The Australian Bureau of Statistics has released regional data from its National Regional Profile dataset. The most recent data from 2013 have provided a statistical snapshot of Wingecarribee Shire.

In 2013, construction was the top business, with 825 operating businesses in the shire.

The professional, scientific and technical services industry had the second-highest amount of businesses in 2013 with 558; and the financial and insurance services industry was the third-highest with 365 businesses.

However, from 19 specified industries, only two had an increase in business numbers. The financial and insurance services industry was up by four per cent in 2013 from 2012 and the administration and support service industry increased by about five per cent between 2012 and 2013.

The shire experienced a decrease in business in 2013, with about two per cent fewer businesses operating. The peak time for businesses in the Highlands was 2010, with 5294 in operation.

Investment earners in the Highlands were also on the rise in 2011 with four per cent more people investing in the area.

However, there was a general decrease in residents on pensions or youth allowance with 24 per cent fewer residents on the service pension in 2013 than in 2009.

Disability support pension users decreased by four percent in 2013 from 2012 and full time students/apprentices on youth allowance decreased by 51 per cent in 2013 from 2011.

In the workplace, males and females have kept a close-to-equal share as wage and salary earners with 51 per cent of males and 49 per cent of women earning a salary/wage in 2011.

On the roads, there were more cars out and about with a three per cent increase of registered motor vehicles from 2012.

The shire's population went through a boost in 2013 with three per cent more births than in 2012, but it decreased nine per cent since 2009.

The number of deaths in the shire decreased in 2013 by 4.5 per cent, but has increased by 5.5 per cent in the past four years.

In comparison with nearby local government areas Wollondilly and Goulburn, Wingecarribee has the highest resident median age of 45.7, while Wollondilly's resident median age is 37.1 and Goulburn's is 41.4.

However, Highlands residents on the search for higher incomes should head to Wollondilly, where the average wage is $52,686.

In the Highlands, the average wage is $49,330.