# Victoria vs Queensland — 2021 Census comparison

State / Territory comparison · about 1,557 km apart

Victoria and Queensland are both large residential hubs, but they differ sharply in their layout and diversity. Victoria is far more walkable, with 74.3% of homes within a 15-minute walk of groceries compared to 60.6% in Queensland. It also has a more diverse population, with 27.6% of people using another language at home, far higher than the 13.2% in Queensland. More people in Victoria also work from home, at 25.7% compared to 14.1% in Queensland.

These gaps in professional and cultural diversity have widened since 2011, as the difference in the share of people born overseas and those with bachelor degrees has grown. Despite these drifting trends, the two areas remain very similar in other ways. They share the same typical resident age of 38 and nearly identical weekly household incomes, with Victoria at $1,759 and Queensland at $1,675. Both areas also have about the same share of children under 15.

## Where they differ most

- Other language: 14.3 pts higher in Victoria
- Work from home: 11.6 pts higher in Victoria
- Born overseas: 7.3 pts higher in Victoria
- Bachelor+: 7.3 pts higher in Victoria
- Population: 1,347,353 larger in Victoria

## Demographics & Identity

| Statistic | Victoria | Queensland | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Population | 6,503,491 | 5,156,138 | 1,347,353 larger in Victoria | gap widening |
| Median age | 38 yrs | 38 yrs |  | gap narrowing |
| First Nations | 1.0% | 4.6% | 3.6 pts higher in Queensland | gap steady |
| Aged 65+ | 16.8% | 17.0% | 0.2 pts higher in Queensland | gap steady |
| Under 15 | 18.0% | 18.7% | 0.7 pts higher in Queensland | gap steady |
| De facto | 11.2% | 12.9% | 1.8 pts higher in Queensland | gap steady |

### Age structure

| Category | Victoria % | Queensland % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Young adults (25–44) | 29.1% | 26.9% | +2.2 |
| Older adults (45–64) | 24.2% | 25.0% | -0.8 |
| Children (0–14) | 18.0% | 18.7% | -0.7 |
| Seniors (65+) | 16.8% | 17.0% | -0.2 |
| Youth (15–24) | 11.9% | 12.4% | -0.5 |

### Marital status

| Category | Victoria % | Queensland % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Married | 46.8% | 45.0% | +1.8 |
| Never married | 37.0% | 37.0% | +0.0 |
| Divorced | 8.2% | 9.7% | -1.5 |
| Widowed | 4.9% | 4.7% | +0.2 |
| Separated | 3.1% | 3.6% | -0.5 |

### Age profile

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

| Age band | Victoria male | Victoria female | Queensland male | Queensland female |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 0–4 | 3.0% | 2.8% | 2.9% | 2.7% |
| 5–9 | 3.2% | 3.0% | 3.3% | 3.1% |
| 10–14 | 3.1% | 2.9% | 3.4% | 3.2% |
| 15–19 | 2.9% | 2.7% | 3.1% | 3.0% |
| 20–24 | 3.2% | 3.1% | 3.2% | 3.1% |
| 25–29 | 3.7% | 3.6% | 3.3% | 3.4% |
| 30–34 | 3.7% | 3.9% | 3.3% | 3.5% |
| 35–39 | 3.7% | 3.8% | 3.4% | 3.6% |
| 40–44 | 3.3% | 3.3% | 3.1% | 3.3% |
| 45–49 | 3.1% | 3.3% | 3.2% | 3.4% |
| 50–54 | 3.1% | 3.2% | 3.2% | 3.3% |
| 55–59 | 2.9% | 3.0% | 3.0% | 3.1% |
| 60–64 | 2.7% | 2.9% | 2.8% | 3.0% |
| 65–69 | 2.4% | 2.6% | 2.5% | 2.6% |
| 70–74 | 2.1% | 2.3% | 2.3% | 2.4% |
| 75–79 | 1.5% | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1.7% |
| 80–84 | 1.0% | 1.2% | 1.0% | 1.1% |
| 85+ | 0.8% | 1.3% | 0.7% | 1.1% |

## Ancestry & Birthplace

| Statistic | Victoria | Queensland | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Born overseas | 30.0% | 22.7% | 7.3 pts higher in Victoria | gap widening |

