Bega

The population is notably older than the national average, with a typical resident aged 43 and nearly a quarter of the community aged 65 or over. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 7.5% of the population, a figure that rose 4.0 points since 2011.

Most residents were born in Australia, and those born overseas make up only 9.1% of the population, which is far below the national figure. The most common ancestries are Australian, English, Irish, and Scottish.

English is the dominant language, with only 4.5% of people using another language at home. This is far below the state and national figures, and the proportion has fallen since 2011.

A large number of residents report having no religion, accounting for 45.3% of the population. This is well above the national figure and represents a 25 point increase since 2011.

The community has seen a rise in qualifications, with the share of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher climbing 11 points since 2011 to reach 15.0%. However, this remains far below the state average.

Typical weekly incomes are well below those in the rest of the country, with a typical household earning $1,134. Those earning $3,000 or more per week make up just 9.4% of households.

Long-term health issues are more common here than in most areas, particularly mental health conditions, which affect 12.4% of the population. About 8.3% of people need help with daily activities.

Volunteering is more common than the state average at 16.5%. Additionally, a higher share of the population provides unpaid care compared to the national figure.

One-parent families are much more common here than in most areas, making up 24.5% of households. People living alone are also well represented at 34.3%.

Separate houses are very common, though the share of detached homes fell slightly since 2011. Renting has become much more common, now accounting for 35.5% of households.

Most people drive to work, and 10.1% of homes have no motor vehicle, which is much higher than in most similar areas. Very few people use public transport to commute.

The area has seen significant movement, with nearly 40% of people moving in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas have also increased sharply, rising 11 points since 2011.

Health care and social assistance are the biggest employers, with 22.2% of the workforce in this sector. Full-time employment is lower than the national average, though the unemployment rate of 3.8% is a little below the state figure.

Bega is very walkable, with nearly every home within a 15-minute walk of a park. Residents also have much better access to health services by foot than the state average.