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Hervey Bay vs Sunshine Coast

Name: Hervey Bay vs Sunshine Coast — 2021 Census comparison
Creator: Australian Bureau of Statistics
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Urban Area comparison ≈ 119 km apart · Hervey Bay profile · Sunshine Coast profile

Hervey Bay Sunshine Coast

Sunshine Coast and Hervey Bay are two Queensland regions with different economic and social profiles. Sunshine Coast has a more qualified workforce, with 56.5% of residents completing Year 12 compared to 40.7% in Hervey Bay. This is consistent with higher incomes on the Sunshine Coast, where the typical weekly household income is $1,590, well higher than the $1,083 seen in Hervey Bay. Access to services also differs; for example, 71.3% of Sunshine Coast homes are within a 10-minute walk of public transport, while 0.0% of homes in Hervey Bay have the same access.

Since 2011, the gaps between these two areas have shifted or grown. The lead has flipped in several areas, with the Sunshine Coast now seeing far more adults working or looking for work (58.8% compared to 43.6% in Hervey Bay). At the same time, Hervey Bay has become noticeably older, with the typical resident now 51, which is seven years older than on the Sunshine Coast. Despite these diverging trends, both areas are very similar in their rental markets, with about 27% of households in each area renting their homes.

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Where they differ most

Population: 325,181 larger in Sunshine Coast Year 12: 15.8 pts higher in Sunshine Coast Needs assistance: 4.7 pts higher in Hervey Bay Household income: $507 higher in Sunshine Coast Participation: 15.1 pts higher in Sunshine Coast

Demographics & Identity

Population in Hervey Bay in Sunshine Coast +325,181 larger in Sunshine Coast gap widening

57,722 65th pct 382,903 86th pct

Median age in Hervey Bay in Sunshine Coast +7 yrs older in Hervey Bay gap widening

