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Southern Downs vs Toowoomba
Council (LGA) comparison ≈ 79 km apart · Southern Downs profile · Toowoomba profile
Southern Downs Toowoomba
Toowoomba and Southern Downs are two Queensland regions with very different profiles. Toowoomba is a more urbanised hub where the typical resident is 39, while Southern Downs is far older with a typical age of 48. Toowoomba has a much larger presence of recent overseas arrivals (23.7% compared to 9.4%) and is more walkable (somewhat walkable) than Southern Downs (mostly car-dependent). Education levels are also higher in Toowoomba, where 51.5% of residents have completed Year 12, compared to 40.4% in Southern Downs.
Both areas are very similar in their share of First Nations people, which sits at around 5% for each. While they share these commonalities, the age gap between them has widened since 2011, with residents in Southern Downs now nine years older on average than those in Toowoomba. Toowoomba also provides far more public transport options and more homes within walking distance of parks, shops, and health services.
Where they differ most
Demographics & Identity
- First area, 2011: 33,883
- First area, 2016: 35,110
- First area, 2021: 36,290
- Second area, 2011: 151,189
- Second area, 2016: 160,779
- Second area, 2021: 173,204
- First area, 2011: 42 yrs
- First area, 2016: 45 yrs
- First area, 2021: 48 yrs
- Second area, 2011: 37 yrs
- Second area, 2016: 38 yrs
- Second area, 2021: 39 yrs
Age structure
Marital status
Age & sex structure
Bars show the share of each area's own population, so differently sized areas stay comparable.
- 85+ in Southern Downs: 1.1% males, 1.6% females; 85+ in Toowoomba: 1.0% males, 1.6% females
- 80–84 in Southern Downs: 1.6% males, 1.8% females; 80–84 in Toowoomba: 1.2% males, 1.5% females
- 75–79 in Southern Downs: 2.6% males, 2.5% females; 75–79 in Toowoomba: 1.8% males, 2.1% females
- 70–74 in Southern Downs: 3.7% males, 3.6% females; 70–74 in Toowoomba: 2.4% males, 2.6% females
- 65–69 in Southern Downs: 3.8% males, 4.0% females; 65–69 in Toowoomba: 2.6% males, 2.9% females
- 60–64 in Southern Downs: 3.8% males, 4.1% females; 60–64 in Toowoomba: 2.9% males, 3.1% females
- 55–59 in Southern Downs: 3.4% males, 3.7% females; 55–59 in Toowoomba: 2.8% males, 3.1% females
- 50–54 in Southern Downs: 3.1% males, 3.3% females; 50–54 in Toowoomba: 2.9% males, 3.2% females
- 45–49 in Southern Downs: 2.7% males, 3.2% females; 45–49 in Toowoomba: 2.8% males, 3.1% females
- 40–44 in Southern Downs: 2.4% males, 2.6% females; 40–44 in Toowoomba: 2.7% males, 2.9% females
- 35–39 in Southern Downs: 2.2% males, 2.5% females; 35–39 in Toowoomba: 2.9% males, 3.2% females
- 30–34 in Southern Downs: 2.4% males, 2.4% females; 30–34 in Toowoomba: 3.0% males, 3.2% females
- 25–29 in Southern Downs: 2.3% males, 2.4% females; 25–29 in Toowoomba: 3.2% males, 3.3% females
- 20–24 in Southern Downs: 2.4% males, 2.0% females; 20–24 in Toowoomba: 3.0% males, 3.0% females
- 15–19 in Southern Downs: 2.9% males, 2.8% females; 15–19 in Toowoomba: 3.4% males, 3.2% females
- 10–14 in Southern Downs: 3.5% males, 3.3% females; 10–14 in Toowoomba: 3.7% males, 3.6% females
- 5–9 in Southern Downs: 2.9% males, 2.8% females; 5–9 in Toowoomba: 3.3% males, 3.1% females
- 0–4 in Southern Downs: 2.4% males, 2.2% females; 0–4 in Toowoomba: 3.0% males, 2.9% females
Ancestry & Birthplace
Country of birth
Ancestry
Language
Language used at home
Religion
Religious affiliation
Education & Qualifications
Highest year of school
Highest qualification level
Field of qualification
Income
- First area, 2011: $448
- First area, 2016: $506
- First area, 2021: $590
- Second area, 2011: $549
- Second area, 2016: $642
- Second area, 2021: $743
- First area, 2011: $837
- First area, 2016: $973
- First area, 2021: $1,108
- Second area, 2011: $1,061
- Second area, 2016: $1,269
- Second area, 2021: $1,461
- First area, 2011: $1,001
- First area, 2016: $1,207
- First area, 2021: $1,396
- Second area, 2011: $1,308
- Second area, 2016: $1,547
- Second area, 2021: $1,847
Household income distribution
Personal income distribution
Health & Disability
Long-term health conditions reported
Number of long-term health conditions
Community Participation
First Nations
Family & Households
- First area, 2011: 2.4
- First area, 2016: 2.4
- First area, 2021: 2.3
- Second area, 2011: 2.5
- Second area, 2016: 2.5
- Second area, 2021: 2.5
Family composition
Household size
Housing & Dwellings
- First area, 2011: $195
- First area, 2016: $230
- First area, 2021: $255
- Second area, 2011: $230
- Second area, 2016: $280
- Second area, 2021: $300
- First area, 2011: $1,300
- First area, 2016: $1,300
- First area, 2021: $1,300
- Second area, 2011: $1,517
- Second area, 2016: $1,517
- Second area, 2021: $1,517
- First area, 2011: 1.10
- First area, 2016: 0.80
- First area, 2021: 0.70
- Second area, 2011: 1.10
- Second area, 2016: 0.80
- Second area, 2021: 0.80
How homes are owned or rented
Types of homes
Bedrooms per home
Weekly rent distribution
Monthly mortgage distribution
Transport & Vehicles
How people get to work
Motor vehicles per home
Migration & Movement
Jobs & Industry
Industries people work in
Occupations people work in
Economy & Advantage
Environment & Climate
Crime & Safety
Walkability
Compare Southern Downs with nearby areas
Compare Toowoomba with nearby areas
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Southern Downs vs Toowoomba [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/compare/lga/LGA36660/southern-downs/vs/LGA36910/toowoomba