### Country of birth

| Category | Victoria % | Queensland % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Australia | 65.0% | 71.4% | -6.3 |
| New Zealand | 1.5% | 4.0% | -2.5 |
| India | 4.0% | 1.4% | +2.6 |
| England | 2.7% | 3.7% | -1.0 |
| China | 2.6% | 1.1% | +1.6 |
| Vietnam | 1.4% | 0.5% | +1.0 |
| Philippines | 1.1% | 1.0% | +0.1 |
| Italy | 1.0% | 0.3% | +0.7 |
| South Africa | 0.5% | 1.0% | -0.5 |
| Nepal | 0.3% | 0.2% | +0.1 |

### Ancestry

| Category | Victoria % | Queensland % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| English | 29.2% | 38.0% | -8.8 |
| Australian | 27.2% | 33.4% | -6.2 |
| Irish | 9.4% | 11.0% | -1.6 |
| Scottish | 8.2% | 10.2% | -2.0 |
| Chinese | 6.6% | 3.1% | +3.5 |
| German | 3.3% | 6.0% | -2.7 |
| Italian | 5.9% | 3.0% | +3.0 |
| Indian | 4.3% | 1.8% | +2.4 |
| Greek | 2.8% | 0.6% | +2.2 |
| Vietnamese | 1.9% | 0.7% | +1.2 |
| Dutch | 1.7% | 1.6% | +0.1 |
| Filipino | 1.5% | 1.4% | +0.0 |

## Language

| Statistic | Victoria | Queensland | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Other language | 27.6% | 13.2% | 14.3 pts higher in Victoria | gap widening |
| Limited English | 4.4% | 1.8% | 2.6 pts higher in Victoria | gap steady |

### Language used at home

| Category | Victoria % | Queensland % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| English only | 67.2% | 80.5% | -13.3 |
| Mandarin | 3.4% | 1.6% | +1.8 |
| Vietnamese | 1.8% | 0.6% | +1.2 |
| Greek | 1.6% | 0.2% | +1.4 |
| Punjabi | 1.6% | 0.6% | +1.0 |
| Italian | 1.4% | 0.3% | +1.1 |
| Arabic | 1.4% | 0.3% | +1.1 |
| Cantonese | 1.3% | 0.5% | +0.7 |
| Hindi | 1.0% | 0.4% | +0.6 |
| Tagalog | 0.4% | 0.4% | +0.0 |

## Religion

| Statistic | Victoria | Queensland | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No religion | 39.3% | 41.2% | 2.0 pts higher in Queensland | gap steady |

### Religious affiliation

| Category | Victoria % | Queensland % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Christianity | 40.9% | 45.7% | -4.9 |
| No religion | 39.3% | 41.2% | -2.0 |
| Not stated | 6.7% | 8.0% | -1.3 |
| Islam | 4.2% | 1.2% | +3.0 |
| Hinduism | 3.3% | 1.3% | +1.9 |
| Buddhism | 3.1% | 1.4% | +1.7 |
| Other religions | 1.8% | 1.0% | +0.8 |
| Judaism | 0.7% | 0.1% | +0.6 |

## Education & Qualifications

| Statistic | Victoria | Queensland | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 61.8% | 57.1% | 4.7 pts higher in Victoria | gap widening |
| Bachelor+ | 29.2% | 21.9% | 7.3 pts higher in Victoria | gap widening |

### Highest year of school

| Category | Victoria % | Queensland % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 61.8% | 57.1% | +4.7 |
| Year 10 | 11.6% | 20.8% | -9.2 |
| Year 11 | 10.2% | 6.5% | +3.7 |
| Year 9 or below | 10.1% | 8.3% | +1.8 |

### Highest qualification level

| Category | Victoria % | Queensland % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Certificate III / IV | 22.4% | 30.3% | -7.9 |
| Bachelor degree | 29.6% | 24.0% | +5.6 |
| Advanced diploma / diploma | 15.4% | 15.1% | +0.3 |
| Postgraduate degree | 11.8% | 7.5% | +4.3 |
| Graduate diploma / certificate | 4.5% | 3.5% | +1.0 |
| Certificate I / II | 1.5% | 2.3% | -0.8 |

### Field of qualification

| Category | Victoria % | Queensland % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Management & commerce | 19.2% | 18.4% | +0.8 |
| Engineering & related | 12.7% | 14.5% | -1.8 |
| Society & culture | 12.3% | 11.8% | +0.5 |
| Health | 10.3% | 10.9% | -0.6 |
| Education | 8.0% | 7.8% | +0.1 |
| Architecture & building | 5.5% | 5.8% | -0.3 |
| Food, hospitality & personal services | 4.7% | 5.6% | -0.8 |
| Creative arts | 4.4% | 3.3% | +1.1 |
| Information technology | 4.4% | 2.5% | +1.9 |
| Natural & physical sciences | 3.4% | 2.4% | +1.0 |
| Agriculture & environment | 1.8% | 1.9% | 0.0 |

