# Jensen vs Shaw — 2021 Census comparison

Suburb / Locality comparison · about 5.5 km apart

Jensen and Shaw are neighbouring areas in Townsville with very different housing and demographic profiles. Shaw is far younger, with a typical resident aged 28 compared to 36 in Jensen. It is also a more mobile and academic hub, where 23% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher—far higher than the 12.5% in Jensen—and 61.1% of people moved there in the last five years. These differences extend to housing, with 49.7% of Shaw households renting, while Jensen has a much higher share of homes owned outright (26.6%).

Since 2011, these two areas have tracked differently, with the gap in rental rates and educational attainment widening. Despite these distinct profiles, they share a similar typical weekly family income of around $2,300 and almost identical unemployment rates of about 2.6%. Both areas also have about 6% First Nations populations and very few residents who rely on public transport for their daily commute.

## Where they differ most

- Renting: 43.1 pts higher in Shaw
- Recent movers: 19.1 pts higher in Shaw
- Owned outright: 18.5 pts higher in Jensen
- PT commute: 1.0 pts higher in Jensen
- Limited English: 0.5 pts higher in Shaw

## Demographics & Identity

| Statistic | Jensen | Shaw | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Population | 1,797 | 760 | 1,037 larger in Jensen | gap widening |
| Median age | 36 yrs | 28 yrs | 8 yrs older in Jensen | gap narrowing |
| First Nations | 6.0% | 6.3% | 0.3 pts higher in Shaw | gap steady |
| Aged 65+ | 11.9% | 6.7% | 5.1 pts higher in Jensen | gap widening |
| Under 15 | 24.1% | 25.1% | 1.0 pts higher in Shaw | gap steady |
| De facto | 16.0% | 23.4% | 7.4 pts higher in Shaw | gap narrowing |

### Age structure

| Category | Jensen % | Shaw % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Young adults (25–44) | 25.7% | 37.6% | -12.0 |
| Older adults (45–64) | 26.8% | 16.8% | +10.0 |
| Children (0–14) | 24.1% | 25.1% | -1.0 |
| Youth (15–24) | 11.6% | 14.5% | -2.8 |
| Seniors (65+) | 11.9% | 6.7% | +5.1 |

### Marital status

| Category | Jensen % | Shaw % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Married | 54.2% | 41.8% | +12.4 |
| Never married | 33.3% | 44.8% | -11.5 |
| Divorced | 7.5% | 8.5% | -1.0 |
| Separated | 2.2% | 4.2% | -2.1 |
| Widowed | 3.1% | 1.9% | +1.2 |

### Age profile

Share of each region's population by age band and sex.

| Age band | Jensen male | Jensen female | Shaw male | Shaw female |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 0–4 | 4.4% | 2.7% | 4.4% | 4.6% |
| 5–9 | 4.4% | 3.5% | 5.2% | 4.6% |
| 10–14 | 4.2% | 4.7% | 3.8% | 3.1% |
| 15–19 | 2.8% | 3.7% | 1.7% | 2.1% |
| 20–24 | 2.9% | 2.1% | 4.2% | 5.6% |
| 25–29 | 2.1% | 2.6% | 6.4% | 6.6% |
| 30–34 | 3.0% | 4.3% | 4.2% | 5.0% |
| 35–39 | 4.0% | 3.6% | 3.9% | 4.6% |
| 40–44 | 3.0% | 3.0% | 2.6% | 4.0% |
| 45–49 | 3.9% | 2.9% | 2.9% | 3.0% |
| 50–54 | 3.3% | 3.8% | 2.5% | 2.3% |
| 55–59 | 3.1% | 3.2% | 2.5% | 1.4% |
| 60–64 | 3.4% | 3.4% | 0.9% | 1.7% |
| 65–69 | 2.5% | 1.6% | 1.3% | 1.4% |
| 70–74 | 2.2% | 1.9% | 1.3% | 0.9% |
| 75–79 | 1.3% | 1.2% | 0.5% | 0.4% |
| 80–84 | 0.7% | 0.6% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 85+ | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.4% |

## Ancestry & Birthplace

| Statistic | Jensen | Shaw | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Born overseas | 9.8% | 17.8% | 7.9 pts higher in Shaw | gap steady |

