Urban Centre · Area profile
Tathra
7 km²
Daily life in Tathra is defined by a relaxed pace and a very high proportion of older residents. The typical person here is 57, far older than the national figure, and a third of the population are seniors. This shift toward an older own-home community is striking, as the number of children has fallen sharply since 2011. It is a place where many people are retired or well-qualified, creating a quiet, established coastal atmosphere.
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Tathra is an ageing community where 33.4% of people are aged 65 or over, far above the national figure. This trend has accelerated since 2011, while the share of children under 15 has fallen by 9.2 points to 11.0%.
Most residents were born in Australia, and the area is far less diverse than the state average, with only 11.4% born overseas. English and Australian are the most common ancestries.
English is the primary language for 92.0% of the community. The proportion of people using another language at home is 4.1%, which is far below the national figure.
About half of the population (49.2%) report having no religion, a figure far above the national average. This has risen by 29 points since 2011.
The community is highly qualified, with 27.9% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. This is a significant increase from 2011, when only 6.9% held such a degree.
Typical weekly household income is $1,219, which is well below the national figure of $1,746. However, a higher-than-usual 13.3% of households earn $3,000 or more per week.
Long-term health conditions are more common here than in most areas, affecting 36.6% of people. Arthritis is the most frequent condition, reported by 14.4% of residents.
Volunteering is very common, with 32.0% of people giving their time—far above the national figure of 14.1%. Unpaid care and housework are also more common than in most areas.
Homes here are smaller than usual, with only 2.0 people per household. This is consistent with the fact that 35.7% of people live alone, which is far above the state average.
Home ownership is very high, with 49.7% of homes owned outright. While separate houses are common, the share of homes with three or more bedrooms fell by 16 points since 2011.
Cars are the primary way to get around, and 42.8% of homes have two vehicles. Public transport is rarely used for commuting, with 0.0% of the workforce using it.
Tathra is a relatively stable community, as fewer people have moved in the last five years (32.1%) compared to the national figure. However, recent overseas arrivals have risen to 8.7% since 2011.
Fewer adults are working or looking for work (49.6%) compared to the national figure, likely reflecting the high number of retirees. The unemployment rate is very low at 2.7%.
The area is quite walkable, with 90.2% of homes within a 15-minute walk of health services and 86.1% near groceries. This is far above the state average for accessibility.