## Income

| Statistic | Victoria | Queensland | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Personal income | $803 | $787 | $16 higher in Victoria | gap narrowing |
| Household income | $1,759 | $1,675 | $84 higher in Victoria | gap widening |
| Family income | $2,136 | $2,024 | $112 higher in Victoria | gap widening |
| High earners | 12.3% | 11.0% | 1.3 pts higher in Victoria | gap widening |
| High-income homes | 22.7% | 20.2% | 2.4 pts higher in Victoria | gap widening |

### Household income distribution

| Category | Victoria % | Queensland % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 30.2% | 30.0% | +0.2 |
| $650–$1,499 | 25.6% | 27.0% | -1.4 |
| Under $650 | 15.3% | 15.2% | +0.1 |
| $4,000 or more | 12.4% | 10.4% | +1.9 |
| $3,000–$3,999 | 10.3% | 9.8% | +0.5 |

### Personal income distribution

| Category | Victoria % | Queensland % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Under $650 | 39.6% | 39.3% | +0.3 |
| $650–$1,499 | 31.0% | 31.8% | -0.8 |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 17.7% | 17.0% | +0.7 |
| $3,000 or more | 4.9% | 4.1% | +0.9 |

## Health & Disability

| Statistic | Victoria | Queensland | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health condition | 27.4% | 28.8% | 1.4 pts higher in Queensland |  |
| Mental health | 8.8% | 9.6% | 0.9 pts higher in Queensland |  |
| Needs assistance | 5.9% | 6.0% | 0.1 pts higher in Queensland | gap steady |

### Long-term health conditions reported

| Category | Victoria % | Queensland % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Mental health | 8.8% | 9.6% | -0.9 |
| Arthritis | 8.0% | 8.8% | -0.9 |
| Asthma | 8.4% | 8.5% | -0.1 |
| Other condition | 8.0% | 8.4% | -0.5 |
| Diabetes | 4.7% | 4.5% | +0.2 |
| Heart disease | 3.7% | 4.2% | -0.4 |
| Cancer | 2.8% | 3.1% | -0.3 |
| Lung condition | 1.5% | 2.1% | -0.6 |
| Stroke | 0.9% | 1.0% | 0.0 |
| Dementia | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.0 |

### Number of long-term health conditions

| Category | Victoria % | Queensland % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| None | 65.0% | 62.3% | +2.8 |
| One condition | 18.8% | 19.3% | -0.5 |
| Two conditions | 5.7% | 6.2% | -0.5 |
| Three or more | 2.9% | 3.3% | -0.5 |

## Community Participation

| Statistic | Victoria | Queensland | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Volunteering | 13.3% | 14.1% | 0.7 pts higher in Queensland | gap steady |
| Unpaid carers | 12.9% | 11.5% | 1.4 pts higher in Victoria | gap steady |
| Unpaid child care | 26.3% | 26.5% | 0.2 pts higher in Queensland | gap narrowing |
| Defence service | 2.0% | 3.9% | 1.9 pts higher in Queensland |  |
| Housework 15h+ | 20.1% | 20.7% | 0.6 pts higher in Queensland | gap steady |

## First Nations

| Statistic | Victoria | Queensland | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| First Nations people | 65,646 | 237,303 | 171,657 larger in Queensland |  |
| Median age | 24 yrs | 23 yrs | 1 yrs older in Victoria |  |
| Year 12 | 42.4% | 43.6% | 1.2 pts higher in Queensland |  |
| Unemployment | 9.6% | 13.3% | 3.8 pts higher in Queensland |  |
| Median income | $619 | $563 | $56 higher in Victoria |  |
| Household income | $1,565 | $1,517 | $48 higher in Victoria |  |
| Indigenous language | 5.2% | 11.6% | 6.4 pts higher in Queensland |  |

## Family & Households

| Statistic | Victoria | Queensland | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Household size | 2.5 | 2.5 |  | gap narrowing |
| One-parent | 13.3% | 15.4% | 2.0 pts higher in Queensland | gap steady |
| Living alone | 25.9% | 24.7% | 1.3 pts higher in Victoria | gap steady |