### Country of birth

| Category | Jensen % | Shaw % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Australia | 85.8% | 78.0% | +7.8 |
| Philippines | 0.9% | 4.1% | -3.2 |
| England | 2.1% | 3.0% | -1.0 |
| New Zealand | 2.2% | 2.6% | -0.5 |
| India | 0.5% | 1.2% | -0.7 |
| South Africa | 0.4% | 1.2% | -0.8 |
| Nepal | 0.0% | 0.4% | -0.4 |
| Italy | 0.2% | 0.0% | +0.2 |
| China | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| Vietnam | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

### Ancestry

| Category | Jensen % | Shaw % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Australian | 45.9% | 40.8% | +5.1 |
| English | 43.0% | 37.4% | +5.6 |
| Irish | 12.1% | 10.1% | +2.0 |
| Scottish | 9.6% | 10.3% | -0.6 |
| Filipino | 1.1% | 6.2% | -5.1 |
| German | 5.2% | 5.3% | 0.0 |
| Italian | 4.7% | 2.5% | +2.2 |
| Dutch | 1.4% | 1.7% | -0.3 |
| Indian | 0.6% | 1.4% | -0.8 |
| Greek | 0.4% | 1.3% | -0.9 |
| Chinese | 1.3% | 0.4% | +0.9 |
| Vietnamese | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

## Language

| Statistic | Jensen | Shaw | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Other language | 3.0% | 11.7% | 8.7 pts higher in Shaw | gap widening |
| Limited English | 0.0% | 0.5% | 0.5 pts higher in Shaw | gap steady |

### Language used at home

| Category | Jensen % | Shaw % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| English only | 92.9% | 83.2% | +9.7 |
| Tagalog | 0.5% | 2.4% | -1.9 |
| Punjabi | 0.0% | 1.4% | -1.4 |
| Greek | 0.0% | 0.4% | -0.4 |
| Italian | 0.3% | 0.0% | +0.3 |
| Mandarin | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| Arabic | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| Vietnamese | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| Cantonese | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| Hindi | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

## Religion

| Statistic | Jensen | Shaw | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No religion | 42.4% | 41.1% | 1.4 pts higher in Jensen | gap narrowing |

### Religious affiliation

| Category | Jensen % | Shaw % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Christianity | 51.8% | 47.6% | +4.2 |
| No religion | 42.4% | 41.1% | +1.4 |
| Not stated | 4.8% | 7.1% | -2.3 |
| Other religions | 0.6% | 2.1% | -1.5 |
| Hinduism | 0.2% | 0.9% | -0.8 |
| Buddhism | 0.2% | 0.0% | +0.2 |
| Islam | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| Judaism | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

## Education & Qualifications

| Statistic | Jensen | Shaw | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 50.5% | 65.5% | 14.9 pts higher in Shaw | gap narrowing |
| Bachelor+ | 12.5% | 23.0% | 10.5 pts higher in Shaw | gap widening |
| Schools/1k kids | — | 10.47 |  |  |
| Schools ≤3 km | 3 | 11 | 8 more in Shaw |  |
| Avg size | 960 | 671 | 289 larger in Jensen |  |
| ICSEA | 954 | 969 | 15 higher in Shaw |  |

### Highest year of school

| Category | Jensen % | Shaw % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 50.5% | 65.5% | -14.9 |
| Year 10 | 28.5% | 15.3% | +13.3 |
| Year 11 | 7.9% | 8.4% | -0.5 |
| Year 9 or below | 7.4% | 3.8% | +3.5 |

### Highest qualification level

| Category | Jensen % | Shaw % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Certificate III / IV | 48.2% | 35.2% | +13.0 |
| Bachelor degree | 15.5% | 27.4% | -11.9 |
| Advanced diploma / diploma | 15.1% | 12.5% | +2.7 |
| Postgraduate degree | 1.7% | 5.0% | -3.3 |
| Graduate diploma / certificate | 3.1% | 3.6% | -0.5 |
| Certificate I / II | 2.6% | 2.8% | -0.2 |

