Latest Census statistics show a changing Narrabri Shire

Narrabri Shire boasts almost 57 per cent more nonagenarians (a person who is between 90 and 99 years old) than it did compared to a decade ago, latest Census statistics show.

The percentage of people aged 65 years and older has also steadily increased in the space of 10 years.

At the 2011 Census, 15.7 per cent of the population was aged 65 years or older compared to 19.1 per cent recorded last year.

Of the 12,703 people recorded as living in the shire, latest numbers show a gradual decline in residents aged 19-years-old and younger.

The amount of 20 to 24-years-old is increasing. However, ages between 24 and 54 are steadily declining.

All age brackets 55 years and older have consistently increased during the previous three Censuses.

Religion is on the decline, with more than a quarter of people now identifying as having no religion.

The 28.4 per cent of people who recorded no religion increased from 18 per cent at the 2016 Census and 12.4 per cent in 2011. However, the number of people identifying as having no religion is well below the national figure of 38.9 per cent and NSW’s 33.2 per cent.

Anglicanism is the most common religious affiliation at 26 per cent, followed by Catholicism at 22 per cent.

Other primary religious affiliations included Presbyterian and the Uniting Church.

Of the 12,703 who responded to the Census’ section on religion, 40 people in Narrabri Shire identified as Buddhist, eight as Eastern Orthodox, 15 as Jehovah’s Witness, 41 as Hindu and 25 as Islam.

The shire also continues to boast a multi-cultural community, with overseas places of birth listed as Canada, China, England, Fiji, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Korea, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, South Africa, Sri Lanka, United States of America and Wales.

The median personal income has risen from $520 in 2011 to $632 in 2016 and $778 in 2021.

The median rental price in the same sequence went from $140 to $200 and then $250 per week.

The median monthly mortgage repayment, however, was $1300 in 2011, increasing to $1395 in 2016 and dropping to $1343 in 2021.

In NSW, the median weekly personal income in 2021 was $813, the weekly rental price was $420 and the monthly mortgage repayment $2167.

The number of people undertaking voluntary work in the shire community has drastically declined in the last 10 years, from 2502 people in 2011 to 1711 in 2021.