### Family composition

| Category | Victoria % | Queensland % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Couples with children | 59.9% | 55.4% | +4.5 |
| Couples without children | 25.6% | 28.0% | -2.4 |
| One-parent families | 13.3% | 15.4% | -2.0 |
| Other families | 1.2% | 1.2% | +0.0 |

### Household size

| Category | Victoria % | Queensland % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2 people | 32.6% | 35.2% | -2.6 |
| 1 person | 25.9% | 24.7% | +1.3 |
| 3 people | 16.1% | 15.8% | +0.3 |
| 4 people | 16.1% | 14.8% | +1.3 |
| 5 people | 6.3% | 6.2% | +0.2 |
| 6 or more | 3.0% | 3.4% | -0.4 |

## Housing & Dwellings

| Statistic | Victoria | Queensland | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rent | $370 | $365 | $5 higher in Victoria | gap steady |
| Mortgage | $1,859 | $1,733 | $126 higher in Victoria | gap narrowing |
| People / bedroom | 0.80 | 0.80 |  | gap steady |
| Renting | 28.5% | 33.1% | 4.6 pts higher in Queensland | gap narrowing |
| Owned outright | 32.2% | 29.1% | 3.1 pts higher in Victoria | gap narrowing |
| Separate houses | 73.4% | 74.8% | 1.3 pts higher in Queensland | gap steady |
| 3+ bedrooms | 74.1% | 76.3% | 2.2 pts higher in Queensland | gap steady |

### How homes are owned or rented

| Category | Victoria % | Queensland % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Owned with a mortgage | 36.1% | 34.4% | +1.7 |
| Rented | 28.5% | 33.1% | -4.6 |
| Owned outright | 32.2% | 29.1% | +3.1 |
| Other tenure | 1.7% | 1.9% | -0.1 |
| Not stated | 1.5% | 1.6% | -0.1 |

### Types of homes

| Category | Victoria % | Queensland % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Separate house | 73.4% | 74.8% | -1.3 |
| Townhouse / semi-detached | 13.9% | 11.7% | +2.2 |
| Flat or apartment | 12.1% | 12.5% | -0.4 |
| Other dwelling | 0.4% | 0.7% | -0.3 |

### Bedrooms per home

| Category | Victoria % | Queensland % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 3 bedrooms | 41.5% | 37.5% | +4.0 |
| 4 bedrooms | 27.1% | 30.9% | -3.8 |
| 2 bedrooms | 19.1% | 17.0% | +2.1 |
| 5 or more | 5.5% | 7.9% | -2.4 |
| 1 bedroom | 5.1% | 4.7% | +0.5 |
| Studio / none | 0.3% | 0.5% | -0.2 |

### Weekly rent distribution

| Category | Victoria % | Queensland % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $350–$549 | 45.7% | 44.9% | +0.8 |
| $200–$349 | 28.8% | 30.1% | -1.3 |
| Under $200 | 9.7% | 11.2% | -1.5 |
| $550–$749 | 8.3% | 8.2% | +0.1 |
| $750 or more | 3.8% | 2.3% | +1.5 |

### Monthly mortgage distribution

| Category | Victoria % | Queensland % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $1,000–$1,799 | 28.7% | 33.5% | -4.8 |
| $1,800–$2,999 | 31.9% | 32.2% | -0.3 |
| $3,000 or more | 17.3% | 12.8% | +4.5 |
| Under $1,000 | 15.7% | 15.6% | +0.0 |

## Transport & Vehicles

| Statistic | Victoria | Queensland | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No car | 7.6% | 5.8% | 1.8 pts higher in Victoria | gap steady |
| Work from home | 25.7% | 14.1% | 11.6 pts higher in Victoria | gap widening |
| PT commute | 2.9% | 3.0% | 0.1 pts higher in Queensland | gap narrowing |
| PT stops | 28,683 | 15,436 | 13,247 more in Victoria |  |
| Stops/1k | 4.41 | 2.99 | 1.42 more in Victoria |  |
| Departures/1k | 1,267.9 | 720.7 | 547.3 more in Victoria |  |
| PT routes | 1,058 | 721 | 337 more in Victoria |  |

### How people get to work

| Category | Victoria % | Queensland % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Car (driver) | 49.9% | 59.5% | -9.6 |
| Worked at home | 25.7% | 14.1% | +11.6 |
| Car (passenger) | 3.5% | 4.5% | -1.0 |
| Walked | 2.3% | 2.6% | -0.3 |
| Bus | 0.6% | 1.7% | -1.1 |
| Train | 1.6% | 1.1% | +0.5 |
| Bicycle | 0.7% | 0.7% | +0.0 |

