Urban Centre · Area profile
Boorowa
6 km²
Set in the Hilltops region of New South Wales, Boorowa is a predominantly older community with a population of 1,402 people. It is a place where the typical resident is 50, far older than the national figure, and nearly 30% of the population are seniors. This aging trend is reflected in the local housing and health profiles, where many people live alone and a higher number of residents require help with daily activities. The town maintains a strong connection to its roots, with most residents born in Australia and a high proportion of homes owned outright.
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The community is far older than the state average, with the typical resident aged 50 and a significant 29.8% of people aged 65 and over. Since 2011, the population has shrunk by 47% to 1,402 people, while the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents has risen to 4.6%.
Boorowa is much less diverse than the rest of the country, with only 6.9% of people born overseas. English (44.6%) and Australian (37.8%) are the most common ancestries reported.
English is the primary language for the vast majority, with only 2.4% of people using another language at home. This is far below the national figure of 22.3%.
Christianity remains the most common faith at 59.3%. While the number of people reporting no religion rose to 25.7% since 2011, this is still far below the national average.
Educational attainment is lower than the state average, with 11.0% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. The proportion of residents who completed Year 12 has also fallen slightly to 34.7% since 2011.
Typical household incomes are far below those in the state, with the usual weekly amount being $1,059. Only 8.9% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, which is much lower than the New South Wales average.
Health needs are high here; 9.2% of people need help with daily activities, which is well above the national figure. Additionally, 37.4% of residents have a long-term health condition, most commonly arthritis.
Local volunteering is strong at 18.4%, well above the national figure of 14.1%. However, the number of people providing unpaid childcare and housework has fallen since 2011.
Living arrangements have shifted, with 36.2% of people now living alone, a rise of 19 points since 2011. This is much higher than in most other similar areas.
Housing is dominated by separate houses (91.7%) and a high rate of outright ownership at 46.0%. Typical weekly rents are $250, which is well below the national figure.
Reliance on cars is nearly universal, as 0.0% of people commute using public transport. Most homes have one or two vehicles, while 7.3% of workers operate from home.
The population is relatively stable, with 30.7% of people moving in the last five years, which is well below the national average of 40.7%.
Fewer adults are working or looking for work compared to most areas, at 44.0%. The local workforce is spread across health, education, and agriculture, with a low unemployment rate of 3.7%.
The town is somewhat walkable, with a high number of residents living within a 15-minute walk of health services (77.8%) and schools (83.4%), though no homes are within walking distance of public transport.