people aged over 65 years. Of people in the area aged 15 years and over, 48.6% were married and 13.8% were either divorced or separated. With a higher proportion of elderly residents than the national median, the data reflects the colloquial term for the area as God's Waiting Room. Population growth in the City of Gosford between the 2001 Census and the 2006 Census was 2.67%; and in the subsequent five years to the 2011 Census, population growth was 2.71%. When compared with total population growth of Australia for the same periods, being 5.78% and 8.32% respectively, population growth in the Gosford local government area was nearly one third below the national average. The median weekly income for residents within the City of Gosford was approximately 10% lower than the national average. At the 2011 Census, the proportion of residents in the Gosford local government area who stated their ancestry as Australian or Anglo-Saxon exceeded 78% of all residents. In excess of 60% of all residents in the City of Gosford nominated a religious affiliation with Christianity at the 2011 Census, which was significantly higher than the national average of 50.2%. Meanwhile, as at the Census date, compared to the national average, households in the Gosford local government area had a lower than average proportion (7.5%) where two or more languages are spoken (national average was 20.4%); and a higher proportion (89.9%) where English only was spoken at home (national average was 76.8%). Council Final composition and election method Gosford City Council was composed of ten Councillors elected proportionally as one entire ward. All Councillors were elected for a fixed four-year term of office. The last election was held on 8 September 2012, and the makeup of the Council was as follows: The Mayor and Deputy Mayor were elected annually by the Councillors at a special meeting of the Council in September. The final Council, elected in 2012 and abolished in 2016, in order of election, were: Mayors and Shire Presidents Mayors 1886–1908 Mayors 1936–1947 Shire Presidents 1947–1980, and Mayors 1980–2016 Council executives Coat of arms References External links Gosford City Council website (Archived) NSW Department of Local Government: Suburbs and Towns in Gosford Council (includes map) Gosford Gosford Central Coast (New South Wales) Gosford Gosford Gosford Gosford Gosford Gosford Gosford Shire Presidents and Mayors of Gosford