Council (LGA) · Area profile
Barcoo
61,830 km²
A high rate of volunteering sets Barcoo apart, with 35.3% of the community pitching in, far above the national figure. This is a small, sparsely populated area of 308 people where the population has shrunk by 12% since 2011. The community is predominantly Australian-born and English-speaking, with a strong focus on agriculture and public safety. Despite a low number of university degrees, typical incomes here are much higher than in most other similar areas.
Despite high local incomes, the area's schools serve a less advantaged intake.
Plenty of schools here relative to how few children live in the area.
Explore Barcoo by topic
The typical resident is 38, though the population is ageing as the proportion of seniors rose 5.1 points since 2011. First Nations people make up 8.4% of the community, which is well above the state and national figures.
The area is overwhelmingly Australian-born, and only 3.2% of people were born overseas, which is far below the national average.
English is the only language spoken at home, and there are no residents who speak little or no English, putting Barcoo among the lowest in the nation for linguistic diversity.
Over half the population identifies as Christian, while 30.5% have no religion. This last figure is well below the national average, although it has risen 18 points since 2011.
Qualifications are generally lower than in most areas, with only 11.3% of adults holding a bachelor degree. However, there has been a trend toward higher education, with the proportion of Year 12 graduates rising 4.7 points since 2011.
Typical incomes are much higher than in most areas, with the usual weekly family income sitting at $2,374. This is a significant increase from 2011, when the typical family earned $1,363.
Residents here are generally healthier than those in most other areas, with long-term health conditions and the need for daily help both falling well below state and national figures.
While volunteering is very high at 35.3%, other forms of unpaid work are much lower than usual, including the proportion of people caring for children or doing heavy housework.
First Nations people in Barcoo are far older than the state average, with a typical age of 51. They also earn significantly more than First Nations people elsewhere, with a typical personal income of $900 a week.
A high number of people live alone—34.8%—which is well above the national figure. This contributes to a typical household size of 2.3 people.
The area is dominated by separate houses, and typical weekly rent is very low at $100. However, those with home loans face much higher typical monthly payments of $2,000.
The community is entirely reliant on cars, as there are no public transport stops or routes in the area.
Movement is relatively high for a small area, with 40.2% of people moving house in the last five years.
Full-time employment is very high at 79%, far above the national average. Most people work in agriculture, forestry, fishing, or public administration and safety.
The area has a moderate overall advantage score of 959, although it ranks very low for general education and job skills compared to other areas.
Barcoo is hot and dry, with an average maximum temperature of 32.4 degrees and annual rainfall that is well below the Queensland average.
The overall crime rate is lower than in most areas, though burglary rates are higher than usual.
The area is mostly car-dependent with a low walkability score of 3.1, as most homes are far from health services and public transport.