CensusAtlas

Compare

Queensland vs Western Australia

State / Territory comparison ≈ 2,286 km apart · Queensland profile · Western Australia profile

Queensland Western Australia

Queensland and Western Australia are both vast regions with distinct differences in their populations and landscapes. Western Australia has a much higher share of people born overseas (32.2%) and more people earning $2,000 or more a week (14.7%). Queensland is much wetter, with an average annual rainfall of 379mm compared to 185mm in Western Australia. Education outcomes for First Nations people also differ, with 43.6% of First Nations residents in Queensland finishing Year 12, compared to 32.5% in Western Australia.

Everyday life in both places is very similar in many ways. The typical resident in both regions is 38 years old, and homes usually hold 2.5 people. While some gaps have widened since 2011—such as the share of people working from home being well higher in Queensland—other differences have remained steady. For example, the gap in the share of people born overseas has seen little change over the last decade.

Open map →

Where they differ most

Population: 2,496,112 larger in Queensland Born overseas: 9.5 pts higher in Western Australia Work from home: 6.6 pts higher in Queensland 3+ bedrooms: 5.9 pts higher in Western Australia Recent movers: 5.8 pts higher in Queensland

Demographics & Identity

Population in Queenslandin Western Australia +2,496,112 larger in Queensland gap widening
5,156,138 2,660,026
Median age in Queenslandin Western Australia even gap steady
38 yrs 38 yrs
First Nations in Queenslandin Western Australia +1.3 pts higher in Queensland gap steady
4.6% 3.3%
Aged 65+ in Queenslandin Western Australia +0.9 pts higher in Queensland gap steady
17.0% 16.1%
Under 15 in Queenslandin Western Australia +0.3 pts higher in Western Australia gap steady
18.7% 19.0%
De facto in Queenslandin Western Australia +0.8 pts higher in Queensland gap steady
12.9% 12.2%

Age structure

26.9% Young adults (25–44) +1.3 pts ▸ 28.3%
25.0% Older adults (45–64) ◂ +0.1 pts 24.9%
18.7% Children (0–14) +0.3 pts ▸ 19.0%
17.0% Seniors (65+) ◂ +0.9 pts 16.1%
12.4% Youth (15–24) ◂ +0.6 pts 11.7%

Marital status

45.0% Married +2.3 pts ▸ 47.3%
37.0% Never married ◂ +0.9 pts 36.1%
9.7% Divorced ◂ +0.8 pts 8.8%
4.7% Widowed ◂ +0.3 pts 4.4%
3.6% Separated ◂ +0.3 pts 3.3%

Age & sex structure

Queensland Western Australia

Bars show the share of each area's own population, so differently sized areas stay comparable.

Ancestry & Birthplace

Born overseas in Queenslandin Western Australia +9.5 pts higher in Western Australia gap steady
22.7% 32.2%

Country of birth

71.4% Australia ◂ +9.4 pts 62.0%
3.7% England +3.7 pts ▸ 7.4%
4.0% New Zealand ◂ +1.2 pts 2.8%
1.4% India +0.9 pts ▸ 2.3%
1.0% South Africa +0.7 pts ▸ 1.7%
1.0% Philippines +0.4 pts ▸ 1.4%
1.1% China even 1.1%
0.3% Italy +0.4 pts ▸ 0.7%
0.5% Vietnam +0.2 pts ▸ 0.7%
0.2% Nepal even 0.2%

Ancestry

38.0% English ◂ +0.4 pts 37.6%
33.4% Australian ◂ +3.8 pts 29.7%
11.0% Irish ◂ +2.2 pts 8.8%
10.2% Scottish ◂ +1.5 pts 8.7%
6.0% German ◂ +3.1 pts 2.9%
3.0% Italian +2.2 pts ▸ 5.2%
3.1% Chinese +1.3 pts ▸ 4.4%
1.8% Indian +1.1 pts ▸ 2.9%
1.6% Dutch +0.4 pts ▸ 2.0%
1.4% Filipino +0.3 pts ▸ 1.8%
0.7% Vietnamese +0.2 pts ▸ 0.9%
0.6% Greek even 0.6%

