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Emerald vs Blackwater

Urban Centre comparison ≈ 74 km apart · Emerald profile · Blackwater profile

Emerald Blackwater

Emerald and Blackwater are two Queensland towns about 74 km apart with very different layouts and housing markets. Blackwater is far more walkable, with 75.7% of homes in a 15-minute-city walkshed compared to 49.6% in Emerald. Blackwater also has a much higher share of renters at 61.5% and more separate houses (93.3%). In contrast, Emerald has a higher proportion of university graduates (14.2% versus 8.5%) and more residents born overseas (14.8% versus 10.3%).

Everyday life in both towns shares many similarities, such as the typical household income and the fact that almost half of all residents have moved in the last five years. While they are alike in these ways, some gaps are shifting. The difference in rental prices has grown since 2016, with typical weekly rent now well higher in Emerald ($300) than in Blackwater ($220). Similarly, the gap in the number of people born overseas has narrowed since 2011.

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Where they differ most

Population: 9,522 larger in Emerald Renting: 16.8 pts higher in Blackwater Separate houses: 13.7 pts higher in Blackwater Mortgage: $517 higher in Emerald Bachelor+: 5.7 pts higher in Emerald

Demographics & Identity

Population in Emeraldin Blackwater +9,522 larger in Emerald gap widening
14,089 86th pct 4,567 86th pct
Median age in Emeraldin Blackwater +1 yrs older in Emerald gap narrowing
32 yrs 10th pct 31 yrs 8th pct
First Nations in Emeraldin Blackwater +4.8 pts higher in Blackwater gap widening
5.2% 57th pct 10.0% 77th pct
Aged 65+ in Emeraldin Blackwater +2.6 pts higher in Emerald gap narrowing
7.0% 7th pct 4.4% 3rd pct
Under 15 in Emeraldin Blackwater +1.6 pts higher in Emerald gap steady
25.2% 89th pct 23.7% 87th pct
De facto in Emeraldin Blackwater +4.5 pts higher in Blackwater gap widening
16.6% 79th pct 21.1% 91st pct

Age structure

31.6% Young adults (25–44) +3.7 pts ▸ 35.3%
25.2% Children (0–14) ◂ +1.6 pts 23.7%
22.7% Older adults (45–64) ◂ +0.4 pts 22.3%
13.4% Youth (15–24) +0.6 pts ▸ 14.1%
7.0% Seniors (65+) ◂ +2.6 pts 4.4%

Marital status

47.0% Married ◂ +8.0 pts 39.0%
39.3% Never married +7.1 pts ▸ 46.4%
7.4% Divorced +1.5 pts ▸ 9.0%
3.7% Separated +0.6 pts ▸ 4.3%
2.5% Widowed ◂ +1.0 pts 1.5%

Age & sex structure

Emerald Blackwater

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

Ancestry & Birthplace

Born overseas in Emeraldin Blackwater +4.4 pts higher in Emerald gap widening
14.8% 74th pct 10.3% 46th pct

Country of birth

76.9% Australia ◂ +2.6 pts 74.3%
4.1% New Zealand even 4.1%
1.8% Philippines ◂ +0.3 pts 1.5%
1.5% South Africa ◂ +1.1 pts 0.4%
1.1% England ◂ +0.3 pts 0.8%
0.8% India ◂ +0.4 pts 0.4%
0.4% China ◂ +0.2 pts 0.1%
0.2% Vietnam ◂ +0.2 pts 0.0%
0.1% Nepal even 0.1%
0.0% Italy even 0.0%

Ancestry

38.6% Australian +1.7 pts ▸ 40.3%
37.2% English ◂ +4.6 pts 32.6%
11.0% Irish ◂ +2.2 pts 8.8%
10.9% Scottish ◂ +2.9 pts 8.0%
6.4% German ◂ +1.5 pts 4.9%
2.1% Filipino ◂ +0.4 pts 1.7%
2.0% Italian ◂ +0.5 pts 1.5%
1.4% Dutch ◂ +0.6 pts 0.7%
1.3% Chinese ◂ +0.5 pts 0.8%
0.9% Indian ◂ +0.4 pts 0.5%
0.5% Greek ◂ +0.1 pts 0.4%
0.2% Vietnamese ◂ +0.2 pts 0.0%

