Council (LGA) · Area profile
Etheridge
39,199 km²
Far older than the national average, Etheridge is a small, rural community where the typical resident is 46. The area is sparsely populated and has shrank by 20% since 2011, leaving just 714 people. It is a place of contrasts, with very low typical incomes but a high rate of outright home ownership. The community is defined by its agricultural roots and a strong spirit of volunteering.
The area's schools rate below its broader socio-economic standing.
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The population is notably older than the state and national figures, with 23% of residents aged 65 or over. This senior population has grown by 6.3 percentage points since 2011, while the number of children has slightly fallen.
Most residents were born in Australia, and the area has a much lower proportion of overseas-born people (7.6%) compared to the national figure of 27.7%. Australian, English, and Irish are the most common ancestries.
English is the dominant language here, with only 0.7% of people using another language at home. This is far below the national average of 22.3%.
About 55% of the community identifies as Christian. While the number of people with no religion has risen by 9.3 percentage points since 2011, it remains far below the national figure.
Education levels are much lower than in most other areas, with only 7.5% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Year 12 completion is also far below the national average at 34.3%.
Typical weekly household income is $1,145, which is well below the national figure of $1,746. However, typical personal incomes are about the same as the state and national averages.
Residents report fewer long-term health conditions (23.4%) and mental health conditions (5.3%) than is typical for most areas. Arthritis and heart disease are the most common long-term health issues.
Volunteering is very common here, with 24% of people participating—well above the national rate of 14.1%. Fewer people provide unpaid care for children compared to the state average.
First Nations people make up 6.4% of the population, which is well above the national average. The typical First Nations resident is far older (34) than the national First Nations median age of 24.
A high number of people live alone (40.4%), which is far above the national figure of 25.6%. This contributes to smaller household sizes, with an average of 2.2 people per home.
Home ownership is very high, with 47.3% of homes owned outright, far above the national figure. Rent is also much lower than typical, with a typical weekly rent of $160.
The area is almost entirely dependent on cars, with no one commuting by public transport. Interestingly, 26.9% of people work from home, which is well above the national average.
The population is relatively stable, as fewer people moved in the last five years (31.1%) compared to the national figure. Recent arrivals from overseas are slightly above the national average.
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing are the main industries, employing 44.5% of the workforce. Full-time employment is far above the national average at 71.7%, and unemployment is quite low at 3.3%.
The area has a low access to money and resources score, though its overall advantage score is slightly higher than about 60% of similar areas. Population growth is much lower than the state average.
Etheridge is much wetter than the Queensland average, with 871mm of annual rainfall. It also has some of the highest minimum temperatures in the region.
While rates of assault and burglary are much lower than most areas, theft and drug offences are much higher. Theft accounts for nearly 30% of recorded offences.
The area is mostly car-dependent with a low walkability score. However, there are far more walkable amenities per 1,000 residents than the state average, particularly parks.