Lightning Ridge

Demographics & education

On Census Night 7th August 2001, 1,826 people were counted in Lightning Ridge: of these 53.2% were male and 46.8% were female. Of the total population 18.8% were Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people.

On Census Night 2001 in Lightning Ridge there were 368 children aged 0-14 years and 536 people aged 55 years and over.

On Census Night 2001 in Lightning Ridge, 1,539 people were Australian citizens, 314 were born overseas and 7 people were overseas visitors.

On Census Night 2001 in Lightning Ridge, 43.3% of people aged 15 years and over were married, 16.3% were separated or divorced, 6.6% were widowed and 33.7% were never married.

Cultural & language diversity

On Census Night 2001 in Lightning Ridge, 71.4% of people stated they were born in Australia. Other common responses for country of birth within Lightning Ridge were England 2.2%, Yugoslavia, Federal Republic of 2.2%, New Zealand 1.8%, Croatia 1.4% and Germany 1.2%.

Of all people counted in Lightning Ridge on Census Night 2001, the most common responses for religious affiliation were Anglican 30.7%, Catholic 23.9%, No Religion 12.3%, Presbyterian & Reformed 3.6% and Orthodox 3.5%.

On Census Night 2001 in Lightning Ridge, the most common responses for languages other than English spoken at home were Serbian 1.8%, Croatian 1.6%, German 1.1%, Italian 0.8% and Swedish 0.7%. English was stated as the only language spoken at home by 78.5% of people counted.

Employment

During the week prior to Census Night 2001, 696 people aged 15 years and over in Lightning Ridge were in the labour force. Of these 46.7% worked full-time, 36.5% worked part-time, 4.2% were employed but did not state their hours worked and 12.6% were unemployed. 617 people were not in the labour force.

On Census Night 2001 in Lightning Ridge, the most common responses for occupation were Intermediate Production and Transport Workers 6.3%, Intermediate Clerical, Sales and Service Workers 6.2%, Tradespersons and Related Workers 5.8%, Professionals 5.7%, Labourers and Related Workers 4.7%, Associate Professionals 3.8%, Elementary Clerical, Sales and Service Workers 3.5%, Managers and Administrators 2.0% and Advanced Clerical and Service Workers 1.2%.

On Census Night 2001, of the employed people aged 15 years and over in Lightning Ridge, the most common responses for industry of employment included Education 4.5%, Accommodation, Cafes and Restaurants 4.1%, Other Mining 4.0%, Community Services 2.7% and Personal and Household Good Retailing 2.5%.

Family composition

On Census Night 2001 in Lightning Ridge, 411 families were counted: of these, 37.2% were couple families without children, 39.2% were couple families with children, 20.4% were one parent families and 3.2% were other families.

Dwelling structure

Dwellings include visitor only and other not-classifiable households unless otherwise stated

On Census Night 2001 in Lightning Ridge, 763 occupied private dwellings were counted.

On Census Night 2001, of occupied private dwellings counted in Lightning Ridge, 75.6% were separate houses, 1.0% were semi-detached, row or terrace houses, townhouses etc, 7.3% were flats, units or apartments and 14.4% were other dwellings.

On Census Night 2001 in Lightning Ridge, 40.2% of occupied private dwellings were owned outright, 10.0% were being purchased and 29.2% were rented.

On Census Night 2001 in Lightning Ridge, of the occupied private dwellings being rented 13.0% were rented from a real estate agent, 3.1% were rented from a State or Territory housing authority and 80.7% were rented from an other landlord type.

Household type

On Census Night 2001 in Lightning Ridge, 52.9% of the occupied private dwellings were family households, 26.9% were single (or lone) person households and 2.8% were group households.