Council (LGA) · Area profile
Lockyer Valley
2,269 km²
Larger than about 74% of similar areas, Lockyer Valley is a growing regional community with a population of 41,101. It is a place of large family homes and a strong connection to the land, where many residents work in agriculture and forestry. The area is notably welcoming to new arrivals, with a high number of recent overseas migrants. While the typical resident is 39, the community is shaped by a mix of young families and an increasing number of seniors.
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The population has grown by 18% since 2011, and it is now a little older than the national figure. Children under 15 make up 19% of the community, which is higher than most similar areas.
Most residents were born in Australia, and the area has far fewer overseas-born people than the national average. English, German, and Irish are the most common ancestries after Australian.
English is the primary language for 86.2% of people, and the use of other languages at home is far below the national figure. However, this has risen by 2.2 points since 2011.
About half of the population identifies as Christian, while 37.3% report no religion. This last figure is a little below the national average, though it has risen by 19 points since 2011.
Education levels are far below the national figure, with only 11.7% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Year 12 completion has risen since 2011 to 43.2%, though this remains far below the state average.
Typical weekly household income is $1,457, which is a little below the national figure. Higher earners are rare here, as only 5.7% of people earn $2,000 or more a week, a figure well below the national average.
Health challenges are more common here than in most areas. About 33.4% of people have a long-term health condition, and the rate of mental health conditions is among the highest for similar areas.
The community has a high rate of unpaid carers and people doing housework. It also has one of the highest proportions of Defence Force veterans among similar areas, though volunteering has fallen since 2011.
The First Nations community is relatively large, numbering 2,092 people. The typical age is much lower than most areas at 22, and unemployment is a little above the national figure at 14.8%.
Homes here are larger than usual, with 2.7 people per household. This is consistent with the high number of couples with children and a much lower rate of people living alone compared to the rest of the country.
Separate houses are the norm for 93.9% of homes, which is far above the national figure. Most dwellings are large, with 86.2% having three or more bedrooms.
The area is very car-dependent, as 93.9% of homes have at least one motor vehicle and only 0.8% of people use public transport to get to work. Public transport stops are far below the state average.
The area is very attractive to newcomers, with recent arrivals from overseas being much higher than most similar areas. About 39.6% of residents moved here in the last five years.
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing are key industries, employing 13.6% of the workforce. The unemployment rate is 5.4%, which is about the same as the state figure.
The region has seen a population growth of 10.3% since 2021, which is much higher than most areas. However, its overall advantage score is lower than about 74% of similar places.
The area receives 758mm of annual rainfall, which is far above the state average. Summer temperatures are also much higher than most areas, with an average maximum of 28.3 degrees.
Crime rates are higher than most areas, particularly for theft, drug offences, and sexual offences. The overall crime rate has risen by 36.1% over the last five years, a change much higher than most areas.
The area is highly car-dependent, with a walkability score far below the state average. Only 23.8% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of basic amenities.