### Motor vehicles per home

| Category | Victoria % | Queensland % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2 vehicles | 37.4% | 38.1% | -0.7 |
| 1 vehicle | 36.3% | 35.8% | +0.5 |
| 3 vehicles | 11.9% | 13.0% | -1.1 |
| No vehicle | 7.6% | 5.8% | +1.8 |
| 4 or more | 6.8% | 7.3% | -0.5 |

## Migration & Movement

| Statistic | Victoria | Queensland | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Recent movers | 40.0% | 44.8% | 4.8 pts higher in Queensland | gap narrowing |
| Recent arrivals | 15.6% | 13.7% | 1.9 pts higher in Victoria | gap steady |

## Jobs & Industry

| Statistic | Victoria | Queensland | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Unemployment | 5.0% | 5.4% | 0.3 pts higher in Queensland | gap steady |
| Participation | 62.4% | 61.6% | 0.8 pts higher in Victoria | gap steady |
| Full-time | 59.2% | 59.0% | 0.1 pts higher in Victoria | gap narrowing |

### Industries people work in

| Category | Victoria % | Queensland % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health care & social assistance | 14.1% | 15.4% | -1.3 |
| Construction | 9.4% | 9.1% | +0.3 |
| Retail trade | 9.4% | 9.3% | +0.1 |
| Education & training | 8.8% | 8.8% | -0.1 |
| Professional & technical | 8.4% | 6.7% | +1.7 |
| Accommodation & food | 6.2% | 7.2% | -1.0 |
| Manufacturing | 7.0% | 5.7% | +1.2 |
| Public administration & safety | 5.6% | 6.2% | -0.5 |
| Transport & warehousing | 4.7% | 4.7% | -0.1 |
| Finance & insurance | 4.1% | 2.6% | +1.5 |
| Other services | 3.5% | 3.9% | -0.4 |
| Administrative & support | 3.1% | 3.4% | -0.2 |

### Occupations people work in

| Category | Victoria % | Queensland % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Professionals | 25.0% | 21.4% | +3.6 |
| Managers | 14.0% | 12.5% | +1.5 |
| Technicians & trades | 12.6% | 13.7% | -1.0 |
| Clerical & administrative | 12.4% | 12.7% | -0.3 |
| Community & personal service | 11.0% | 12.3% | -1.3 |
| Labourers | 8.8% | 10.1% | -1.3 |
| Sales workers | 8.3% | 8.7% | -0.3 |
| Machinery operators & drivers | 5.9% | 6.8% | -0.9 |

## Economy & Advantage

| Statistic | Victoria | Queensland | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| ERP | 7,073,859 | 5,669,764 | 1,404,095 higher in Victoria |  |
| Growth | 8.0% | 8.7% | 0.7 pts higher in Queensland |  |

## Environment & Climate

| Statistic | Victoria | Queensland | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rainfall | 510 | 379 | 131 higher in Victoria |  |
| Max temp | 21.0 | 33.1 | 12.1 higher in Queensland |  |
| Min temp | 8.9 | 16.1 | 7.2 higher in Queensland |  |

## Walkability

| Statistic | Victoria | Queensland | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Walk score | 6.4 | 5.0 | 1.4 higher in Victoria |  |
| Types ≤15 min | 6.0 | 4.8 | 1.2 more in Victoria |  |
| 15-min city | 74.3% | 59.1% | 15.2 pts higher in Victoria |  |
| Walk to shops | 74.0% | 60.6% | 13.4 pts higher in Victoria |  |
| Walk to transit | 83.9% | 63.7% | 20.2 pts higher in Victoria |  |
| Walk to school | 79.1% | 61.3% | 17.8 pts higher in Victoria |  |
| Walk to a park | 92.5% | 84.0% | 8.5 pts higher in Victoria |  |
| Walk to health | 64.2% | 47.8% | 16.3 pts higher in Victoria |  |
| Amenities/1k | 15.7 | 13.4 | 2.3 more in Victoria |  |
| Intersections/km² | 5 | 0 | 4 higher in Victoria |  |
| Mean slope | 4.7% | 6.0% | 1.2 pts higher in Queensland |  |

Interactive comparison: https://censusatlas.au/compare/ste/2/victoria/vs/3/queensland