Language

Other language in Emeraldin Blackwater +3.8 pts higher in Emerald gap steady
8.2% 82nd pct 4.4% 60th pct
Limited English in Emeraldin Blackwater +0.6 pts higher in Emerald gap steady
1.0% 80th pct 0.4% 58th pct

Language used at home

83.0% English only ◂ +2.4 pts 80.7%
0.7% Tagalog +0.1 pts ▸ 0.8%
0.7% Mandarin ◂ +0.7 pts 0.1%
0.4% Punjabi ◂ +0.2 pts 0.2%
0.3% Hindi ◂ +0.2 pts 0.1%
0.2% Vietnamese ◂ +0.2 pts 0.0%
0.1% Greek ◂ +0.1 pts 0.0%
0.1% Italian even 0.1%
0.1% Cantonese ◂ +0.1 pts 0.0%
0.0% Arabic even 0.0%

Religion

No religion in Emeraldin Blackwater +5.4 pts higher in Blackwater gap narrowing
38.0% 34th pct 43.3% 53rd pct

Religious affiliation

49.1% Christianity ◂ +10.1 pts 39.0%
38.0% No religion +5.4 pts ▸ 43.3%
10.1% Not stated +6.0 pts ▸ 16.1%
0.9% Buddhism even 0.9%
0.8% Hinduism ◂ +0.4 pts 0.4%
0.7% Other religions ◂ +0.4 pts 0.3%
0.5% Islam ◂ +0.4 pts 0.1%
0.0% Judaism even 0.0%

Education & Qualifications

Year 12 in Emeraldin Blackwater +8.7 pts higher in Emerald gap steady
53.8% 87th pct 45.1% 69th pct
Bachelor+ in Emeraldin Blackwater +5.7 pts higher in Emerald gap widening
14.2% 64th pct 8.5% 28th pct

Highest year of school

53.8% Year 12 ◂ +8.7 pts 45.1%
21.9% Year 10 +0.1 pts ▸ 22.0%
7.7% Year 11 +0.7 pts ▸ 8.4%
6.2% Year 9 or below +0.5 pts ▸ 6.7%

Highest qualification level

40.2% Certificate III / IV +1.8 pts ▸ 42.0%
16.7% Bachelor degree ◂ +5.9 pts 10.8%
11.4% Advanced diploma / diploma ◂ +3.2 pts 8.1%
3.7% Certificate I / II ◂ +0.5 pts 3.2%
3.5% Postgraduate degree ◂ +1.8 pts 1.8%
2.9% Graduate diploma / certificate ◂ +1.3 pts 1.6%

Field of qualification

23.9% Engineering & related +2.3 pts ▸ 26.2%
14.2% Management & commerce ◂ +4.8 pts 9.4%
9.2% Education ◂ +1.7 pts 7.5%
7.6% Society & culture ◂ +1.6 pts 6.0%
7.3% Health ◂ +3.0 pts 4.3%
6.1% Food, hospitality & personal services ◂ +0.5 pts 5.6%
4.3% Architecture & building ◂ +1.1 pts 3.2%
3.4% Agriculture & environment ◂ +1.4 pts 2.1%
1.3% Natural & physical sciences ◂ +0.2 pts 1.1%
1.1% Creative arts ◂ +0.2 pts 1.0%
1.0% Information technology ◂ +0.6 pts 0.4%

Income

Personal income in Emeraldin Blackwater +$240 higher in Blackwater gap narrowing
$1,033 92nd pct $1,273 100th pct
Household income in Emeraldin Blackwater +$166 higher in Blackwater gap narrowing
$2,190 90th pct $2,356 93rd pct
Family income in Emeraldin Blackwater +$291 higher in Blackwater gap narrowing
$2,510 91st pct $2,801 95th pct
High earners in Emeraldin Blackwater +7.0 pts higher in Blackwater gap narrowing
18.2% 93rd pct 25.2% 100th pct
High-income homes in Emeraldin Blackwater +5.4 pts higher in Blackwater gap narrowing
27.6% 90th pct 33.0% 94th pct

