Wollongbar

The population has surged by 181% since 2011 to 2,988 people. It is a relatively young community where the typical resident is 39, and children under 15 make up 20.6% of the population, which is higher than the national figure.

Most residents were born in Australia, and 86.4% of the population lists Australian or English ancestry. The proportion of people born overseas is 10.7%, which is far below the state and national averages.

English is the primary language for 92.4% of the community. While 4.9% of people use another language at home—a figure higher than most similar areas—this is still far below the New South Wales average of 26.6%.

A significant shift has occurred here, with the proportion of people reporting no religion rising 29 points since 2011 to reach 43.2%. This is well above the national figure of 38.9%.

The area is highly qualified, with 50% of adults completing Year 12 and 21.8% holding a bachelor degree or higher. Both figures have risen sharply since 2011, reflecting a more educated workforce.

Typical incomes are higher than in most similar areas, with typical household weekly earnings sitting at $1,623. The number of households earning $3,000 or more per week has risen 12 points since 2011.

While the area has a lower rate of people needing help with daily activities than most, 30.9% of residents live with a long-term health condition. Mental health conditions are reported by 10.8% of the population, which is higher than the state average.

Local residents are very active in their community, with 17.9% volunteering and 30.4% providing unpaid childcare, a figure well above the national average. Unpaid care for others is also slightly more common than in the rest of the state.

Families are the mainstay here, with couples with children making up 56.7% of households. This helps explain why the number of people living alone is much lower than the national average.

Homes here are typically large, with 90.1% having three or more bedrooms and 83.1% being separate houses. While 36% of homes are owned outright, 25% of the population are renters, a figure that has risen since 2011.

The community is heavily reliant on cars, with only 1.2% of homes having no motor vehicle. Working from home is common for 12.7% of the workforce, though this is well below the state average.

Wollongbar is a dynamic area where 45.1% of people have moved house in the last five years. This high mobility is consistent with the recent 181% increase in total population.

The local workforce is very active, with 63.3% of adults working or looking for work, and a low unemployment rate of 2.9%. Many residents work in professional roles within health, education, and retail.

The area is somewhat walkable, and almost every home is within a 15-minute walk of a park. However, fewer than 66% of residents can walk to groceries within 15 minutes, which is slightly below the state average.