Language

Other language in Queenslandin Western Australia +5.2 pts higher in Western Australia gap steady
13.2% 18.4%
Limited English in Queenslandin Western Australia +0.5 pts higher in Western Australia gap steady
1.8% 2.3%

Language used at home

80.5% English only ◂ +5.2 pts 75.3%
1.6% Mandarin +0.3 pts ▸ 1.9%
0.3% Italian +0.6 pts ▸ 1.0%
0.6% Vietnamese +0.2 pts ▸ 0.9%
0.6% Punjabi +0.2 pts ▸ 0.8%
0.5% Cantonese +0.2 pts ▸ 0.7%
0.4% Tagalog +0.3 pts ▸ 0.7%
0.3% Arabic +0.3 pts ▸ 0.6%
0.4% Hindi even 0.4%
0.2% Greek even 0.2%

Religion

No religion in Queenslandin Western Australia +1.7 pts higher in Western Australia gap narrowing
41.2% 42.9%

Religious affiliation

45.7% Christianity ◂ +4.6 pts 41.1%
41.2% No religion +1.7 pts ▸ 42.9%
8.0% Not stated ◂ +0.1 pts 8.0%
1.2% Islam +1.3 pts ▸ 2.5%
1.4% Buddhism +0.7 pts ▸ 2.2%
1.3% Hinduism +0.6 pts ▸ 2.0%
1.0% Other religions +0.2 pts ▸ 1.1%
0.1% Judaism +0.1 pts ▸ 0.2%

Education & Qualifications

Year 12 in Queenslandin Western Australia +0.9 pts higher in Western Australia gap steady
57.1% 58.0%
Bachelor+ in Queenslandin Western Australia +1.9 pts higher in Western Australia gap steady
21.9% 23.8%

Highest year of school

57.1% Year 12 +0.9 pts ▸ 58.0%
20.8% Year 10 ◂ +1.5 pts 19.2%
6.5% Year 11 +2.2 pts ▸ 8.8%
8.3% Year 9 or below ◂ +1.6 pts 6.7%

Highest qualification level

30.3% Certificate III / IV ◂ +2.3 pts 28.0%
24.0% Bachelor degree +1.8 pts ▸ 25.9%
15.1% Advanced diploma / diploma ◂ +0.4 pts 14.7%
7.5% Postgraduate degree +0.5 pts ▸ 8.0%
3.5% Graduate diploma / certificate +0.1 pts ▸ 3.7%
2.3% Certificate I / II +0.3 pts ▸ 2.6%

Field of qualification

18.4% Management & commerce ◂ +0.7 pts 17.6%
14.5% Engineering & related +2.5 pts ▸ 17.1%
11.8% Society & culture ◂ +1.0 pts 10.8%
10.9% Health ◂ +0.3 pts 10.6%
7.8% Education +0.2 pts ▸ 8.0%
5.8% Architecture & building ◂ +0.8 pts 5.0%
5.6% Food, hospitality & personal services ◂ +0.4 pts 5.1%
2.4% Natural & physical sciences +1.0 pts ▸ 3.4%
3.3% Creative arts ◂ +0.1 pts 3.2%
2.5% Information technology even 2.5%
1.9% Agriculture & environment +0.1 pts ▸ 2.0%

Income

Personal income in Queenslandin Western Australia +$61 higher in Western Australia gap narrowing
$787 $848
Household income in Queenslandin Western Australia +$140 higher in Western Australia gap narrowing
$1,675 $1,815
Family income in Queenslandin Western Australia +$190 higher in Western Australia gap narrowing
$2,024 $2,214
High earners in Queenslandin Western Australia +3.7 pts higher in Western Australia gap steady
11.0% 14.7%
High-income homes in Queenslandin Western Australia +3.0 pts higher in Western Australia gap steady
20.2% 23.2%

Household income distribution

30.0% $1,500–$2,999 ◂ +1.2 pts 28.8%
27.0% $650–$1,499 ◂ +3.2 pts 23.8%
15.2% Under $650 ◂ +0.4 pts 14.8%
10.4% $4,000 or more +2.2 pts ▸ 12.6%
9.8% $3,000–$3,999 +0.7 pts ▸ 10.6%