### Field of qualification

| Category | Jensen % | Shaw % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Engineering & related | 26.9% | 13.9% | +13.0 |
| Health | 9.8% | 18.8% | -9.0 |
| Management & commerce | 14.2% | 18.8% | -4.6 |
| Society & culture | 9.3% | 11.6% | -2.3 |
| Architecture & building | 8.9% | 2.5% | +6.4 |
| Education | 7.1% | 8.6% | -1.5 |
| Food, hospitality & personal services | 5.3% | 6.4% | -1.0 |
| Natural & physical sciences | 1.9% | 3.0% | -1.2 |
| Agriculture & environment | 1.4% | 1.7% | -0.2 |
| Information technology | 0.8% | 1.4% | -0.6 |
| Creative arts | 0.4% | 0.8% | -0.5 |

## Income

| Statistic | Jensen | Shaw | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Personal income | $950 | $1,119 | $169 higher in Shaw | gap widening |
| Household income | $2,295 | $2,016 | $279 higher in Jensen | gap widening |
| Family income | $2,361 | $2,273 | $88 higher in Jensen | gap widening |
| High earners | 12.0% | 10.8% | 1.2 pts higher in Jensen | gap steady |
| High-income homes | 27.2% | 19.0% | 8.1 pts higher in Jensen | gap widening |

### Household income distribution

| Category | Jensen % | Shaw % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 36.9% | 43.9% | -6.9 |
| $650–$1,499 | 17.4% | 24.1% | -6.7 |
| $3,000–$3,999 | 15.1% | 11.6% | +3.5 |
| $4,000 or more | 12.1% | 7.5% | +4.6 |
| Under $650 | 10.1% | 8.8% | +1.3 |

### Personal income distribution

| Category | Jensen % | Shaw % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $650–$1,499 | 33.3% | 44.6% | -11.3 |
| Under $650 | 34.0% | 23.7% | +10.3 |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 22.8% | 25.7% | -2.8 |
| $3,000 or more | 3.7% | 2.3% | +1.4 |

## Health & Disability

| Statistic | Jensen | Shaw | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health condition | 25.3% | 22.4% | 2.9 pts higher in Jensen |  |
| Mental health | 9.1% | 8.8% | 0.3 pts higher in Jensen |  |
| Needs assistance | 5.0% | 3.2% | 1.9 pts higher in Jensen | gap steady |

### Long-term health conditions reported

| Category | Jensen % | Shaw % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Other condition | 8.3% | 9.5% | -1.1 |
| Mental health | 9.1% | 8.8% | +0.3 |
| Arthritis | 8.0% | 6.1% | +1.9 |
| Asthma | 7.7% | 7.8% | -0.1 |
| Heart disease | 3.7% | 1.4% | +2.3 |
| Cancer | 3.2% | 1.6% | +1.6 |
| Diabetes | 2.8% | 2.6% | +0.2 |
| Lung condition | 2.2% | 0.4% | +1.8 |
| Stroke | 1.0% | 0.0% | +1.0 |
| Dementia | 0.3% | 0.5% | -0.2 |

### Number of long-term health conditions

| Category | Jensen % | Shaw % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| None | 67.1% | 69.1% | -2.0 |
| One condition | 17.0% | 17.2% | -0.3 |
| Two conditions | 5.3% | 4.7% | +0.6 |
| Three or more | 3.0% | 0.9% | +2.1 |

## Community Participation

| Statistic | Jensen | Shaw | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Volunteering | 12.0% | 9.9% | 2.1 pts higher in Jensen | gap steady |
| Unpaid carers | 11.3% | 9.4% | 2.0 pts higher in Jensen | gap steady |
| Unpaid child care | 37.0% | 35.8% | 1.2 pts higher in Jensen | gap narrowing |
| Defence service | 7.5% | 14.5% | 7.0 pts higher in Shaw |  |
| Housework 15h+ | 24.8% | 20.9% | 3.9 pts higher in Jensen | gap narrowing |

## First Nations

| Statistic | Jensen | Shaw | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| First Nations people | 108 | 48 | 60 larger in Jensen |  |
| Median age | 18 yrs | 22 yrs | 4 yrs older in Shaw |  |
| Year 12 | 44.6% | 44.4% | 0.2 pts higher in Jensen |  |
| Unemployment | 8.9% | 0.0% | 8.9 pts higher in Jensen |  |
| Median income | $558 | $959 | $401 higher in Shaw |  |
| Household income | $2,222 | $1,792 | $430 higher in Jensen |  |
| Indigenous language | 8.3% | 0.0% | 8.3 pts higher in Jensen |  |

