Woolgoolga

The typical resident is 45, which is noticeably older than the national figure. Seniors make up 27.5% of the population, a figure far above the Australian average, while children under 15 have fallen to 15.5%.

People born overseas now make up 24.6% of the community, a sharp rise of 19 percentage points since 2016. This is reflected in the local ancestry, with 9.2% of residents claiming Indian heritage.

Language diversity has grown quickly, with 22.8% of people using a language other than English at home. Punjabi is the most common second language at 17.4%, and those who speak little or no English have risen to 5.0%.

People with no religion make up 34.3% of the community, a figure that rose 16 points since 2016. This is well below the national figure, though it remains a little above the state average.

The area has seen a rise in qualifications, with 16.8% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher and 45.2% completing Year 12. Both figures are higher than in most similar areas, though they remain well below the state average.

Typical weekly household income is $1,163, which is well below the national figure. While incomes have risen since 2016, only 11.9% of households earn $3,000 or more per week.

Long-term health conditions are reported by 33.9% of residents, which is well above the national average. This is consistent with the older population, as 7.3% of people need help with daily activities.

Volunteering has fallen to 14.9% since 2016. Around 12.2% of residents provide unpaid care, and 23.3% are caring for children without pay.

Homes tend to be larger than average with 2.4 people per dwelling. While 30.8% of people live alone, nearly half of all households are couples with children.

Home ownership is strong, with 44.0% of homes owned outright, far above the national figure. However, the typical weekly rent of $360 is much higher than in most similar areas.

Most people rely on cars, with 65.2% driving to work and only 0.3% using public transport. Very few people work from home at 8.4%, which is far below the national figure.

The community is highly mobile, with 44.2% of people moving in the last five years. This is driven by a high number of recent overseas arrivals, who now make up 25.2% of the population.

Agriculture, forestry and fishing is a major employer for 21.2% of the workforce. The unemployment rate is 6.2%, which is a little above the national figure.

The area is somewhat walkable with a score of 5.5. While 70.1% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries, many residents live further from parks, schools and health services than people in other parts of the state.