Personal income distribution

39.3% Under $650 ◂ +1.2 pts 38.1%
31.8% $650–$1,499 ◂ +3.1 pts 28.7%
17.0% $1,500–$2,999 +2.7 pts ▸ 19.6%
4.1% $3,000 or more +1.8 pts ▸ 5.9%

Health & Disability

Health condition in Queenslandin Western Australia +2.7 pts higher in Queensland
28.8% 26.1%
Mental health in Queenslandin Western Australia +1.3 pts higher in Queensland
9.6% 8.3%
Needs assistance in Queenslandin Western Australia +1.4 pts higher in Queensland gap steady
6.0% 4.6%

Long-term health conditions reported

9.6% Mental health ◂ +1.3 pts 8.3%
8.8% Arthritis ◂ +1.2 pts 7.6%
8.5% Asthma ◂ +1.2 pts 7.3%
8.4% Other condition ◂ +1.1 pts 7.4%
4.5% Diabetes ◂ +0.1 pts 4.4%
4.2% Heart disease ◂ +0.6 pts 3.6%
3.1% Cancer ◂ +0.4 pts 2.7%
2.1% Lung condition ◂ +0.5 pts 1.6%
1.0% Stroke ◂ +0.2 pts 0.8%
0.7% Dementia ◂ +0.1 pts 0.7%

Number of long-term health conditions

62.3% None +2.8 pts ▸ 65.1%
19.3% One condition ◂ +1.1 pts 18.2%
6.2% Two conditions ◂ +0.9 pts 5.3%
3.3% Three or more ◂ +0.8 pts 2.6%

Community Participation

Volunteering in Queenslandin Western Australia +1.9 pts higher in Western Australia gap steady
14.1% 15.9%
Unpaid carers in Queenslandin Western Australia +0.7 pts higher in Queensland gap steady
11.5% 10.7%
Unpaid child care in Queenslandin Western Australia +2.0 pts higher in Western Australia gap widening
26.5% 28.5%
Defence service in Queenslandin Western Australia +1.0 pts higher in Queensland
3.9% 2.9%
Housework 15h+ in Queenslandin Western Australia +0.6 pts higher in Queensland gap steady
20.7% 20.1%

First Nations

First Nations people in Queenslandin Western Australia +148,610 larger in Queensland
237,303 88,693
Median age in Queenslandin Western Australia +1 yrs older in Western Australia
23 yrs 24 yrs
Year 12 in Queenslandin Western Australia +11.0 pts higher in Queensland
43.6% 32.5%
Unemployment in Queenslandin Western Australia +2.5 pts higher in Western Australia
13.3% 15.9%
Median income in Queenslandin Western Australia +$82 higher in Queensland
$563 $481
Household income in Queenslandin Western Australia +$37 higher in Queensland
$1,517 $1,480
Indigenous language in Queenslandin Western Australia +4.4 pts higher in Western Australia
11.6% 16.0%

Family & Households

Household size in Queenslandin Western Australia even gap narrowing
2.5 2.5
One-parent in Queenslandin Western Australia +1.9 pts higher in Queensland gap steady
15.4% 13.5%
Living alone in Queenslandin Western Australia +0.8 pts higher in Western Australia gap steady
24.7% 25.4%

Family composition

55.4% Couples with children +3.5 pts ▸ 58.9%
28.0% Couples without children ◂ +1.6 pts 26.5%
15.4% One-parent families ◂ +1.9 pts 13.5%
1.2% Other families ◂ +0.1 pts 1.1%

Household size

35.2% 2 people ◂ +1.7 pts 33.5%
24.7% 1 person +0.8 pts ▸ 25.4%
14.8% 4 people +1.1 pts ▸ 15.9%
15.8% 3 people +0.1 pts ▸ 15.9%
6.2% 5 people +0.2 pts ▸ 6.4%
3.4% 6 or more ◂ +0.5 pts 2.9%