## Family & Households

| Statistic | Jensen | Shaw | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Household size | 3.0 | 2.5 | 0.5 larger in Jensen | gap steady |
| One-parent | 10.9% | 20.2% | 9.3 pts higher in Shaw | gap widening |
| Living alone | 10.3% | 21.4% | 11.1 pts higher in Shaw | gap widening |

### Family composition

| Category | Jensen % | Shaw % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Couples with children | 62.5% | 51.1% | +11.4 |
| Couples without children | 26.5% | 28.8% | -2.3 |
| One-parent families | 10.9% | 20.2% | -9.3 |
| Other families | 0.4% | 0.5% | -0.1 |

### Household size

| Category | Jensen % | Shaw % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2 people | 37.3% | 40.1% | -2.8 |
| 1 person | 10.3% | 21.4% | -11.1 |
| 4 people | 21.0% | 12.6% | +8.4 |
| 3 people | 17.9% | 19.0% | -1.1 |
| 5 people | 9.8% | 4.4% | +5.3 |
| 6 or more | 5.2% | 1.7% | +3.5 |

## Housing & Dwellings

| Statistic | Jensen | Shaw | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rent | $355 | $322 | $33 higher in Jensen | gap narrowing |
| Mortgage | $1,907 | $1,733 | $174 higher in Jensen | gap narrowing |
| People / bedroom | 0.80 | 0.70 | 0.10 higher in Jensen | gap steady |
| Renting | 6.6% | 49.7% | 43.1 pts higher in Shaw | gap steady |
| Owned outright | 26.6% | 8.2% | 18.5 pts higher in Jensen | gap narrowing |
| Separate houses | 96.4% | 93.2% | 3.3 pts higher in Jensen | gap narrowing |
| 3+ bedrooms | 94.3% | 90.5% | 3.8 pts higher in Jensen | gap widening |

### How homes are owned or rented

| Category | Jensen % | Shaw % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Owned with a mortgage | 63.9% | 39.1% | +24.8 |
| Rented | 6.6% | 49.7% | -43.1 |
| Owned outright | 26.6% | 8.2% | +18.5 |
| Other tenure | 0.5% | 1.7% | -1.2 |
| Not stated | 0.7% | 1.7% | -1.0 |

### Types of homes

| Category | Jensen % | Shaw % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Separate house | 96.4% | 93.2% | +3.3 |
| Flat or apartment | 3.6% | 0.0% | +3.6 |
| Townhouse / semi-detached | 0.0% | 3.1% | -3.1 |
| Other dwelling | 0.0% | 1.0% | -1.0 |

### Bedrooms per home

| Category | Jensen % | Shaw % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 4 bedrooms | 43.3% | 48.0% | -4.6 |
| 3 bedrooms | 36.2% | 42.5% | -6.3 |
| 5 or more | 14.7% | 0.0% | +14.7 |
| 2 bedrooms | 3.9% | 5.1% | -1.2 |
| 1 bedroom | 1.8% | 1.7% | +0.1 |
| Studio / none | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

### Weekly rent distribution

| Category | Jensen % | Shaw % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $350–$549 | 56.8% | 45.2% | +11.6 |
| $200–$349 | 32.4% | 47.9% | -15.5 |
| Under $200 | 13.5% | 0.0% | +13.5 |
| $550–$749 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| $750 or more | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

### Monthly mortgage distribution

| Category | Jensen % | Shaw % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $1,000–$1,799 | 30.0% | 47.8% | -17.8 |
| $1,800–$2,999 | 41.9% | 33.0% | +8.9 |
| Under $1,000 | 12.8% | 2.6% | +10.2 |
| $3,000 or more | 10.8% | 7.0% | +3.9 |

## Transport & Vehicles

| Statistic | Jensen | Shaw | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No car | 0.9% | 1.7% | 0.9 pts higher in Shaw | gap steady |
| Work from home | 7.0% | 5.3% | 1.7 pts higher in Jensen | gap narrowing |
| PT commute | 1.0% | 0.0% | 1.0 pts higher in Jensen | gap steady |
| PT stops | 7 | 3 | 4 more in Jensen |  |
| Stops/1k | 3.90 | 3.95 | 0.05 more in Shaw |  |
| Departures/1k | 165.3 | 315.8 | 150.5 more in Shaw |  |
| PT routes | 1 | 1 |  |  |
| Stop walk | 29 | 18 | 11 longer in Jensen |  |

