Urban Centre · Area profile
Hay
11 km²
The population of Hay has grown by 97% since 2011, nearly doubling in size to 2,208 people. It is an older community where the typical resident is 49, though the average age has dropped since 2011. The area is distinguished by a strong Indigenous presence and a high proportion of seniors. While it remains a regional hub with a high rate of volunteers, it faces challenges with lower typical incomes and fewer residents with university qualifications.
Explore Hay by topic
Indigenous people make up 9.3% of the population, which is well above the national figure of 3.2%. The community is older than most, with 26.1% of residents aged 65 and over, although this is 12 percentage points lower than in 2011.
Most residents were born in Australia, and those born overseas make up only 7.5% of the population, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, each accounting for about 41% of the community.
English is the primary language for 84% of residents. Only 4.8% of people use another language at home, and very few—just 0.5%—speak little or no English.
Christianity is the most common religion at 60.6%. Those reporting no religion make up 24.7% of the population, a figure that is far below the national average of 38.9%.
Qualifications are lower than in most areas, with only 7.7% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Just over 32% of residents completed Year 12, which is far below the state and national figures of around 59%.
Typical weekly household income is $1,116, which is well below the national figure of $1,746. Low earners are common, with 25% of households earning under $650 a week.
A long-term health condition affects 36.6% of the population, which is well above the national figure of 27.7%. Asthma and arthritis are the most frequently reported conditions.
Volunteering is common here, with 20.2% of people volunteering, which is well above the national figure of 14.1%. However, fewer people provide unpaid childcare compared to the state average.
A large number of people live alone—36.9%—which is far above the national figure of 25.6%. One-parent families are also more common here than in most areas, making up 18.6% of households.
Most residents live in separate houses (90.4%), and 41.6% own their homes outright. Rent is much lower than the national average, with a typical weekly rent of $173.
Cars are the primary way to get to work, with 65.2% of people driving. Public transport is almost never used for commuting, and only 5.6% of people work from home.
The community is relatively stable, as the share of people who moved in the last five years fell to 28.0% since 2011. Interestingly, recent arrivals from overseas rose to 16.9% over the same period.
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing are key industries, employing 13.2% of the workforce. Full-time employment is slightly higher than the national average, with 59.6% of the workforce in full-time roles.
The area is reasonably walkable, with 97.9% of homes within 15 minutes of a park and 77.2% near groceries. However, it is very poorly connected to public transport, with only 3% of homes within a 10-minute walk of a stop.