Federal Electorate · Area profile
McPherson
231 km²
A typical resident of McPherson is a little older than the national figure, with a population that grew by 16% since 2011. This community stands out for its high proportion of residents with no religion and a very walkable layout. It is a well-educated area where many adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and household incomes have risen significantly over the last decade. Situated in the Gold Coast region, it blends a growing professional workforce with an increasing number of seniors.
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The typical resident is 40, making the area a little older than both Queensland and Australia. Seniors aged 65 and over make up 18.8% of the population, a figure that rose by 3.1 points since 2011.
About 24.9% of people were born overseas, which is a little above the Queensland figure. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, accounting for 42.1% and 32.9% respectively.
English is the main language for 83.8% of residents, and the proportion of people using another language at home rose 2.3 points since 2011 to reach 11.0%. Very few people here speak little or no English.
A large number of residents report no religion, at 44.9%, which is well above the national figure. This represents a significant shift, as the number of non-religious people rose 23 points since 2011.
This is a highly qualified community where 60.7% of adults finished Year 12, well above the Queensland average. The number of people with a bachelor degree or higher rose 5.6 points since 2016 to reach 24.0%.
Typical weekly household income is $1,736, which is about the same as the national figure. There has been a strong upward trend in earnings, with typical household income rising $609 since 2011.
People needing help with daily activities make up 5.2% of the population, which is lower than most similar areas. Mental health conditions are reported by 7.9% of residents, slightly below the state average.
The area has a higher-than-average proportion of people caring for children unpaid at 27.3%. However, the share of residents who volunteer fell 3.1 points since 2011 to 12.8%.
Families with children make up 56.3% of households, while one-parent families are more common here than in most similar areas at 15.1%.
Renters pay a typical weekly rent of $485, which is well above the national figure. Detached houses are much less common here than in most of Queensland, with only 55.3% of homes being separate houses.
Most people rely on cars, with only 1.2% commuting by public transport. The area is very car-dependent, as only 4.2% of homes have no motor vehicle.
This is a high-churn area, with 45.9% of people moving in the last five years, which is well above the national average. Recent overseas arrivals fell 6.9 points since 2011 to 11.4%.
While 63.3% of adults are working or looking for work, full-time employment is much lower than in most similar areas at 53.5%. Health care and construction are the most common industries.
The area is very walkable, with a score of 6.4, well above the state average. This is reflected in the fact that 76.1% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries.