Ipswich

The population is young, with children under 15 making up 23.4% of residents, a figure well above the national average. Around 5.5% of people are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, which is higher than most areas and has risen since 2011.

About 21.7% of residents were born overseas, which is much higher than most similar areas, though well below the national figure. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, with English accounting for 36.4%.

Language diversity is increasing, with the proportion of people using another language at home rising to 14.1% since 2011. This is higher than most similar areas, although it remains well below the Australian average.

A large shift has occurred since 2011, with the number of people reporting no religion rising by 20 points to 41.9%. This is well above the national figure, though Christianity remains the most common affiliation at 44.6%.

Education levels are rising, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree increasing to 15.5% since 2011. While Year 12 completion is much higher than in most similar areas, it remains well below the national average.

Typical weekly household income is $1,668, which is about the same as the state average. Higher incomes are becoming more common, with the share of households earning $3,000 or more per week rising by 11 points since 2011.

Mental health conditions are reported at 11.8%, which is among the highest rates for similar areas. About 6.6% of people need help with daily activities, a figure that has risen since 2011.

Caring for children is a major part of local life, with 31.3% of people providing unpaid childcare—well above the national average. In contrast, volunteering has fallen by 6 points since 2011 to 11.1%.

First Nations residents are notably young, with a typical age of 20. This community has a Year 12 completion rate of 45.9%, which is well above the national average.

Homes here are larger than usual, with 2.8 people per household. One-parent families are much more common than in most areas, making up 19.6% of households.

Most people live in separate houses, and 86.7% of homes have three or more bedrooms. Renting is very common at 39.4%, which is well above the national figure, while only 20.2% of homes are owned outright.

Cars are the main way to get around, with 64.5% of workers driving to work. While most homes have a vehicle, the average walk to a public transport stop is 41 minutes, which is higher than most areas.

The city is very mobile, with 48.4% of people having moved in the last five years—among the highest rates for similar areas. Recent arrivals from overseas made up 10.5% of the population in 2021, down from 20.5% in 2011.

More adults are working or looking for work here than in most similar areas, at 63.7%. However, the unemployment rate of 6.7% is a little above the national figure.

The city is growing rapidly, with a 15% population increase since 2021, well above the state average. It is home to 13,888 businesses, which is more than 90% of similar areas.

The area is much wetter than the state average, with 880mm of annual rainfall. Summer temperatures are also quite high, with an average maximum of 28.4 degrees.

Crime rates are higher than most areas, particularly for theft, which is among the highest at this level. Assault and drug offences are also much higher than in similar areas.

Many homes are within a 15-minute walk of a park or school. However, access to health services and groceries is far below the state average for a 15-minute walk.