Urban Centre · Area profile
Valla Beach
2 km²
A far older population than the national average marks Valla Beach, where the typical resident is 55. This coastal community is largely made up of seniors, with over a third of people aged 65 and over. It is a place of high home ownership and a growing number of people with no religious affiliation. While the population has shrunk by 48% since 2011, the area remains a preference for older adults and retirees.
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The community is significantly older than most areas, with the typical age being 55 and 34.1% of residents aged 65 and over. Conversely, children under 15 make up only 14.4% of the population, which is well below the national figure.
Most residents were born in Australia, though 13.5% were born overseas, a figure that has fallen since 2011. The most common ancestries are English, Australian, Irish, and Scottish.
English is the primary language for 90.1% of the community. Those using another language at home fell to 3.8% in 2021, which is far below the New South Wales average.
Nearly half the population (48.3%) report having no religion, a figure that rose by 27 percentage points since 2011 and is well above the national average.
Education levels are relatively high, with a quarter of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. This is a rise since 2011, and 47.3% of residents have completed Year 12.
Typical weekly household income is $1,084, which is far below the state figure. While 14.2% of households earn $3,000 or more a week, typical personal income is well below the national average at $597.
Long-term health conditions are more common here than in most areas, affecting 35.5% of people. Arthritis is the most reported condition, affecting 15.3% of the population.
Volunteerism is high at 19.6%, well above the national figure, though this has fallen slightly since 2011. A high proportion of residents (27.1%) also perform significant amounts of unpaid housework.
Homes are smaller than usual with only 2.1 people per dwelling. This is consistent with the high number of people living alone, who make up 32.3% of households.
Home ownership is very high, with 56.4% of homes owned outright, far above the national figure. Most residents live in separate houses, and rental rates are far below the state average at 16.7%.
The area is heavily reliant on cars, as only 0.5% of people commute by public transport. However, 16.4% of people work from home, which is a significant increase since 2011.
About 40% of the population moved in the last five years, which is about the same as the national average. Recent arrivals from overseas are rare, at just 1.5%.
Fewer adults are working or looking for work (46.2%) compared to the national average. Full-time employment fell by 12 percentage points since 2011, with many working in health care and social assistance.
Valla Beach is mostly car-dependent with a low walkability score of 3.7. While almost every home is near a park, no one lives within a 15-minute walk of groceries.