrast, children under 15 have fallen to 13.6%, which is well below the national figure. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population is also much higher than most areas at 10.1%.
Most residents were born in Australia, though the proportion of people born overseas has risen to 11.3% since 2011. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, followed by Irish and Scottish.
English is the dominant language, with only 3.4% of people using another language at home, far below the New South Wales figure. Those who speak little or no English make up 0.5% of the population.
Religious affiliation has shifted, as those with no religion rose to 39.2% since 2011. This is about the same as the national figure, while Christianity remains the most common affiliation at 48.5%.
Education levels are lower than the state average, with only 32.6% of residents completing Year 12. Those with a bachelor degree or higher make up 10.3%, which is far below the national figure.
Incomes are much lower than in most areas, with a typical household earning $839 a week, far below the national figure of $1,746. Very few households, just 5.1%, earn $3,000 or more per week.
Health needs are high, as 43.7% of people have a long-term health condition. This is far above the national figure, and 12.2% of residents need help with daily activities, which is among the highest for its level.
Unpaid care is common, with 14.1% of people providing this support, a figure slightly above the national average. There is also a notable presence of former Defence Force members at 5.2%.
Living arrangements are distinctive, as 42.4% of people live alone, far above the state average. One-parent families are also much more common than most areas, making up 23.5% of households.
Home ownership is strong, with 46% of homes owned outright, far above the national figure. Renting is also more common than usual at 33.3%, though typical weekly rents of $280 are well below the state average.
Most people rely on cars, and very few, just 0.2%, commute by public transport. This is consistent with the fact that 52.7% of homes have only one vehicle, while 9.7% have none.
The community is relatively stable, with 35.9% of people moving in the last five years, which is well below the national figure. Recent overseas arrivals have also fallen sharply to 4.8% since 2011.
Working or looking for work is much less common here than in most areas, with only 36.5% of adults in the workforce. The unemployment rate is 7.9%, which is well above the state average.
The area is somewhat walkable, with 77.7% of homes within a 15-minute walk of groceries and 71.9% near health services. However, only 47% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of a school.