### How people get to work

| Category | Jensen % | Shaw % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Car (driver) | 69.8% | 75.0% | -5.2 |
| Worked at home | 7.0% | 5.3% | +1.7 |
| Car (passenger) | 3.8% | 3.7% | +0.1 |
| Walked | 1.5% | 0.7% | +0.8 |
| Bus | 1.0% | 0.0% | +1.0 |
| Train | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| Bicycle | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

### Motor vehicles per home

| Category | Jensen % | Shaw % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2 vehicles | 46.5% | 49.3% | -2.8 |
| 1 vehicle | 14.1% | 35.0% | -20.8 |
| 3 vehicles | 22.0% | 12.6% | +9.4 |
| 4 or more | 16.3% | 4.2% | +12.1 |
| No vehicle | 0.9% | 1.7% | -0.9 |

## Migration & Movement

| Statistic | Jensen | Shaw | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Recent movers | 42.0% | 61.1% | 19.1 pts higher in Shaw | gap narrowing |
| Recent arrivals | 2.8% | 11.9% | 9.0 pts higher in Shaw | gap widening |

## Jobs & Industry

| Statistic | Jensen | Shaw | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Unemployment | 2.6% | 2.5% | 0.2 pts higher in Jensen | gap narrowing |
| Participation | 70.1% | 79.3% | 9.2 pts higher in Shaw | gap steady |
| Full-time | 64.4% | 68.8% | 4.4 pts higher in Shaw | gap widening |

### Industries people work in

| Category | Jensen % | Shaw % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health care & social assistance | 13.5% | 20.4% | -6.9 |
| Public administration & safety | 8.2% | 17.9% | -9.7 |
| Construction | 15.5% | 6.9% | +8.6 |
| Retail trade | 8.2% | 9.4% | -1.2 |
| Education & training | 8.9% | 7.6% | +1.3 |
| Transport & warehousing | 6.2% | 3.9% | +2.3 |
| Accommodation & food | 4.6% | 6.2% | -1.6 |
| Manufacturing | 6.0% | 2.3% | +3.7 |
| Mining | 5.6% | 2.3% | +3.3 |
| Professional & technical | 2.8% | 5.0% | -2.3 |
| Other services | 5.0% | 1.4% | +3.7 |
| Wholesale trade | 2.9% | 1.8% | +1.1 |

### Occupations people work in

| Category | Jensen % | Shaw % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Professionals | 14.4% | 22.2% | -7.9 |
| Technicians & trades | 20.9% | 12.4% | +8.5 |
| Community & personal service | 12.1% | 17.2% | -5.1 |
| Clerical & administrative | 12.4% | 13.1% | -0.6 |
| Machinery operators & drivers | 10.9% | 6.0% | +5.0 |
| Managers | 9.7% | 10.3% | -0.7 |
| Labourers | 9.9% | 5.0% | +4.8 |
| Sales workers | 7.0% | 9.6% | -2.7 |

## Walkability

| Statistic | Jensen | Shaw | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Walk score | 1.2 | 2.5 | 1.4 higher in Shaw |  |
| Types ≤15 min | 1.2 | 2.3 | 1.1 more in Shaw |  |
| 15-min city | 0.0% | 1.0% | 1.0 pts higher in Shaw |  |
| Walk to shops | 0.0% | 0.6% | 0.6 pts higher in Shaw |  |
| Walk to transit | 18.9% | 85.6% | 66.7 pts higher in Shaw |  |
| Walk to school | 16.7% | 41.1% | 24.4 pts higher in Shaw |  |
| Walk to a park | 62.6% | 94.2% | 31.7 pts higher in Shaw |  |
| Walk to health | 0.0% | 0.0% |  |  |
| Amenities/1k | 7.2 | 11.8 | 4.6 more in Shaw |  |
| Intersections/km² | 7 | 34 | 27 higher in Shaw |  |
| Mean slope | 5.9% | 2.8% | 3.1 pts higher in Jensen |  |

Interactive comparison: https://censusatlas.au/compare/sal/SAL31437/jensen/vs/SAL32547/shaw