Blacktown Council

Blacktown City Council is a local government area in Western Sydney, situated on the Cumberland Plain, approximately 35 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Established in 1906 as the Blacktown Shire and becoming the Municipality of Blacktown in 1961 before gaining city status in 1979, the City occupies an area of 246.9 square kilometres and has a population of 410,419, making it the most populous local government area in Sydney. The first road from Prospect to Richmond became known as the 'Black Town Road' and in 1860 the Railway Department gave the name of 'Black Town Road Station' to the railway station at the junction of the railway and the Black Town Road, with the name shortening to 'Blacktown' by 1862. The Blacktown area was first incorporated on 6 March 1906 as the 'Shire of Blacktown' alongside 132 other new shires across the state as a result of the passing of the Local Government (Shires) Act, 1905. The Blacktown Shire became the 'Municipality of Blacktown' on 17 June 1961 and was granted city status on 9 March 1979, becoming the 'City of Blacktown'.

Blacktown council area has a diverse age distribution, with a notable percentage of residents in the 0-19 and above 50 age groups. The majority of households have mortgage repayments or rent payments that are less than 30% of household income, indicating a level of affordability. The tenure type is varied, with a significant proportion of households being purchasers. The top family compositions include couples with children and childless couples. The dominant industries are transport, construction, and professional services, while the most common occupations are professionals and clerical workers.