These are just some of the statistics available from the 2021 Census for our local community.
Corowa’s population increased by 113 people since 2016 bringing the total to 5,595 people. Rutherglen welcomed 201 new people to record a population of 2,579 while Wahgunyah’s population dipped by 37 to record a total population 1,061.
Overall, the number of people reporting themselves as being from an Indigenous background also increased across the three towns with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people representing 2.4 per cent of the total population in Corowa, 1.7 per cent in Wahgunyah and 2.2 per cent in Rutherglen.
Meanwhile, the median age of people in Corowa is now 52 years, Wahgunyah 49 years and Rutherglen 48 years, all significantly higher than the national average of 41.4 years.
Across the three towns, more than 85 per cent of the population was born in Australia (Corowa 85.7, Wahgunyah 87.2, Rutherglen 88.4), with England and New Zealand the most common places for people born overseas.
The latest data also revealed that more people now own their home.
In Corowa 46.2 per cent of the population own their home outright, and 26.9 per cent own their home with a mortgage.
In Wahgunyah, 43.6 per cent of the population own their home outright, and 36 per cent own their home with a mortgage. In Rutherglen it was similar figures with 42.6 per cent of residents owning their home outright and 34.4 per cent with a mortgage.
Corowa’s median household income grew from $998 to $1,130 per week between the Census periods.
Personal income also increased from $563 to $634 per week, well below the national average of $805.
In Wahgunyah, the median household income was $1,280 per week, slightly higher than Corowa while Rutherglen recorded $1,306, the highest amount of the three towns.
Personal income in Wahgunyah was $696 per week, while in Rutherglen it was $722 per week.
The Census figures showed a decline in religious affiliation across the local border community.
Rutherglen took the cake with the largest increase in people identifying as having no religion. In 2021, 42.3 per cent of people marked no religion on the census compared to 26.8 per cent in 2016. However, more than 44 per cent of Rutherglen residents identified as Christian.
North of the border, 36.8 per cent of Corowa residents identified as having no religion (up 12.6 per cent since 2016) with 47.4 per cent identifying as Christian.
In Wahgunyah 38.4 per cent of residents marked no religion (up 12.4 per cent since 2016), 44.7 per cent identifying as Christian.
It was a similar picture across the country with almost 40 per cent (38.9 per cent) of Australia’s population reported having no religion in the 2021 Census, an increase from 30 per cent (30.1 per cent) in 2016 and 22 per cent (22.3 per cent) in 2011.
“Census religion data shows a characteristic of Australia that has changed significantly over the past two decades. Knowing about the religious affiliation across the population supports local planning for facilities, goods and services for Australians who identify as religious and helps them to live according to their beliefs,” Australian Statistician Dr David Gruen AO said.
The 2021 Census also revealed for the first time the number of residents with past or current service in the Australian Defence Force.
In Rutherglen 86 people were listed as having previously served for the Australian Defence Force Service, in Wahgunyah 41 and in Corowa 192.
Of the three towns, Corowa was the only place to record currently serving members (3).
For the first time, the 2021 Census also collected information on diagnosed, ongoing health conditions with some alarming statistics revealed across Corowa, Wahgunyah and Rutherglen. Arthritis topped the list, with asthma, mental health and heart disease the next most prominent long-term health conditions reported, all higher than the national average.
“For the first time, we have data on long-term health conditions across the whole population. This is critical data to inform planning and service delivery decisions about how treatment and care is provided for all Australians,” Dr Gruen said.
“Census data will help provide a more detailed picture of Australians’ health. Census data complements existing ABS health surveys by providing additional insights about the communities that require services to support complex health needs.”
The 2021 Census achieved a response rate above the Australian Bureau of Statistics target obtaining data from 10 million (10,852,208) dwellings, on Tuesday, August 10, 2021, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The dwelling response rate was 96.1 per cent, up from 95.1 per cent in 2016.
“Census data is used to inform important decisions about transport, schools, health care, infrastructure and business at the community and national level. The high response rate means that Census data provides accurate insights to tell your community’s story,” Dr Gruen said.
For further information visit www.abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data.