# 4,999 or less vs 20,000 to 49,999 — 2021 Census comparison

Section of State Range comparison · about 585 km apart

4,999 or less and 20,000 to 49,999 are far apart and differ sharply in their populations. Residents are far older in 4,999 or less, where the typical age is 46 and 25.8% of people are aged 65 or over. In contrast, the typical resident in 20,000 to 49,999 is just 34, and only 9.4% are seniors. This younger age profile in 20,000 to 49,999 is consistent with a more mobile population, where 49% of people moved in the last five years, compared to 36.2% in 4,999 or less. Income also varies widely, with the typical weekly household earning $2,140 in 20,000 to 49,999, while the typical household in 4,999 or less earns $1,248.

Everyday life shares some similarities, as both areas have about 58% of homes within a 15-minute walk of groceries and similar unemployment rates. However, the gaps between them are often widening. Since 2011, the difference in typical age has grown from 9 to 12 years, and the gap in people born overseas has nearly doubled to 14 percentage points. While 4,999 or less has a higher share of homes owned outright, 20,000 to 49,999 is much more diverse, with 25.2% of people using a language other than English at home compared to 5.3% in 4,999 or less.

## Where they differ most

- Separate houses: 26.4 pts higher in 4,999 or less
- Owned outright: 22.2 pts higher in 4,999 or less
- People / bedroom: 0.20 higher in 20,000 to 49,999
- Median age: 12 yrs older in 4,999 or less
- Other language: 19.9 pts higher in 20,000 to 49,999

## Demographics & Identity

| Statistic | 4,999 or less | 20,000 to 49,999 | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Population | 116,347 | 24,855 | 91,492 larger in 4,999 or less | gap steady |
| Median age | 46 yrs | 34 yrs | 12 yrs older in 4,999 or less | gap widening |
| First Nations | 3.3% | 21.2% | 17.9 pts higher in 20,000 to 49,999 | gap widening |
| Aged 65+ | 25.8% | 9.4% | 16.4 pts higher in 4,999 or less | gap widening |
| Under 15 | 17.0% | 21.0% | 4.0 pts higher in 20,000 to 49,999 | gap steady |
| De facto | 12.7% | 16.7% | 4.1 pts higher in 20,000 to 49,999 | gap narrowing |

### Age structure

| Category | 4,999 or less % | 20,000 to 49,999 % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Young adults (25–44) | 21.6% | 34.9% | -13.3 |
| Older adults (45–64) | 25.9% | 24.1% | +1.8 |
| Seniors (65+) | 25.8% | 9.4% | +16.4 |
| Children (0–14) | 17.0% | 21.0% | -4.0 |
| Youth (15–24) | 9.7% | 10.7% | -1.0 |

### Marital status

| Category | 4,999 or less % | 20,000 to 49,999 % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Married | 48.2% | 38.9% | +9.3 |
| Never married | 30.9% | 46.9% | -16.1 |
| Divorced | 10.1% | 7.6% | +2.4 |
| Widowed | 7.6% | 3.0% | +4.6 |
| Separated | 3.3% | 3.6% | -0.3 |

### Age profile

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

| Age band | 4,999 or less male | 4,999 or less female | 20,000 to 49,999 male | 20,000 to 49,999 female |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 0–4 | 2.6% | 2.6% | 3.8% | 3.4% |
| 5–9 | 3.0% | 2.9% | 3.7% | 3.3% |
| 10–14 | 3.0% | 2.9% | 3.3% | 3.3% |
| 15–19 | 2.7% | 2.4% | 3.0% | 2.8% |
| 20–24 | 2.4% | 2.2% | 2.4% | 2.6% |
| 25–29 | 2.7% | 2.7% | 4.1% | 4.8% |
| 30–34 | 2.7% | 2.8% | 4.7% | 5.6% |
| 35–39 | 2.7% | 2.9% | 4.3% | 4.5% |
| 40–44 | 2.6% | 2.6% | 3.4% | 3.5% |
| 45–49 | 2.8% | 2.9% | 3.0% | 3.2% |
| 50–54 | 3.1% | 3.3% | 2.9% | 3.6% |
| 55–59 | 3.3% | 3.4% | 2.9% | 3.2% |
| 60–64 | 3.5% | 3.6% | 2.7% | 2.7% |
| 65–69 | 3.5% | 3.6% | 1.9% | 2.0% |
| 70–74 | 3.3% | 3.4% | 1.2% | 1.2% |
| 75–79 | 2.4% | 2.6% | 0.5% | 0.8% |
| 80–84 | 1.6% | 1.9% | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| 85+ | 1.4% | 2.1% | 0.2% | 0.5% |