Household income distribution

33.3% $1,500–$2,999 ◂ +0.9 pts 32.4%
19.9% $650–$1,499 ◂ +4.8 pts 15.1%
14.1% $4,000 or more +3.3 pts ▸ 17.4%
13.5% $3,000–$3,999 +2.1 pts ▸ 15.6%
8.1% Under $650 ◂ +0.1 pts 8.0%

Personal income distribution

30.9% $650–$1,499 ◂ +10.9 pts 19.9%
28.8% Under $650 ◂ +3.0 pts 25.7%
22.4% $1,500–$2,999 +4.6 pts ▸ 27.0%
7.4% $3,000 or more +2.1 pts ▸ 9.5%

Health & Disability

Health condition in Emeraldin Blackwater +0.9 pts higher in Emerald
21.5% 11th pct 20.6% 9th pct
Mental health in Emeraldin Blackwater even
7.5% 25th pct 7.5% 25th pct
Needs assistance in Emeraldin Blackwater +1.2 pts higher in Emerald gap narrowing
3.5% 15th pct 2.3% 7th pct

Long-term health conditions reported

7.9% Asthma +0.4 pts ▸ 8.3%
7.5% Mental health even 7.5%
5.7% Other condition ◂ +1.0 pts 4.7%
4.6% Arthritis ◂ +0.6 pts 4.0%
3.0% Diabetes +0.1 pts ▸ 3.1%
2.2% Heart disease ◂ +0.4 pts 1.8%
1.8% Cancer ◂ +0.5 pts 1.3%
1.2% Lung condition +0.2 pts ▸ 1.4%
0.4% Stroke +0.2 pts ▸ 0.6%
0.2% Dementia even 0.2%

Number of long-term health conditions

66.6% None ◂ +4.3 pts 62.3%
16.0% One condition ◂ +1.0 pts 15.0%
3.9% Two conditions +0.2 pts ▸ 4.1%
1.6% Three or more even 1.6%

Community Participation

Volunteering in Emeraldin Blackwater +3.1 pts higher in Emerald gap narrowing
17.3% 51st pct 14.2% 31st pct
Unpaid carers in Emeraldin Blackwater +0.5 pts higher in Emerald gap narrowing
8.0% 9th pct 7.4% 8th pct
Unpaid child care in Emeraldin Blackwater +3.3 pts higher in Emerald gap steady
33.2% 86th pct 29.9% 75th pct
Defence service in Emeraldin Blackwater +0.2 pts higher in Blackwater
2.1% 15th pct 2.3% 19th pct
Housework 15h+ in Emeraldin Blackwater +0.8 pts higher in Emerald gap narrowing
19.6% 17th pct 18.8% 14th pct

Family & Households

Household size in Emeraldin Blackwater +0.1 larger in Emerald gap narrowing
2.7 76th pct 2.6 71st pct
One-parent in Emeraldin Blackwater +2.7 pts higher in Blackwater gap narrowing
12.8% 36th pct 15.5% 53rd pct
Living alone in Emeraldin Blackwater +2.7 pts higher in Blackwater gap widening
23.4% 31st pct 26.1% 39th pct

Family composition

64.0% Couples with children ◂ +3.5 pts 60.5%
22.3% Couples without children +0.5 pts ▸ 22.8%
12.8% One-parent families +2.7 pts ▸ 15.5%
1.0% Other families +0.3 pts ▸ 1.2%

Household size

31.3% 2 people +1.4 pts ▸ 32.7%
23.4% 1 person +2.7 pts ▸ 26.1%
17.1% 4 people ◂ +2.3 pts 14.8%
15.1% 3 people +0.3 pts ▸ 15.4%
8.8% 5 people ◂ +1.6 pts 7.2%
4.2% 6 or more ◂ +0.3 pts 3.9%

