Gulgong

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population rose sharply to 9.2% since 2011, which is well above the national figure. Children under 15 also make up a higher share of the community at 20.6%.

The community is overwhelmingly Australian-born, with 84.2% born here and only 7.3% born overseas, a figure far below the state and national averages.

English is the primary language for 90.9% of residents. Very few people use another language at home (2.3%), and no one reported speaking little or no English in 2021.

Over half the population identifies as Christian (52.6%), while 36.4% report no religion. This last group has grown by 24 points since 2011.

Qualifications are lower than most areas, with only 8.4% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. However, the share of residents who completed Year 12 rose 9.6 points since 2011 to 34.1%.

Typical weekly household income is $1,288, which is well below the national figure of $1,746. While this has risen by $645 since 2011, personal incomes remain low, with 45.2% of people earning under $650 a week.

Long-term health conditions are more common here than elsewhere, affecting 33.0% of people. This includes arthritis (12.6%) and asthma (11.6%), and a higher share of residents need help with daily activities compared to the state.

Unpaid care is a common feature of life here, with 27.1% of people caring for children and 25.7% doing significant unpaid housework. Volunteering has fallen sharply since 2011, dropping 14 points to 14.6%.

One-parent families are much more common here than in most areas, making up 20.0% of households. A high number of people also live alone, accounting for 33.3% of homes.

The area is dominated by separate houses (92.8%), many of which are large with three or more bedrooms. While 37.4% of homes are owned outright, the share of renters has risen to 28.5% since 2011.

Cars are essential, as 0.0% of people commute by public transport and 66.8% drive to work. Very few residents work from home (4.4%), which is far below the national average.

Gulgong has seen a lot of movement, with 41.0% of people moving house in the last five years. This is a rise of 11 points since 2011.

Mining is the largest employer at 19.6% of the workforce. Full-time employment is much higher here than in most similar areas, at 61.7%, and the unemployment rate has fallen to 4.4% since 2011.

The town is very walkable, with 90.2% of homes within a 15-minute walk of groceries and 96.6% near a school. However, access to health services is poor, with only 21.5% of homes within a 15-minute walk.