## Ancestry & Birthplace

| Statistic | 4,999 or less | 20,000 to 49,999 | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Born overseas | 12.9% | 26.9% | 14.0 pts higher in 20,000 to 49,999 | gap widening |

### Country of birth

| Category | 4,999 or less % | 20,000 to 49,999 % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Australia | 80.6% | 66.7% | +13.9 |
| England | 5.1% | 2.4% | +2.7 |
| India | 0.6% | 3.9% | -3.2 |
| New Zealand | 0.8% | 3.3% | -2.5 |
| Philippines | 0.6% | 2.3% | -1.7 |
| Nepal | 0.1% | 0.9% | -0.8 |
| China | 0.2% | 0.7% | -0.6 |
| South Africa | 0.3% | 0.7% | -0.4 |
| Vietnam | 0.2% | 0.4% | -0.2 |
| Italy | 0.3% | 0.3% | +0.0 |

### Ancestry

| Category | 4,999 or less % | 20,000 to 49,999 % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| English | 43.5% | 26.5% | +17.0 |
| Australian | 40.8% | 25.5% | +15.2 |
| German | 10.9% | 5.1% | +5.9 |
| Irish | 7.6% | 9.1% | -1.6 |
| Scottish | 9.0% | 7.5% | +1.5 |
| Indian | 0.6% | 3.8% | -3.2 |
| Italian | 2.9% | 2.4% | +0.5 |
| Filipino | 0.8% | 2.9% | -2.1 |
| Chinese | 0.5% | 2.2% | -1.6 |
| Dutch | 1.7% | 1.5% | +0.2 |
| Greek | 1.1% | 0.4% | +0.8 |
| Vietnamese | 0.3% | 0.4% | -0.1 |

## Language

| Statistic | 4,999 or less | 20,000 to 49,999 | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Other language | 5.3% | 25.2% | 19.9 pts higher in 20,000 to 49,999 | gap widening |
| Limited English | 0.8% | 2.3% | 1.5 pts higher in 20,000 to 49,999 | gap steady |

### Language used at home

| Category | 4,999 or less % | 20,000 to 49,999 % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| English only | 88.9% | 67.6% | +21.3 |
| Punjabi | 0.5% | 1.7% | -1.2 |
| Tagalog | 0.2% | 1.1% | -1.0 |
| Mandarin | 0.3% | 1.1% | -0.8 |
| Hindi | 0.1% | 0.7% | -0.7 |
| Greek | 0.5% | 0.1% | +0.4 |
| Arabic | 0.1% | 0.4% | -0.4 |
| Italian | 0.4% | 0.3% | +0.1 |
| Vietnamese | 0.2% | 0.4% | -0.1 |
| Cantonese | 0.1% | 0.3% | -0.2 |

## Religion

| Statistic | 4,999 or less | 20,000 to 49,999 | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No religion | 48.9% | 42.8% | 6.1 pts higher in 4,999 or less | gap widening |

### Religious affiliation

| Category | 4,999 or less % | 20,000 to 49,999 % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No religion | 48.9% | 42.8% | +6.1 |
| Christianity | 41.0% | 41.1% | -0.2 |
| Not stated | 7.8% | 8.8% | -1.0 |
| Hinduism | 0.3% | 2.5% | -2.2 |
| Other religions | 0.8% | 2.0% | -1.2 |
| Buddhism | 0.7% | 1.5% | -0.8 |
| Islam | 0.4% | 1.1% | -0.6 |
| Judaism | 0.0% | 0.1% | -0.1 |

## Education & Qualifications

| Statistic | 4,999 or less | 20,000 to 49,999 | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 40.8% | 55.9% | 15.1 pts higher in 20,000 to 49,999 | gap widening |
| Bachelor+ | 12.5% | 27.5% | 15.0 pts higher in 20,000 to 49,999 | gap widening |

### Highest year of school

| Category | 4,999 or less % | 20,000 to 49,999 % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 40.8% | 55.9% | -15.1 |
| Year 11 | 20.1% | 10.7% | +9.3 |
| Year 10 | 19.0% | 14.6% | +4.4 |
| Year 9 or below | 12.5% | 10.2% | +2.3 |

### Highest qualification level

| Category | 4,999 or less % | 20,000 to 49,999 % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Certificate III / IV | 38.4% | 25.5% | +12.9 |
| Bachelor degree | 16.6% | 26.4% | -9.8 |
| Advanced diploma / diploma | 14.6% | 13.0% | +1.7 |
| Postgraduate degree | 3.5% | 11.2% | -7.7 |
| Graduate diploma / certificate | 2.9% | 4.6% | -1.7 |
| Certificate I / II | 2.9% | 1.8% | +1.1 |

