Upper Hunter Shire (A)

Demographics & education

In the 2006 Census, 12,976 people were usually resident in Upper Hunter Shire (A): of these 50.4% were male and 49.6% were female. Of the total population 3.1% were Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people.

In the 2006 Census, 20.3% of people usually resident in Upper Hunter Shire (A) were children aged 0-14 years, and 27.8% were people aged 55 years and over. The median age was 39 years.

In the 2006 Census, 92.4% of people usually resident in Upper Hunter Shire (A) were Australian citizens, 6.2% were born overseas and 0.3% people were overseas visitors.

In the 2006 Census, 51.8% of people aged 15 years and over usually resident in Upper Hunter Shire (A) were married, 11.3% were either separated or divorced, 7.1% were widowed and 29.9% were never married.

Cultural & language diversity

In the 2006 Census, 88.3% of people usually resident in Upper Hunter Shire (A), stated they were born in Australia. Other common responses for country of birth were England 1.9%, New Zealand 1.1%, Scotland 0.3%, Ireland 0.3% and Philippines 0.2%.

In the 2006 Census, the most common responses for religious affiliation for people usually resident in Upper Hunter Shire (A) were Anglican 41.3%, Catholic 27.2%, No Religion 9.7%, Uniting Church 6.5% and Presbyterian and Reformed 3.7%.

In the 2006 Census, the most common responses for language other than English spoken at home by people usually resident in Upper Hunter Shire (A) were Korean 0.2%, Cantonese 0.2%, Italian 0.1%, Tagalog 0.1% and Hindi 0.1%. English was stated as the only language spoken at home by 94.4%.

Employment

During the week prior to the 2006 Census, 6,487 people aged 15 years and over in Upper Hunter Shire (A) were in the labour force. Of these 63.7% worked full-time, 26.4% worked part-time, 2.8% were away from work, 2.7% were employed but did not state their hours worked and 4.4% were unemployed. 3,358 people were not in the labour force.

In the 2006 Census, the most common responses for occupation for Upper Hunter Shire (A) were Labourers 18.4%, Technicians and Trades Workers 18.2%, Managers 17.9%, Machinery Operators And Drivers 10.7%, Professionals 10.6%, Clerical and Administrative Workers 9.0%, Community and Personal Service Workers 7.1% and Sales Workers 6.7%.

In the 2006 Census, of the employed people aged 15 years and over in Upper Hunter Shire (A), the most common responses for industry of employment included Sheep, Beef Cattle and Grain Farming 11.5%, Other Livestock Farming 5.9%, Coal Mining 5.9%, School Education 4.7% and Meat and Meat Product Manufacturing 3.3%.

In the 2006 Census in Upper Hunter Shire (A), the median weekly personal income for people aged 15 years and over who were usual residents was $438, the median family income was $1,090 and the median household income was $882.

Family composition

In the 2006 Census, there were 3,555 families in Upper Hunter Shire (A): of these 42.7% were couple families without children, 42.3% were couple families with children, 13.8% were one parent families and 1.2% were other families.

Dwelling structure

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

In the 2006 Census 5,195 occupied private dwellings were counted in Upper Hunter Shire (A).

In the 2006 Census, of the occupied private dwellings in Upper Hunter Shire (A), 90.8% were separate houses, 1.9% were semi-detached, row or terrace houses, townhouses etc, 5.2% were flats, units or apartments and 2.1% were other dwellings.

In the 2006 Census in Upper Hunter Shire (A), 37.4% of occupied private dwellings were owned outright, 27.3% were owned with a mortgage and 28.8% were rented.

In the 2006 Census in Upper Hunter Shire (A), of the occupied private dwellings being rented, 31.9% were rented from a real estate agent, 10.2% were rented from a State or Territory housing authority and 47.7% were rented from other landlord type.

Dwelling characteristics

In the 2006 Census in Upper Hunter Shire (A), the median weekly rent was $120. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,083. The average people per household was 2.4 and the average number of people per bedroom was 1.1.

Household composition

In the 2006 Census in Upper Hunter Shire (A), 67.6% of occupied private dwellings were family households, 26.1% were single (or lone) person households and 2.6% were group households.