The region has the highest percentage of people aged 80 and over in Australia, according to data from the 2016 Census.

In total, 19,396 people or 5.9% of the population were aged 80 or over in last year’s Census.

This compares to QLD’s Sunshine Coast with 5.2%, Sydney’s Northern Beaches with 4.9% and the Gold Coast with 4%.

The area also has the highest number of centenarians in NSW – 64 at last count.

It makes sense then that the Central Coast and Hawkesbury region is one of the most popular areas for retirement villages, with 65 listed on our site.

Just recently, one of our largest operators RetireAustralia announced it has almost sold out of 117 new villas at its Forresters Beach and Glengara retirement villages.

Margaret Hanney, of William Cape Gardens at Kanwal, moved to the Central Coast with her family in 1973 from Sydney.

She told the Daily Telegraph that the area has changed over the years.

“Where there was a lot of older people, there are [now] a lot of younger people, which is reassuring for the next generation,” the 86-year-old said.

But she says it is a wonderful place to retire – “I love it, I would not live anywhere else,” she said. “I love the people.”

No wonder people are choosing its retirement villages then.