Cessnock and its surrounds top a Hunter disadvantage index in profiles by demographics company .id – and a lack of education is the main contributing factor.

‘‘Education levels are a major contributor to [disadvantage], and Cessnock has very low levels of tertiary qualifications,’’ .id demographic analyst Glenn Capuano said.

Only 5.5per cent of people in the region have a university degree, compared with almost 11per cent for the entire Hunter and more than 16per cent across NSW.

The Great Lakes, Gloucester and Muswellbrook are the next most disadvantaged areas in the Hunter statistical region, with the central part of Forster its most disadvantaged neighbourhood.

More than 20per cent of central Forster residents are older than 70 and many live on an aged pension, lifting the disadvantage reading, Mr Capuano said.

He said Cessnock had high proportions of tradespeople, ‘‘intermediate production and transport workers” and labourers, many earning a decent living from industries such as mining.

‘‘The fact that the incomes of the area aren’t that much lower than average probably indicates the impact of the mining industry, with high-paid blue-collar jobs,’’ he said. ‘‘You can see the impact of the mining industry in that Cessnock’s overall household incomes are very close to the Hunter average, despite the fact that education levels are much lower, and most of the employment is in blue-collar jobs.’’

Almost 62per cent of Cessnock’s high school students leave by the end of year 10, compared with the state average of 40per cent.

But Cessnock residents earn only slightly less than the Hunter average, with 54per cent in the bottom half of incomes.

Almost a fifth of Cessnock families have one parent. The proportion in Cessnock East, the area’s most disadvantaged neighbourhood, is higher at nearly 24per cent.

The rural areas around Cessnock, though, are better off than most of NSW and even as a whole, the region is in the state’s 27th percentile.