### Field of qualification

| Category | 4,999 or less % | 20,000 to 49,999 % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Engineering & related | 16.5% | 10.9% | +5.6 |
| Health | 11.1% | 15.8% | -4.6 |
| Management & commerce | 13.9% | 15.1% | -1.1 |
| Society & culture | 11.8% | 15.0% | -3.3 |
| Education | 9.0% | 8.2% | +0.8 |
| Food, hospitality & personal services | 6.2% | 5.3% | +0.9 |
| Architecture & building | 4.9% | 4.1% | +0.8 |
| Agriculture & environment | 3.6% | 1.8% | +1.7 |
| Creative arts | 2.0% | 3.1% | -1.1 |
| Natural & physical sciences | 2.1% | 2.0% | +0.0 |
| Information technology | 1.1% | 1.9% | -0.8 |

## Income

| Statistic | 4,999 or less | 20,000 to 49,999 | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Personal income | $672 | $1,130 | $458 higher in 20,000 to 49,999 | gap widening |
| Household income | $1,248 | $2,140 | $892 higher in 20,000 to 49,999 | gap widening |
| Family income | $1,637 | $2,476 | $839 higher in 20,000 to 49,999 | gap widening |
| High earners | 7.2% | 15.2% | 8.0 pts higher in 20,000 to 49,999 | gap widening |
| High-income homes | 12.2% | 27.6% | 15.4 pts higher in 20,000 to 49,999 | gap widening |

### Household income distribution

| Category | 4,999 or less % | 20,000 to 49,999 % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $650–$1,499 | 32.6% | 20.2% | +12.4 |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 25.9% | 32.4% | -6.5 |
| Under $650 | 21.5% | 10.2% | +11.3 |
| $4,000 or more | 5.2% | 14.3% | -9.0 |
| $3,000–$3,999 | 7.0% | 13.3% | -6.4 |

### Personal income distribution

| Category | 4,999 or less % | 20,000 to 49,999 % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Under $650 | 45.0% | 27.8% | +17.2 |
| $650–$1,499 | 32.1% | 33.0% | -0.9 |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 13.1% | 26.3% | -13.2 |
| $3,000 or more | 2.2% | 4.8% | -2.6 |

## Health & Disability

| Statistic | 4,999 or less | 20,000 to 49,999 | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health condition | 35.0% | 21.9% | 13.0 pts higher in 4,999 or less |  |
| Mental health | 10.5% | 6.1% | 4.4 pts higher in 4,999 or less |  |
| Needs assistance | 7.6% | 3.9% | 3.6 pts higher in 4,999 or less | gap steady |

### Long-term health conditions reported

| Category | 4,999 or less % | 20,000 to 49,999 % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Arthritis | 12.7% | 4.9% | +7.9 |
| Mental health | 10.5% | 6.1% | +4.4 |
| Asthma | 9.9% | 6.8% | +3.1 |
| Other condition | 8.9% | 6.7% | +2.2 |
| Diabetes | 6.7% | 5.1% | +1.6 |
| Heart disease | 5.7% | 2.9% | +2.8 |
| Cancer | 3.8% | 1.7% | +2.1 |
| Lung condition | 2.7% | 1.1% | +1.6 |
| Dementia | 1.3% | 0.6% | +0.8 |
| Stroke | 1.2% | 0.7% | +0.5 |

### Number of long-term health conditions

| Category | 4,999 or less % | 20,000 to 49,999 % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| None | 57.0% | 69.0% | -12.0 |
| One condition | 21.8% | 15.9% | +5.9 |
| Two conditions | 8.2% | 4.0% | +4.2 |
| Three or more | 5.0% | 2.1% | +2.9 |

## Community Participation

| Statistic | 4,999 or less | 20,000 to 49,999 | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Volunteering | 21.2% | 17.0% | 4.2 pts higher in 4,999 or less | gap steady |
| Unpaid carers | 12.7% | 8.6% | 4.2 pts higher in 4,999 or less | gap steady |
| Unpaid child care | 24.9% | 27.3% | 2.4 pts higher in 20,000 to 49,999 | gap widening |
| Defence service | 4.0% | 2.6% | 1.4 pts higher in 4,999 or less |  |
| Housework 15h+ | 24.0% | 16.0% | 8.0 pts higher in 4,999 or less | gap narrowing |

