Council (LGA) · Area profile
Hope Vale
1,112 km²
A vast gap exists between Hope Vale and the rest of the country, particularly in its strong First Nations identity. This community is far younger than the national average, with nearly 30% of residents being children under 15. It is a place where traditional culture remains central, as many people still speak First Nations languages. While the population is small and faces significant economic challenges, it is defined by a young, predominantly Indigenous community living in a high-rainfall tropical environment.
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First Nations people make up 88.4% of the population, which is far above the national figure. The community is notably young, with a typical age of 28 and a very low proportion of seniors compared to Queensland.
Almost everyone here was born in Australia, with only 1.4% born overseas, a figure far below the national average.
Language diversity is high, with 60.8% of people using another language at home, though this is 26 points lower than in 2011.
The community is overwhelmingly Christian, with 80.7% identifying as such; consequently, the 10.0% who have no religion is far below the national figure.
Educational attainment is much lower than in most areas, with only 33.1% of residents completing Year 12, although this has risen by 7.3 points since 2011.
Incomes are among the lowest in the country, with a typical weekly household income of $836, which is far below the Queensland figure of $2,024.
Long-term health conditions are far less common here than in the rest of the state, with only 17.7% of people reporting a chronic condition.
Unpaid care for children is very common at 32.5%, which is well above the national average, while volunteering is much lower than in most areas.
Cultural ties are strong, with 64.5% of the community speaking a First Nations language, far above the national figure. However, the unemployment rate for First Nations people is much higher than most areas at 24.7%.
Families here tend to be larger, with 3.1 people per home. One-parent families are very common, representing 36.2% of households, which is far above the national average.
Renting is the norm for 81.5% of households, far above the state average. Most people live in separate houses, though the typical weekly rent of $120 is far below the national figure.
The area is highly car-dependent, with no one using public transport to commute and 24.4% of homes having no motor vehicle, which is far above the national average.
Residents are very stable, with only 12.1% moving in the last five years, a figure far below the national average of 40.7%.
While full-time employment is higher than in most areas, the overall unemployment rate is far above the national figure at 20.9%.
Hope Vale is among the most disadvantaged areas in the state, ranking at the lowest level for overall advantage and access to resources.
The region is very wet and warm, with an average annual rainfall of 1,694mm, which is far above the Queensland average.
The community faces significant challenges with a recorded offence rate that is among the highest in the region, particularly regarding assault and property damage.
The area is mostly car-dependent with a low walkability score of 2.2. While many people can walk to a school or grocery store, there is no public transport within walking distance.