Gresford

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 9.1% of the population, which is well above the national figure. The community is ageing, with 22.8% of residents aged 65 and over, a figure that rose 9.2 percentage points since 2011.

The area is very traditional in its roots, with 90.2% of people born in Australia. This is far below the New South Wales average for overseas births, and the proportion of people born abroad fell to 3.3% by 2021.

English is the sole language for almost everyone, with only 1.0% of residents using another tongue at home. This is far below the state and national figures, and no one reported speaking little or no English.

Religious views are shifting, as the proportion of people with no religion rose 17 percentage points since 2011 to reach 38.8%. This is about the same as the national figure, though well above the state average.

Education levels are much lower than in most areas, with only 6.3% of adults holding a bachelor degree. However, there has been progress since 2011, as the share of people completing Year 12 rose to 30.8%.

Typical incomes are well below the national figure, with the usual household earning $1,042 a week. Only 4.0% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, which is far below the New South Wales average.

Health challenges are more common here than in most areas, with 31.9% of people living with a long-term condition. Mental health conditions are also a little more frequent than the national average at 10.7%.

The community is highly active, with 21.0% of residents volunteering, a figure well above the national average. This spirit of help extends to the home, where 29.0% of people provide unpaid childcare.

Family structures are distinctive, as one-parent families make up 24.0% of the area, which is well above the national figure. Nearly 30% of people live alone, and the typical home holds 2.4 people.

Housing is dominated by separate houses (96.8%) and high rates of ownership, with 41.9% of homes owned outright. Renting is far less common than in the rest of the state, falling to 16.9% since 2011.

Cars are essential for most, as 68.2% of workers drive to get to their jobs and no one uses public transport to commute. About 12.1% of the workforce now works from home, an increase since 2011.

The area has seen a total halt in new overseas arrivals, with 0.0% of the population arriving from abroad recently. This is a sharp drop from 2011, when the figure was 59.3%.

Local jobs are concentrated in agriculture, mining, and trades, though fewer people are working full-time compared to 2011. The unemployment rate is 3.8%, which is a little below the national average.

While 97.0% of homes are within a short walk of public transport, the area lacks other local services. No one can walk to a health service within 15 minutes, and many homes are far from parks and schools.