## Family & Households

| Statistic | 4,999 or less | 20,000 to 49,999 | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Household size | 2.3 | 2.6 | 0.3 larger in 20,000 to 49,999 | gap steady |
| One-parent | 14.2% | 17.8% | 3.6 pts higher in 20,000 to 49,999 | gap steady |
| Living alone | 30.7% | 27.0% | 3.8 pts higher in 4,999 or less | gap steady |

### Family composition

| Category | 4,999 or less % | 20,000 to 49,999 % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Couples with children | 49.9% | 56.5% | -6.5 |
| Couples without children | 35.0% | 24.2% | +10.8 |
| One-parent families | 14.2% | 17.8% | -3.6 |
| Other families | 0.9% | 1.6% | -0.7 |

### Household size

| Category | 4,999 or less % | 20,000 to 49,999 % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2 people | 38.3% | 29.5% | +8.7 |
| 1 person | 30.7% | 27.0% | +3.8 |
| 3 people | 12.2% | 17.6% | -5.4 |
| 4 people | 11.5% | 14.6% | -3.1 |
| 5 people | 5.1% | 6.6% | -1.5 |
| 6 or more | 2.2% | 4.5% | -2.4 |

## Housing & Dwellings

| Statistic | 4,999 or less | 20,000 to 49,999 | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rent | $230 | $380 | $150 higher in 20,000 to 49,999 | gap steady |
| Mortgage | $1,300 | $1,785 | $485 higher in 20,000 to 49,999 | gap narrowing |
| People / bedroom | 0.70 | 0.90 | 0.20 higher in 20,000 to 49,999 | gap widening |
| Renting | 24.2% | 43.9% | 19.7 pts higher in 20,000 to 49,999 | gap widening |
| Owned outright | 37.2% | 15.1% | 22.2 pts higher in 4,999 or less | gap widening |
| Separate houses | 89.9% | 63.5% | 26.4 pts higher in 4,999 or less | gap steady |
| 3+ bedrooms | 79.8% | 65.8% | 14.0 pts higher in 4,999 or less | gap steady |

### How homes are owned or rented

| Category | 4,999 or less % | 20,000 to 49,999 % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rented | 24.2% | 43.9% | -19.7 |
| Owned outright | 37.2% | 15.1% | +22.2 |
| Owned with a mortgage | 33.8% | 36.2% | -2.4 |
| Other tenure | 2.8% | 2.7% | +0.2 |
| Not stated | 1.9% | 2.2% | -0.3 |

### Types of homes

| Category | 4,999 or less % | 20,000 to 49,999 % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Separate house | 89.9% | 63.5% | +26.4 |
| Townhouse / semi-detached | 7.4% | 29.1% | -21.7 |
| Flat or apartment | 1.5% | 4.4% | -2.9 |
| Other dwelling | 0.8% | 1.4% | -0.6 |

### Bedrooms per home

| Category | 4,999 or less % | 20,000 to 49,999 % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 3 bedrooms | 50.6% | 42.9% | +7.7 |
| 4 bedrooms | 25.3% | 18.9% | +6.4 |
| 2 bedrooms | 15.4% | 22.4% | -7.0 |
| 1 bedroom | 2.8% | 8.2% | -5.4 |
| 5 or more | 3.9% | 4.0% | -0.1 |
| Studio / none | 0.3% | 1.4% | -1.2 |

### Weekly rent distribution

| Category | 4,999 or less % | 20,000 to 49,999 % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $200–$349 | 52.1% | 20.7% | +31.5 |
| $350–$549 | 11.9% | 37.9% | -26.0 |
| Under $200 | 31.3% | 18.9% | +12.4 |
| $550–$749 | 0.5% | 12.2% | -11.7 |
| $750 or more | 0.2% | 3.2% | -2.9 |

### Monthly mortgage distribution

| Category | 4,999 or less % | 20,000 to 49,999 % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $1,000–$1,799 | 40.7% | 35.6% | +5.1 |
| $1,800–$2,999 | 19.2% | 36.8% | -17.7 |
| Under $1,000 | 31.4% | 12.4% | +18.9 |
| $3,000 or more | 4.2% | 10.7% | -6.5 |

## Transport & Vehicles

| Statistic | 4,999 or less | 20,000 to 49,999 | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No car | 5.1% | 9.0% | 3.9 pts higher in 20,000 to 49,999 | gap widening |
| Work from home | 6.7% | 3.0% | 3.7 pts higher in 4,999 or less | gap widening |
| PT commute | 0.8% | 1.6% | 0.8 pts higher in 20,000 to 49,999 | gap steady |

