Urban Centre · Area profile
Maclean
4 km²
A significantly older population than most similar areas defines Maclean, where the typical resident is 56 years old. This community is marked by a high proportion of seniors and a strong Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander presence. While the area is very walkable with many local services, it faces challenges with lower typical incomes and higher rates of long-term health conditions. Over the last decade, the population has grown slightly and become even older.
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Seniors make up 37% of the population, making Maclean far older than the national figure. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community is also well above the state average at 10.4%, a figure that has risen since 2011.
Most residents were born in Australia, though the proportion of people born overseas has risen to 10.8%. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, totaling 79.1% of the population.
English is the main language for nearly 90% of residents. While the use of other languages at home has risen to 4.4%, this remains far below the New South Wales average.
Over half of the community identifies as Christian, while those with no religion make up 36.5%. The proportion of people reporting no religion has risen sharply by 20 percentage points since 2011.
About 13.5% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, which is higher than most similar areas but far below the state average. There has been a steady increase in both university degrees and Year 12 completions since 2011.
Typical weekly household income is $964, which is much lower than the national figure of $1,746. Only 6.3% of households earn $3,000 or more a week, a result far below most other areas.
Health needs are high here, with 40.6% of people living with a long-term condition, far above the state average. This is reflected in the 14% of residents who need help with daily activities, among the highest for its level.
Volunteer rates have fallen to 15.6% since 2011. Unpaid care for children is much lower than most areas, likely linked to the community's older age profile.
People living alone make up 34.4% of the population, which is well above the national figure. One-parent families are also much more common here than in most similar areas, at 21.4%.
Detached houses are very common, accounting for 87.2% of homes. Ownership is high, with 45% of homes owned outright, far above the national average of 31%.
Most people rely on cars, with 62.1% driving to work. Very few residents use public transport for commuting, at just 0.6%.
The area has seen significant movement, with 41.2% of people moving in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas have also increased to 10.6% since 2011.
Fewer people are working or looking for work compared to most areas, at 39.5%. The unemployment rate of 7.2% is a little above the national figure, though it has fallen since 2011.
Maclean is very walkable, with a score of 6.5. Residents have excellent access to local amenities, with 98.8% living within a 15-minute walk of a park and 77.5% near health services.