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New South Wales · Postcode 2834
Lightning Ridge postcode and suburb data
New South Wales · Phone area code 02 · 580 km from Sydney
Suburb snapshot
Lightning Ridge at a glance vs NSW
Fast facts and benchmark bars show the suburb's key postcode, Census, SEIFA, school and LGA signals in context.
Quick facts
Benchmarks against NSW
Income, rent and SEIFA figures are from the ABS 2021 Census and are reported in 2021 dollars, not adjusted for subsequent inflation.
Where Lightning Ridge ranks: household income sits in the bottom 10% of NSW suburbs; SEIFA decile 1 places it in the bottom 20% of Australia for socio-economic advantage.
ABS Census 2021 · SEIFA 2021Detailed comparison table
Lightning Ridge vs the NSW average and the national average, using population-weighted 2021 Census data.
| Metric | Lightning Ridge | NSW avg | AU avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Household income/wk | $792 -NSW | $1,931 | $1,836 |
| Rent/wk | $200 -NSW | $445 | $390 |
| Mortgage/month | $867 -NSW | $2,247 | $1,958 |
| Median age | 53 | 45.0 | 45.0 |
| SEIFA decile | 1/10 -NSW | 6.0/10 | 6.0/10 |
| Unemployment | 11.0% +NSW | 5.0% | 5.0% |
Green pill = at least 10% above the NSW average; red = at least 10% below; grey = within 10%. For unemployment, colour polarity is inverted: lower is better.
Lightning Ridge is a very remote community in New South Wales, with postcode 2834. It lies roughly 580 km from Sydney, classified by the ABS as very remote Australia. The area is administered by Walgett.
According to the 2021 Census, Lightning Ridge has a population of 1,946 with a median age of 53. The median weekly household income is $792, below the NSW average. The unemployment rate is 11.0%, higher than the NSW average. The Indigenous population is 395 (20.3% of residents).
Housing in Lightning Ridge includes a median weekly rent of $200, median monthly mortgage repayment of $867, with 725 total dwellings. Housing costs in the area sit below the NSW average. Owner-occupied dwellings (owned or mortgaged) make up 68.0% of housing.
On the SEIFA Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage, Lightning Ridge scores in decile 1 out of 10, which is well below the national average.
Lightning Ridge is served by Lightning Ridge Central School.
Lightning Ridge is part of the Bourke - Cobar - Coonamble statistical area in New South Wales.
Lightning Ridge details
Location, Census, housing, SEIFA and geography fields used across this profile.
| Postcode | 2834 |
| State | New South Wales (NSW) |
| Phone Area Code | 02 |
| Population (2021) | 1,946 |
| Median Age | 53 years |
| Median Household Income (Census 2021) | $792/week |
| Median Personal Income (Census 2021) | $476/week |
| Median Weekly Rent (Census 2021) | $200 |
| Median Monthly Mortgage (Census 2021) | $867 |
| Average Household Size | 2 persons |
| Area | 2138.7 km² |
| Population Density | 1/km² |
| Total Dwellings | 725 |
| Australian Citizens | 75.4% |
| Indigenous Population | 395 (20.3%) |
| Unemployment Rate | 11.0% |
| SEIFA IRSAD Decile | 1/10 (well below average) |
| Latitude | -29.4312089 |
| Longitude | 147.9808672 |
| Distance from Sydney | 580 km |
| Region (SA4) | Far West and Orana |
| Area (SA3) | Bourke - Cobar - Coonamble |
| Local Government | Walgett |
| Federal Electorate | Parkes |
| State Electorate | Barwon |
| Time Zone | AEST (UTC+10), Australia/Sydney (standard time) |
Age Profile
Show counts
| 0–14 years | 282 (14.5%) |
| 15–24 years | 152 (7.8%) |
| 25–44 years | 365 (18.8%) |
| 45–64 years | 576 (29.6%) |
| 65+ years | 568 (29.2%) |
Housing Tenure
SEIFA socio-economic index
Health Conditions (2021 Census)
| Arthritis | 275 (14.1%) |
| Asthma | 154 (7.9%) |
| Heart Disease | 137 (7.0%) |
| Diabetes | 130 (6.7%) |
| Lung Condition | 100 (5.1%) |
| Cancer | 80 (4.1%) |
| Dementia | 19 (1.0%) |
Long-term health conditions self-reported in the 2021 Census. Persons may report more than one condition.
Motor Vehicles per Dwelling
| No vehicle | 50 (7.0%) |
| 1 vehicle | 310 (43.4%) |
| 2 vehicles | 249 (34.8%) |
| 3+ vehicles | 106 (14.8%) |
Schools in Lightning Ridge
ACARA 2025 school profiles for schools located in Lightning Ridge. ICSEA is shown where ACARA publishes it.
Suburbs Near Lightning Ridge
More Lightning Ridge Data
Page last reviewed . Data sources: Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census (CC BY 4.0), SEIFA 2021 IRSAD, ACARA school profiles 2025. How this data is sourced.