### How people get to work

| Category | 4,999 or less % | 20,000 to 49,999 % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Car (driver) | 69.5% | 65.7% | +3.8 |
| Car (passenger) | 4.3% | 7.8% | -3.4 |
| Worked at home | 6.7% | 3.0% | +3.7 |
| Walked | 3.8% | 4.9% | -1.1 |
| Bicycle | 0.4% | 4.1% | -3.8 |
| Bus | 0.7% | 1.5% | -0.8 |
| Train | 0.1% | 0.0% | +0.1 |

### Motor vehicles per home

| Category | 4,999 or less % | 20,000 to 49,999 % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2 vehicles | 38.3% | 34.8% | +3.4 |
| 1 vehicle | 35.5% | 37.5% | -2.0 |
| 3 vehicles | 13.6% | 12.7% | +0.8 |
| No vehicle | 5.1% | 9.0% | -3.9 |
| 4 or more | 7.6% | 6.0% | +1.6 |

## Migration & Movement

| Statistic | 4,999 or less | 20,000 to 49,999 | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Recent movers | 36.2% | 49.0% | 12.8 pts higher in 20,000 to 49,999 | gap widening |
| Recent arrivals | 9.1% | 25.8% | 16.8 pts higher in 20,000 to 49,999 | gap narrowing |

## Jobs & Industry

| Statistic | 4,999 or less | 20,000 to 49,999 | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Unemployment | 4.6% | 3.6% | 1.0 pts higher in 4,999 or less | gap narrowing |
| Participation | 54.3% | 69.5% | 15.2 pts higher in 20,000 to 49,999 | gap widening |
| Full-time | 56.6% | 71.6% | 15.0 pts higher in 20,000 to 49,999 | gap steady |

### Industries people work in

| Category | 4,999 or less % | 20,000 to 49,999 % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health care & social assistance | 13.9% | 22.9% | -9.1 |
| Public administration & safety | 5.3% | 17.5% | -12.3 |
| Retail trade | 10.2% | 7.5% | +2.6 |
| Manufacturing | 9.9% | 1.8% | +8.1 |
| Education & training | 8.4% | 9.5% | -1.1 |
| Construction | 9.1% | 7.0% | +2.1 |
| Accommodation & food | 7.1% | 5.9% | +1.2 |
| Agriculture, forestry & fishing | 6.4% | 0.4% | +6.0 |
| Professional & technical | 3.3% | 5.1% | -1.8 |
| Other services | 3.9% | 4.5% | -0.7 |
| Transport & warehousing | 4.0% | 3.4% | +0.6 |
| Administrative & support | 3.8% | 2.5% | +1.3 |

### Occupations people work in

| Category | 4,999 or less % | 20,000 to 49,999 % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Professionals | 14.7% | 25.6% | -10.9 |
| Community & personal service | 12.9% | 17.9% | -4.9 |
| Technicians & trades | 15.5% | 12.4% | +3.2 |
| Labourers | 14.5% | 7.0% | +7.4 |
| Managers | 12.9% | 12.1% | +0.8 |
| Clerical & administrative | 10.9% | 12.5% | -1.6 |
| Sales workers | 8.6% | 6.2% | +2.4 |
| Machinery operators & drivers | 7.9% | 3.6% | +4.4 |

## Walkability

| Statistic | 4,999 or less | 20,000 to 49,999 | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Walk score | 4.6 | 5.0 | 0.4 higher in 20,000 to 49,999 |  |
| Types ≤15 min | 4.9 | 4.9 |  |  |
| 15-min city | 58.2% | 58.3% |  |  |
| Walk to shops | 58.2% | 59.0% | 0.8 pts higher in 20,000 to 49,999 |  |
| Walk to transit | 51.1% | 89.2% | 38.1 pts higher in 20,000 to 49,999 |  |
| Walk to school | 57.3% | 79.1% | 21.8 pts higher in 20,000 to 49,999 |  |
| Walk to a park | 83.7% | 93.4% | 9.7 pts higher in 20,000 to 49,999 |  |
| Walk to health | 48.9% | 35.9% | 13.0 pts higher in 4,999 or less |  |
| Amenities/1k | 16.4 | 13.4 | 3.0 more in 4,999 or less |  |
| Intersections/km² | 35 | 27 | 8 higher in 4,999 or less |  |
| Mean slope | 3.9% | 2.9% | 1.0 pts higher in 4,999 or less |  |

Interactive comparison: https://censusatlas.au/compare/sosr/SOSR415/4-999-or-less/vs/SOSR712/20-000-to-49-999