Housing & Dwellings

Rent in Queenslandin Western Australia +$25 higher in Queensland gap steady
$365 $340
Mortgage in Queenslandin Western Australia +$109 higher in Western Australia gap steady
$1,733 $1,842
People / bedroom in Queenslandin Western Australia even gap steady
0.80 0.80
Renting in Queenslandin Western Australia +5.7 pts higher in Queensland gap widening
33.1% 27.3%
Owned outright in Queenslandin Western Australia +0.1 pts higher in Western Australia gap steady
29.1% 29.2%
Separate houses in Queenslandin Western Australia +4.9 pts higher in Western Australia gap widening
74.8% 79.7%
3+ bedrooms in Queenslandin Western Australia +5.9 pts higher in Western Australia gap widening
76.3% 82.2%

How homes are owned or rented

34.4% Owned with a mortgage +5.6 pts ▸ 40.0%
33.1% Rented ◂ +5.7 pts 27.3%
29.1% Owned outright +0.1 pts ▸ 29.2%
1.9% Other tenure +0.3 pts ▸ 2.1%
1.6% Not stated ◂ +0.2 pts 1.4%

Types of homes

74.8% Separate house +4.9 pts ▸ 79.7%
11.7% Townhouse / semi-detached +1.3 pts ▸ 13.0%
12.5% Flat or apartment ◂ +6.0 pts 6.5%
0.7% Other dwelling ◂ +0.1 pts 0.6%

Bedrooms per home

30.9% 4 bedrooms +7.5 pts ▸ 38.4%
37.5% 3 bedrooms even 37.5%
17.0% 2 bedrooms ◂ +4.4 pts 12.6%
7.9% 5 or more ◂ +1.6 pts 6.3%
4.7% 1 bedroom ◂ +1.0 pts 3.7%
0.5% Studio / none ◂ +0.2 pts 0.3%

Weekly rent distribution

44.9% $350–$549 ◂ +6.1 pts 38.8%
30.1% $200–$349 +4.8 pts ▸ 34.9%
11.2% Under $200 +3.2 pts ▸ 14.4%
8.2% $550–$749 ◂ +2.5 pts 5.7%
2.3% $750 or more +0.1 pts ▸ 2.4%

Monthly mortgage distribution

32.2% $1,800–$2,999 +2.0 pts ▸ 34.2%
33.5% $1,000–$1,799 ◂ +2.1 pts 31.4%
15.6% Under $1,000 ◂ +1.8 pts 13.9%
12.8% $3,000 or more +2.1 pts ▸ 14.9%

Transport & Vehicles

No car in Queenslandin Western Australia +0.8 pts higher in Queensland gap steady
5.8% 5.0%
Work from home in Queenslandin Western Australia +6.6 pts higher in Queensland gap widening
14.1% 7.5%
PT commute in Queenslandin Western Australia +1.7 pts higher in Western Australia gap widening
3.0% 4.7%
PT stops in Queenslandin Western Australia +851 more in Queensland
15,436 14,585
Stops/1k in Queenslandin Western Australia +2.49 more in Western Australia
2.99 5.48
Departures/1k in Queenslandin Western Australia +902.3 more in Western Australia
720.7 1,623.0
PT routes in Queenslandin Western Australia +314 more in Queensland
721 407

How people get to work

59.5% Car (driver) +2.5 pts ▸ 62.1%
14.1% Worked at home ◂ +6.6 pts 7.5%
4.5% Car (passenger) +0.1 pts ▸ 4.6%
1.7% Bus +1.2 pts ▸ 2.9%
2.6% Walked ◂ +0.4 pts 2.2%
1.1% Train +0.6 pts ▸ 1.8%
0.7% Bicycle even 0.7%

Motor vehicles per home

38.1% 2 vehicles +1.5 pts ▸ 39.6%
35.8% 1 vehicle ◂ +1.3 pts 34.5%
13.0% 3 vehicles +0.4 pts ▸ 13.4%
7.3% 4 or more +0.2 pts ▸ 7.6%
5.8% No vehicle ◂ +0.8 pts 5.0%

