Urban Centre · Area profile
Hawks Nest
14 km²
Tucked away in the Mid-Coast region, Hawks Nest is a very walkable seaside community with a strong senior presence. It is a place where 42.3% of residents are aged 65 or over, making it far older than the national figure. The population has shrunk by 37% since 2011, reflecting a shift toward a smaller, more mature community. This character is seen in the housing, where most people own their homes outright and live in quiet, spacious settings.
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The community is far older than most areas, with a typical resident aged 61 and children under 15 making up only 10.0% of the population. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 5.8% of the residents, a figure that has risen since 2011.
English and Australian are the most common ancestries. While only 14.4% of people were born overseas—which is far below the national figure—this proportion has risen by 5.4 points since 2011.
English is the main language for 86.8% of residents. About 5.0% of people use another language at home, which is higher than in similar areas but still far below the state and national figures.
More than half of the community identifies as Christian. Those with no religion make up 30.8% of residents, which is a little below the New South Wales figure but has risen by 14 points since 2011.
The area has seen a rise in qualifications, with those holding a bachelor degree or higher increasing by 12 points since 2011 to 18.8%. This is much higher than in similar areas, though still well below the state average.
Typical weekly household income is $1,096, which is well below the national figure of $1,746. While typical incomes are lower than most areas, the number of people earning $2,000 or more a week has risen to 7.6%.
Health challenges are more common here than in most areas, with 40.4% of people having a long-term health condition. About 9.7% of residents need help with daily activities, which is well above the national figure.
Volunteering is strong at 18.4%, which is well above the national average. Fewer people care for children unpaid compared to other areas, but 25.9% of residents spend 15 or more hours a week on unpaid housework.
Homes are smaller and more likely to be occupied by single people, with 34.8% of residents living alone. This is well above the national figure, and the typical home has only 2.0 people.
Home ownership is very high, with 54.8% of homes owned outright—far above the national figure of 31.0%. Most residents live in separate houses, and 73.6% of homes have three or more bedrooms.
The area is heavily reliant on cars, as 0.0% of people commute by public transport. However, working from home has become much more common, rising 18 points since 2011 to 22.2%.
The community is quite mobile, with 43.6% of people having moved in the last five years, which is a little above the national average. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 8.3% of the population.
Only 37.0% of adults are working or looking for work, which is far below the national figure. Those who are employed often work in health care and social assistance or accommodation and food services.
The town is very walkable, with a score of 6.6. Residents have excellent access to amenities, as 99.5% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of a park and 85.8% are near health services.