New South Wales
Disadvantage is concentrated within a small number of communities across New South Wales. These communities experience a complex web of persistent and hard-to-shift disadvantage.
Just 11 postcodes (1.8% of total) account for 21.4% of the highest rank positions across 21 indicators of disadvantage. These postcodes show high rates of:
- criminal convictions
- unemployment
- no internet access
- domestic violence
- lack of qualifications
- young adults not fully engaged in work or study.
We can see that disadvantage is concentrated when we compare the 3% most disadvantaged postcodes to the rest of the state. Those living in the 3% most disadvantaged postcodes in the state are:
- 3.6 times as likely to have spent time in prison
- more than 3 times as likely to be experiencing long term unemployment
- nearly 3 times more likely to have a low level of education and/or have suffered domestic violence
- twice as likely to have a disability or significant mental health problem.
Locational disadvantage is entrenched
The persistent nature of locational disadvantage becomes obvious when we compare findings of this 2015 study with previous studies undertaken in 2007, 2004 and 1999. No fewer than 24 of the state’s 40 most disadvantaged postcodes in Dropping Off The Edge 2015 were also found to be in the 5% ‘most disadvantaged’ in the 2007 study (see table below), and many have been in a depressed state since the early studies were undertaken in 1999 and 2004.
Most Disadvantaged Postcodes in NSW – comparison with previous years
(Bands illustrate the severity of disadvantage experienced by a location with Band 1 being most severe. Locations listed alphabetically within bands.)
| Band | 2015 | 2007 |
|---|---|---|
| Band | 20015 | 2007 |
| Band 1 | 2839 Brewarrina 2559 Claymore 2834 Lightning Ridge 2832 Walgett 2836 Wilcannia 2306 Windale |
Top 5% Top 5% Top 5% Top 5% Top 5% Top 5% |
| Band 2 | 2840 Bourke 2449 Bowraville 2717 Dareton 2466 Iluka 2469 Northern Rivers 2163 Villawood |
Top 5% Top 5% Top 10% Top 5% Top 5% Top 10% |
| Band 3 | 2166 Cabramatta 2829 Coonamble 2440 Kempsey 2346 Manilla 2502 Warrawong 2341 Werris Creek |
– Top 10% Top 5% – Top 5% – |
| Band 4 | 2471 Coraki 2165 Fairfield 2443 Laurieton 2770 Mount Druitt 2448 Nambucca Heads 2462 Ulmarra |
Top 5% – Top 5% Top 5% Top 5% Top 10% |
| Band 5 | 2470 Casino 2551 Eden 2827 Gilgandra 2427 Harrington 2505 Port Kembla 2824 Warren |
Top 5% – Top 10% Top 5% Top 10% – |
| Band 6 | 2506 Berkeley 2880 Broken Hill 2453 Dorrigo 2473 Evans Head 2428 Forster 2360 Inverell 2400 Moree 2430 Taree 2455 Urunga 2829 Wellington |
– Top 5% – – Top 5% Top 5% – Top 5% Top 5% Top 5% |