Migration & Movement

Recent movers in Queenslandin Western Australia +5.8 pts higher in Queensland gap widening
44.8% 39.0%
Recent arrivals in Queenslandin Western Australia +3.1 pts higher in Queensland gap widening
13.7% 10.6%

Jobs & Industry

Unemployment in Queenslandin Western Australia +0.3 pts higher in Queensland gap narrowing
5.4% 5.1%
Participation in Queenslandin Western Australia +2.3 pts higher in Western Australia gap widening
61.6% 63.9%
Full-time in Queenslandin Western Australia +1.2 pts higher in Western Australia gap steady
59.0% 60.2%

Industries people work in

15.4% Health care & social assistance ◂ +1.8 pts 13.6%
9.3% Retail trade ◂ +0.5 pts 8.8%
9.1% Construction ◂ +0.3 pts 8.8%
8.8% Education & training ◂ +0.1 pts 8.8%
2.3% Mining +5.2 pts ▸ 7.5%
7.2% Accommodation & food ◂ +0.7 pts 6.5%
6.7% Professional & technical +0.2 pts ▸ 6.9%
6.2% Public administration & safety ◂ +0.2 pts 5.9%
5.7% Manufacturing ◂ +0.5 pts 5.3%
4.7% Transport & warehousing ◂ +0.2 pts 4.5%
3.9% Other services even 3.9%
3.4% Administrative & support ◂ +0.3 pts 3.1%

Occupations people work in

21.4% Professionals +0.6 pts ▸ 22.0%
13.7% Technicians & trades +1.6 pts ▸ 15.3%
12.7% Clerical & administrative ◂ +0.6 pts 12.1%
12.5% Managers ◂ +0.2 pts 12.3%
12.3% Community & personal service ◂ +0.5 pts 11.8%
10.1% Labourers ◂ +0.7 pts 9.4%
8.7% Sales workers ◂ +0.9 pts 7.8%
6.8% Machinery operators & drivers +0.9 pts ▸ 7.7%

Economy & Advantage

ERP in Queenslandin Western Australia +2,625,382 higher in Queensland
5,669,764 3,044,382
Growth in Queenslandin Western Australia +2.0 pts higher in Western Australia
8.7% 10.7%

Environment & Climate

Rainfall in Queenslandin Western Australia +194 higher in Queensland
379 185
Max temp in Queenslandin Western Australia +1.8 higher in Queensland
33.1 31.3
Min temp in Queenslandin Western Australia +0.5 higher in Queensland
16.1 15.6

Walkability

Walk score in Queenslandin Western Australia +0.4 higher in Western Australia
5.0 5.4
Types ≤15 min in Queenslandin Western Australia +0.4 more in Western Australia
4.8 5.2
15-min city in Queenslandin Western Australia +4.9 pts higher in Western Australia
59.1% 64.0%
Walk to shops in Queenslandin Western Australia +0.9 pts higher in Western Australia
60.6% 61.5%
Walk to transit in Queenslandin Western Australia +17.2 pts higher in Western Australia
63.7% 80.9%
Walk to school in Queenslandin Western Australia +10.6 pts higher in Western Australia
61.3% 71.9%
Walk to a park in Queenslandin Western Australia +4.9 pts higher in Western Australia
84.0% 88.9%
Walk to health in Queenslandin Western Australia +0.6 pts higher in Western Australia
47.8% 48.5%
Amenities/1k in Queenslandin Western Australia +3.3 more in Western Australia
13.4 16.6
Intersections/km² in Queenslandin Western Australia even
0 0
Mean slope in Queenslandin Western Australia +0.2 pts higher in Queensland
6.0% 5.7%

Compare Queensland with nearby areas

New South Wales South Australia Northern Territory Australian Capital Territory Victoria Tasmania Western Australia Other Territories

Compare Western Australia with nearby areas

Northern Territory South Australia Queensland Other Territories Victoria New South Wales Australian Capital Territory Tasmania

Cite this page

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Queensland vs Western Australia [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/compare/ste/3/queensland/vs/5/western-australia