Urban Centre · Area profile
Wellington
9 km²
Typical weekly household incomes in Wellington are $1,060, which is far below the national figure. The community has grown rapidly, adding over 3,100 people since 2011. It is a place where nearly 30% of residents identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, a figure far above the state average. These factors combine with a high proportion of one-parent families to create a community with distinct social and economic challenges.
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Wellington has a very high Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population at 27.4%, which has risen 10 points since 2011. While the typical resident is 41, the area has a higher-than-average share of children under 15 at 20.4%.
The vast majority of residents were born in Australia (78.6%), and the area has a much lower proportion of overseas-born people than most other areas. English and Australian ancestries are the most common.
English is the main language for 82.1% of the community. While 4.5% of people use another language at home—which is higher than most similar areas—this is still far below the New South Wales average.
Christianity is the most common religion at 54.0%. Those reporting no religion make up 29.9% of the population, a figure that has risen by 19 points since 2011.
Education levels are much lower than the state average, with only 31.4% of residents completing Year 12. Only 9.1% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, though this has risen since 2011.
Income is well below national levels, with the typical personal weekly income at $582. Very few people earn $2,000 or more a week, at just 3.7%.
Health challenges are more common here, with 34.4% of people living with a long-term health condition. This is well above the national figure, and 8.6% of residents need help with daily activities.
Volunteer rates are much lower than most similar areas, at 12.1%. There has also been a notable drop in people providing unpaid care or doing significant housework since 2011.
Family structures are distinctive, with one-parent families making up 29.3% of households—far above the national average. Additionally, 35.8% of people live alone, which is much higher than in most areas.
Most people live in separate houses (89.6%), and 36.4% own their home outright. Weekly rents are very low at $240, far below the national figure.
Cars are the main way to get around, with 64.1% of workers driving to work. Working from home is very uncommon here, at just 5.9%, which is far below the state average.
Migration is high, with 29.8% of residents arriving from overseas recently. This is far above the national average and represents a 30 point increase since 2011.
The unemployment rate is 7.7%, which is a little above the national figure. While 58.9% of people work full-time, the overall number of adults working or looking for work is far below the state average.
The area is very walkable, with a score of 6.5. Most homes are within a 15-minute walk of a school (90.8%), health services (72.1%), and groceries (79.2%).