51 yrs 91st pct 44 yrs 71st pct

Age structure

31.9% Seniors (65+) ◂ +9.8 pts 22.2%

25.7% Older adults (45–64) +1.3 pts ▸ 27.0%

18.0% Young adults (25–44) +4.9 pts ▸ 22.9%

15.4% Children (0–14) +1.8 pts ▸ 17.2%

8.9% Youth (15–24) +1.8 pts ▸ 10.7%

Marital status

47.8% Married +0.9 pts ▸ 48.7%

27.1% Never married +4.3 pts ▸ 31.4%

12.5% Divorced ◂ +1.5 pts 11.0%

8.2% Widowed ◂ +2.7 pts 5.5%

4.3% Separated ◂ +0.9 pts 3.4%

Age & sex structure

Hervey Bay Sunshine Coast

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

Ancestry & Birthplace

Country of birth

75.5% Australia ◂ +1.6 pts 73.9%

5.7% England +0.4 pts ▸ 6.1%

3.5% New Zealand +0.7 pts ▸ 4.3%

0.7% South Africa +0.5 pts ▸ 1.2%

0.8% Philippines ◂ +0.3 pts 0.5%

0.5% India +0.1 pts ▸ 0.6%

0.1% Nepal +0.1 pts ▸ 0.2%

0.2% Italy even 0.2%

0.2% China even 0.2%

0.1% Vietnam +0.1 pts ▸ 0.1%

Ancestry

45.3% English +0.3 pts ▸ 45.6%

37.0% Australian ◂ +1.9 pts 35.2%

10.5% Irish +2.1 pts ▸ 12.6%

11.1% Scottish +1.3 pts ▸ 12.4%

7.1% German ◂ +0.5 pts 6.5%

2.0% Italian +0.7 pts ▸ 2.7%

1.6% Dutch +0.4 pts ▸ 2.0%

1.1% Filipino ◂ +0.4 pts 0.7%

0.9% Chinese even 1.0%

0.7% Indian +0.1 pts ▸ 0.8%

0.3% Greek +0.2 pts ▸ 0.5%

0.1% Vietnamese even 0.2%

Language

Language used at home

89.1% English only ◂ +0.4 pts 88.7%

0.3% Mandarin even 0.3%

0.1% Italian +0.1 pts ▸ 0.3%

0.1% Punjabi +0.1 pts ▸ 0.2%

0.2% Tagalog even 0.2%

0.1% Hindi even 0.1%

0.1% Arabic ◂ +0.1 pts 0.1%

0.1% Vietnamese +0.1 pts ▸ 0.1%

0.1% Cantonese even 0.1%

0.1% Greek even 0.1%

Religion

Religious affiliation

48.4% Christianity ◂ +5.0 pts 43.4%

41.3% No religion +5.7 pts ▸ 47.0%

8.0% Not stated ◂ +0.8 pts 7.2%

0.9% Buddhism +0.1 pts ▸ 1.0%

0.5% Hinduism +0.1 pts ▸ 0.6%

0.5% Other religions even 0.5%

0.4% Islam ◂ +0.1 pts 0.2%

0.1% Judaism even 0.1%

Education & Qualifications

Highest year of school

40.7% Year 12 +15.8 pts ▸ 56.5%

29.9% Year 10 ◂ +7.4 pts 22.5%

13.4% Year 9 or below ◂ +6.5 pts 6.8%

8.2% Year 11 ◂ +0.5 pts 7.7%

Highest qualification level

38.0% Certificate III / IV ◂ +6.3 pts 31.7%

16.2% Bachelor degree +7.1 pts ▸ 23.3%

15.2% Advanced diploma / diploma +1.7 pts ▸ 16.9%

3.9% Postgraduate degree +2.3 pts ▸ 6.2%

2.8% Graduate diploma / certificate +0.8 pts ▸ 3.6%

2.7% Certificate I / II ◂ +0.7 pts 2.0%

Field of qualification

14.4% Management & commerce +2.8 pts ▸ 17.2%

15.0% Engineering & related ◂ +1.9 pts 13.2%

12.5% Health +0.1 pts ▸ 12.6%

12.5% Society & culture ◂ +1.0 pts 11.5%

8.8% Education +0.4 pts ▸ 9.2%

6.1% Architecture & building +1.4 pts ▸ 7.5%

6.8% Food, hospitality & personal services ◂ +0.6 pts 6.2%

1.9% Creative arts +1.7 pts ▸ 3.6%

1.7% Agriculture & environment +0.4 pts ▸ 2.2%

1.3% Natural & physical sciences +0.8 pts ▸ 2.1%

1.3% Information technology +0.3 pts ▸ 1.5%

Income

Personal income in Hervey Bay in Sunshine Coast +$203 higher in Sunshine Coast gap widening

$552 2nd pct $755 57th pct

Household income in Hervey Bay in Sunshine Coast +$507 higher in Sunshine Coast gap widening

$1,083 5th pct $1,590 67th pct

Family income in Hervey Bay in Sunshine Coast +$605 higher in Sunshine Coast gap widening

