Banana

The population is stable at 14,513 people and is slightly younger than the national average. Children under 15 make up 21% of the community, which is much higher than most similar areas.

Most residents were born in Australia, and the area has a much lower proportion of overseas-born people (7.8%) compared to the national figure of 27.7%. Australian and English are the most common ancestries.

English is the dominant language, with only 4.5% of people using another language at home, which is far below the national average. Very few residents speak little or no English.

Christianity is the most common affiliation at 55.3%. While the number of people reporting no religion has risen 13 points since 2011, this figure remains far below the national average.

Educational qualifications are much lower than most areas, with only 10% of adults holding a bachelor degree. However, Year 12 completion has risen by 5 points since 2011 to reach 40.6%.

Typical family incomes are $2,138 per week, which is slightly above the national figure. Higher earners are common here, with 13.3% of people earning $2,000 or more weekly.

Residents generally report fewer long-term health conditions and mental health issues than the national average. Only 4.1% of people need help with daily activities, which is much lower than most areas.

Volunteering is common here, with 20.9% of people pitching in, well above the national figure of 14.1%. About a quarter of the community also spends time caring for children unpaid.

First Nations people make up 5.1% of the population, a figure that has risen since 2011. This group has a typical personal income of $609, which is higher than the national figure for First Nations people.

Families tend to be larger here, with 2.5 people per home. One-parent families are much less common (10.8%) than in most other areas.

The landscape is dominated by separate houses, which make up 93.1% of all homes. Large properties are the norm, with 81.4% of homes having three or more bedrooms.

Public transport is almost non-existent, with no routes or stops available. Consequently, most people rely on cars, and 38.1% of homes have two vehicles.

The community is relatively stable, as fewer people have moved in the last five years compared to the state average. Interestingly, a high proportion of recent overseas arrivals (25.5%) have settled here.

Full-time work is much more common here than in most areas, with 67.2% of the workforce employed full-time. Jobs are heavily concentrated in agriculture, forestry, fishing, and mining.

The area has a generally positive advantage score of 6, though it ranks lower for education and job skills. Population growth has been modest at 3.3% since 2021.

Banana is a warm region with an average maximum temperature of 30.6 degrees. It receives 552mm of annual rainfall, which is well above the Queensland average.

The overall crime rate is higher than most areas, with drug offences being particularly frequent. However, robbery and motor vehicle theft rates are lower than average.

The area is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 2.4. Very few residents can walk to public transport, groceries, or health services within 15 minutes.