Housing & Dwellings

Rent in Emeraldin Blackwater +$80 higher in Emerald gap widening
$300 59th pct $220 29th pct
Mortgage in Emeraldin Blackwater +$517 higher in Emerald gap widening
$1,600 69th pct $1,083 29th pct
People / bedroom in Emeraldin Blackwater even gap steady
0.80 57th pct 0.80 57th pct
Renting in Emeraldin Blackwater +16.8 pts higher in Blackwater gap widening
44.7% 88th pct 61.5% 92nd pct
Owned outright in Emeraldin Blackwater +5.4 pts higher in Emerald gap narrowing
15.7% 9th pct 10.3% 6th pct
Separate houses in Emeraldin Blackwater +13.7 pts higher in Blackwater gap widening
79.6% 12th pct 93.3% 49th pct
3+ bedrooms in Emeraldin Blackwater +5.6 pts higher in Blackwater gap widening
84.2% 73rd pct 89.9% 87th pct

How homes are owned or rented

44.7% Rented +16.8 pts ▸ 61.5%
36.7% Owned with a mortgage ◂ +14.5 pts 22.1%
15.7% Owned outright ◂ +5.4 pts 10.3%
1.6% Other tenure +1.9 pts ▸ 3.5%
1.4% Not stated +1.3 pts ▸ 2.7%

Types of homes

79.6% Separate house +13.7 pts ▸ 93.3%
10.5% Townhouse / semi-detached ◂ +8.4 pts 2.1%
8.4% Flat or apartment ◂ +3.4 pts 5.0%
0.5% Other dwelling ◂ +0.5 pts 0.0%

Bedrooms per home

34.8% 3 bedrooms +22.4 pts ▸ 57.2%
41.6% 4 bedrooms ◂ +14.5 pts 27.1%
11.0% 2 bedrooms ◂ +4.5 pts 6.5%
7.9% 5 or more ◂ +2.3 pts 5.6%
2.3% 1 bedroom ◂ +1.6 pts 0.7%
0.5% Studio / none ◂ +0.3 pts 0.2%

Weekly rent distribution

18.2% Under $200 +24.1 pts ▸ 42.3%
41.9% $200–$349 ◂ +5.7 pts 36.2%
33.7% $350–$549 ◂ +18.8 pts 14.9%
1.9% $550–$749 ◂ +1.4 pts 0.4%
0.1% $750 or more ◂ +0.1 pts 0.0%

Monthly mortgage distribution

16.6% Under $1,000 +24.8 pts ▸ 41.4%
39.8% $1,000–$1,799 ◂ +8.2 pts 31.6%
29.4% $1,800–$2,999 ◂ +13.2 pts 16.3%
8.6% $3,000 or more ◂ +4.0 pts 4.6%

Transport & Vehicles

No car in Emeraldin Blackwater +1.3 pts higher in Blackwater gap steady
3.5% 46th pct 4.8% 58th pct
Work from home in Emeraldin Blackwater +1.4 pts higher in Emerald gap steady
3.9% 19th pct 2.5% 11th pct
PT commute in Emeraldin Blackwater +2.5 pts higher in Blackwater gap steady
4.2% 93rd pct 6.7% 100th pct

How people get to work

66.8% Car (driver) ◂ +8.7 pts 58.1%
6.7% Car (passenger) +2.4 pts ▸ 9.0%
4.2% Bus +2.5 pts ▸ 6.7%
3.9% Worked at home ◂ +1.4 pts 2.5%
3.0% Walked +0.7 pts ▸ 3.7%
0.7% Bicycle ◂ +0.1 pts 0.6%
0.0% Train even 0.0%

Motor vehicles per home

40.5% 2 vehicles ◂ +0.8 pts 39.7%
32.5% 1 vehicle +0.1 pts ▸ 32.5%
15.4% 3 vehicles +0.9 pts ▸ 16.3%
8.3% 4 or more ◂ +2.1 pts 6.1%
3.5% No vehicle +1.3 pts ▸ 4.8%