$1,312 2nd pct $1,917 58th pct

Household income distribution

37.4% $650–$1,499 ◂ +8.9 pts 28.5%

22.4% $1,500–$2,999 +7.4 pts ▸ 29.8%

22.9% Under $650 ◂ +7.3 pts 15.5%

4.0% $4,000 or more +5.2 pts ▸ 9.3%

5.1% $3,000–$3,999 +3.9 pts ▸ 9.0%

Personal income distribution

52.5% Under $650 ◂ +11.7 pts 40.8%

27.6% $650–$1,499 +5.5 pts ▸ 33.1%

9.9% $1,500–$2,999 +5.6 pts ▸ 15.5%

1.7% $3,000 or more +2.1 pts ▸ 3.9%

Health & Disability

Long-term health conditions reported

16.2% Arthritis ◂ +5.8 pts 10.4%

12.3% Mental health ◂ +3.1 pts 9.2%

10.7% Other condition ◂ +2.1 pts 8.6%

9.8% Asthma ◂ +1.7 pts 8.0%

7.5% Heart disease ◂ +2.8 pts 4.7%

6.8% Diabetes ◂ +3.2 pts 3.6%

5.1% Cancer ◂ +1.3 pts 3.8%

5.0% Lung condition ◂ +2.8 pts 2.2%

1.9% Stroke ◂ +0.8 pts 1.1%

1.3% Dementia ◂ +0.4 pts 0.9%

Number of long-term health conditions

51.6% None +10.3 pts ▸ 61.8%

23.0% One condition ◂ +2.9 pts 20.0%

9.9% Two conditions ◂ +3.4 pts 6.5%

7.0% Three or more ◂ +3.6 pts 3.4%

Community Participation

Family & Households

Household size in Hervey Bay in Sunshine Coast +0.2 larger in Sunshine Coast gap narrowing

2.3 14th pct 2.5 71st pct

Family composition

41.3% Couples with children +11.6 pts ▸ 52.9%

39.5% Couples without children ◂ +6.9 pts 32.6%

18.1% One-parent families ◂ +4.5 pts 13.7%

1.1% Other families ◂ +0.3 pts 0.8%

Household size

42.9% 2 people ◂ +4.4 pts 38.5%

27.6% 1 person ◂ +4.0 pts 23.6%

12.6% 3 people +2.4 pts ▸ 15.0%

9.7% 4 people +4.9 pts ▸ 14.6%

4.5% 5 people +1.3 pts ▸ 5.8%

2.6% 6 or more ◂ +0.1 pts 2.5%

Housing & Dwellings

Rent in Hervey Bay in Sunshine Coast +$110 higher in Sunshine Coast gap widening

$335 66th pct $445 99th pct

Mortgage in Hervey Bay in Sunshine Coast +$520 higher in Sunshine Coast gap widening

$1,408 36th pct $1,928 85th pct

People / bedroom in Hervey Bay in Sunshine Coast +0.10 higher in Sunshine Coast gap widening

