Urban Centre · Area profile
Narooma
8 km²
Far more residents in Narooma are seniors compared to the rest of the country, with 39.1% of the population aged 65 and over. This is a mature community where the typical person is 58, making it far older than the national figure. While the population has shrunk by 12% since 2011, it remains a distinct area with a higher proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people than most of New South Wales. The town's character is shaped by this older demographic and a high rate of home ownership.
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The community is significantly older than the state average, with a typical age of 58 and far fewer children under 15. While the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population is well above the national figure at 7.0%, this proportion has fallen since 2011.
English and Australian ancestries are most common, and while the number of people born overseas has risen to 14.0%, this is still far below the national average.
English is the main language for 90.3% of residents, and the proportion of people who speak another language at home is far below the New South Wales figure.
The number of people reporting no religion has risen sharply since 2011 to 44.6%, which is well above the national average.
More adults here have a bachelor degree or higher than in most similar areas, though the figure is still far below the state average.
Typical incomes are much lower than the national figure, with the usual household earning $937 a week and very few homes earning over $3,000 weekly.
Long-term health conditions are much more common here than in most areas, affecting 39.8% of people, with arthritis and mental health being the most reported.
Volunteering is well above the state average at 19.7%, and more people provide unpaid care than in most other areas.
This area has a high number of people living alone—38.1%—which helps explain why homes are smaller, with only 2.0 people per home on average.
A huge 54.4% of homes are owned outright, far above the national figure, and most of these are separate houses.
Most people rely on cars to get to work, as only 0.8% of residents use public transport for their commute.
The number of recent arrivals from overseas has fallen sharply since 2011 to just 2.3%, which is far below the national average.
Fewer adults are working or looking for work compared to most areas, and full-time employment has fallen by 13 points since 2011.
The area is somewhat walkable with a score of 5.3, and while most homes are within a short walk of public transport and groceries, they are far less likely to be near a school or health service.