Migration & Movement

Recent movers in Emeraldin Blackwater +0.5 pts higher in Blackwater gap narrowing
49.5% 93rd pct 50.0% 94th pct
Recent arrivals in Emeraldin Blackwater +8.4 pts higher in Emerald gap narrowing
18.6% 86th pct 10.2% 72nd pct

Jobs & Industry

Unemployment in Emeraldin Blackwater +1.7 pts higher in Blackwater gap narrowing
3.3% 27th pct 5.0% 56th pct
Participation in Emeraldin Blackwater +5.3 pts higher in Emerald gap narrowing
73.7% 98th pct 68.4% 90th pct
Full-time in Emeraldin Blackwater +4.9 pts higher in Blackwater gap narrowing
66.2% 89th pct 71.1% 97th pct

Industries people work in

18.7% Mining +25.2 pts ▸ 43.9%
10.8% Retail trade ◂ +5.7 pts 5.1%
7.0% Accommodation & food +3.7 pts ▸ 10.8%
9.1% Education & training ◂ +2.1 pts 6.9%
7.8% Health care & social assistance ◂ +4.1 pts 3.7%
6.7% Construction ◂ +1.5 pts 5.2%
5.3% Public administration & safety ◂ +2.6 pts 2.7%
5.1% Other services ◂ +1.9 pts 3.2%
4.4% Agriculture, forestry & fishing ◂ +3.9 pts 0.6%
2.8% Administrative & support +1.5 pts ▸ 4.3%
4.3% Transport & warehousing ◂ +0.2 pts 4.1%
3.6% Wholesale trade ◂ +3.1 pts 0.5%

Occupations people work in

14.9% Machinery operators & drivers +14.5 pts ▸ 29.4%
18.5% Technicians & trades +2.0 pts ▸ 20.4%
14.0% Professionals ◂ +5.0 pts 8.9%
11.5% Labourers +1.0 pts ▸ 12.5%
10.9% Clerical & administrative ◂ +2.4 pts 8.4%
10.2% Managers ◂ +4.8 pts 5.4%
9.7% Sales workers ◂ +4.0 pts 5.7%
8.4% Community & personal service ◂ +1.6 pts 6.7%

Walkability

Walk score in Emeraldin Blackwater +0.8 higher in Blackwater
3.8 41st pct 4.5 54th pct
Types ≤15 min in Emeraldin Blackwater +1.4 more in Blackwater
4.1 42nd pct 5.6 67th pct
15-min city in Emeraldin Blackwater +26.1 pts higher in Blackwater
49.6% 43rd pct 75.7% 66th pct
Walk to shops in Emeraldin Blackwater +25.1 pts higher in Blackwater
46.7% 42nd pct 71.7% 61st pct
Walk to transit in Emeraldin Blackwater even
0.0% 0th pct 0.0% 0th pct
Walk to school in Emeraldin Blackwater +1.4 pts higher in Blackwater
77.2% 58th pct 78.6% 60th pct
Walk to a park in Emeraldin Blackwater +6.8 pts higher in Blackwater
92.7% 50th pct 99.5% 84th pct
Walk to health in Emeraldin Blackwater +42.0 pts higher in Blackwater
36.5% 55th pct 78.5% 81st pct
Amenities/1k in Emeraldin Blackwater +9.4 more in Blackwater
11.0 26th pct 20.4 55th pct
Intersections/km² in Emeraldin Blackwater +21 higher in Emerald
49 72nd pct 27 43rd pct
Mean slope in Emeraldin Blackwater +0.0 pts higher in Emerald
3.0% 20th pct 2.9% 19th pct

Compare Emerald with nearby areas

Sapphire Capella Rubyvale Tieri Springsure Willows Gemfields Blackwater Clermont

Compare Blackwater with nearby areas

Bluff Emerald Tieri Middlemount Duaringa Woorabinda Springsure Capella

Cite this page

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Emerald vs Blackwater [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/compare/ucl/UCL313004/emerald/vs/UCL315008/blackwater