0.70 0th pct 0.80 57th pct

How homes are owned or rented

43.3% Owned outright ◂ +8.6 pts 34.7%

24.6% Owned with a mortgage +9.6 pts ▸ 34.2%

27.7% Rented ◂ +0.9 pts 26.8%

2.5% Other tenure +0.3 pts ▸ 2.9%

1.9% Not stated ◂ +0.5 pts 1.4%

Types of homes

82.2% Separate house ◂ +9.0 pts 73.2%

12.5% Townhouse / semi-detached +0.8 pts ▸ 13.3%

3.0% Flat or apartment +9.6 pts ▸ 12.6%

1.8% Other dwelling ◂ +1.1 pts 0.7%

Bedrooms per home

39.0% 3 bedrooms ◂ +1.4 pts 37.7%

34.3% 4 bedrooms ◂ +2.1 pts 32.2%

16.2% 2 bedrooms +1.5 pts ▸ 17.7%

5.1% 5 or more +2.2 pts ▸ 7.3%

3.1% 1 bedroom +0.3 pts ▸ 3.4%

0.6% Studio / none ◂ +0.1 pts 0.5%

Weekly rent distribution

42.1% $350–$549 +10.9 pts ▸ 53.0%

43.1% $200–$349 ◂ +27.5 pts 15.6%

1.7% $550–$749 +15.1 pts ▸ 16.8%

9.7% Under $200 ◂ +2.3 pts 7.4%

0.3% $750 or more +3.7 pts ▸ 4.0%

Monthly mortgage distribution

46.1% $1,000–$1,799 ◂ +18.0 pts 28.1%

20.7% $1,800–$2,999 +16.9 pts ▸ 37.6%

22.0% Under $1,000 ◂ +7.8 pts 14.2%

5.0% $3,000 or more +8.6 pts ▸ 13.6%

Transport & Vehicles

How people get to work

69.0% Car (driver) ◂ +6.8 pts 62.2%

6.9% Worked at home +8.1 pts ▸ 15.0%

5.8% Car (passenger) ◂ +1.9 pts 3.9%

2.2% Walked ◂ +0.1 pts 2.0%

0.9% Bicycle ◂ +0.1 pts 0.8%

0.3% Bus +0.4 pts ▸ 0.7%

0.0% Train +0.1 pts ▸ 0.2%

Motor vehicles per home

43.3% 1 vehicle ◂ +8.0 pts 35.3%

34.5% 2 vehicles +5.3 pts ▸ 39.8%

10.7% 3 vehicles +2.7 pts ▸ 13.3%

5.3% 4 or more +2.3 pts ▸ 7.6%

6.3% No vehicle ◂ +2.3 pts 3.9%

Migration & Movement

Jobs & Industry

Industries people work in

24.0% Health care & social assistance ◂ +6.5 pts 17.5%

9.1% Construction +2.9 pts ▸ 12.1%

11.6% Retail trade ◂ +1.7 pts 10.0%

9.4% Accommodation & food ◂ +0.7 pts 8.8%

9.1% Education & training ◂ +0.5 pts 8.7%

3.5% Professional & technical +2.8 pts ▸ 6.3%

5.7% Public administration & safety ◂ +1.8 pts 3.9%

3.6% Manufacturing +0.9 pts ▸ 4.5%

4.3% Other services ◂ +0.3 pts 4.0%

3.2% Administrative & support +0.3 pts ▸ 3.6%

3.1% Transport & warehousing even 3.0%

1.1% Finance & insurance +1.7 pts ▸ 2.9%

Occupations people work in

19.0% Professionals +1.9 pts ▸ 21.0%

18.0% Community & personal service ◂ +4.6 pts 13.4%

13.7% Technicians & trades +1.4 pts ▸ 15.1%

9.3% Managers +3.3 pts ▸ 12.6%

10.8% Clerical & administrative +1.1 pts ▸ 11.9%

11.1% Labourers ◂ +1.4 pts 9.7%

10.7% Sales workers ◂ +1.0 pts 9.7%

5.4% Machinery operators & drivers ◂ +0.7 pts 4.8%

Walkability

Walk score in Hervey Bay in Sunshine Coast +1.9 higher in Sunshine Coast

3.0 10th pct 4.9 48th pct

Types ≤15 min in Hervey Bay in Sunshine Coast +1.3 more in Sunshine Coast

3.3 11th pct 4.6 43rd pct

15-min city in Hervey Bay in Sunshine Coast +21.3 pts higher in Sunshine Coast

32.4% 9th pct 53.7% 50th pct

Walk to shops in Hervey Bay in Sunshine Coast +3.5 pts higher in Sunshine Coast

54.0% 49th pct 57.5% 60th pct

Walk to transit in Hervey Bay in Sunshine Coast +71.3 pts higher in Sunshine Coast

0.0% 0th pct 71.3% 29th pct

Walk to school in Hervey Bay in Sunshine Coast +1.5 pts higher in Hervey Bay

50.9% 24th pct 49.4% 23rd pct

Walk to a park in Hervey Bay in Sunshine Coast +1.4 pts higher in Sunshine Coast

86.1% 39th pct 87.5% 42nd pct

Walk to health in Hervey Bay in Sunshine Coast +28.2 pts higher in Sunshine Coast

18.3% 9th pct 46.5% 67th pct

Amenities/1k in Hervey Bay in Sunshine Coast +7.7 more in Sunshine Coast

4.9 0th pct 12.6 26th pct

Intersections/km² in Hervey Bay in Sunshine Coast +35 higher in Hervey Bay

56 89th pct 21 56th pct

Mean slope in Hervey Bay in Sunshine Coast +2.1 pts higher in Sunshine Coast

4.3% 33rd pct 6.4% 71st pct

Compare Hervey Bay with nearby areas

Maryborough Bundaberg Gympie Sunshine Coast Kingaroy Gladstone Brisbane Toowoomba Gold Coast - Tweed Heads Yeppoon Warwick Rockhampton

Compare Sunshine Coast with nearby areas

Gympie Maryborough Hervey Bay Kingaroy Brisbane Bundaberg Toowoomba Gold Coast - Tweed Heads Warwick Byron Bay Lismore Ballina

Cite this page

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Hervey Bay vs Sunshine Coast [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/compare/sua/3009/hervey-bay/vs/3015/sunshine-coast