Carpentaria

First Nations people make up 41.7% of the population, a figure far above the national average and one that has risen since 2011. The community is younger than most, with the typical resident aged 36 and children under 15 making up 21.2% of the population.

The area is overwhelmingly Australian-born, with 81.1% born here and only 6.4% born overseas, which is far below the national figure.

English is the primary language for 84.5% of the community, and very few people—just 0.2%—speak little or no English, which is much lower than in most other areas.

A large number of residents report having no religion, at 41.5%. This is a significant increase from 2011, when the figure was only 15.7%.

Education levels are much lower than in most areas, with only 30.8% of residents completing Year 12 and 8.1% holding a bachelor degree or higher, both far below the national figures.

Typical weekly household income is $1,469, a little below the national figure of $1,746. While 12.4% of households earn $3,000 or more a week, this is still lower than most other areas.

Residents report better health than most, with only 22.6% having a long-term health condition and 4.3% living with a mental health condition, both well below the national averages.

Participation in unpaid work is low, as only 13.3% of people do 15 or more hours of housework weekly, which is among the lowest rates for similar areas.

The First Nations community is younger than the state average, with a typical age of 26. However, the unemployment rate is 17.4%, which is well above the national figure.

One-parent families are very common here at 28.7%, a figure far above the national average. People living alone are also more common than usual, making up 31% of households.

Rental properties are very common at 48.7%, far above the national figure. Typical weekly rent is much lower than most areas at $173, and homes are often small, with only 52.8% having three or more bedrooms.

The area is almost entirely dependent on cars, with 0% of people commuting by public transport. About 10.7% of homes have no motor vehicle, which is well above the national figure.

The population is relatively stable, as only 35.9% of people have moved in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas have fallen sharply since 2011.

Full-time employment is very high at 70.2%, far above the national figure. Agriculture, forestry, and fishing is the largest industry, employing 21.4% of the workforce.

The area is among the most disadvantaged in the country, ranking in the lowest 10% for overall advantage, access to resources, and job skills.

The environment is very hot and wet, with an average maximum temperature of 34.5°C and annual rainfall of 993mm, which is far above the Queensland average.

The area experiences very high rates of crime, particularly assault, drug offences, and property damage, with recorded offences per 100,000 among the highest in the country.

While the area is mostly car-dependent, residents have good access to basic needs, with 68.8% living within a 15-minute walk of groceries, which is well above the state average.