Mapoon

First Nations people make up 78.2% of the population, which is far above the national figure. The community is very young, with a typical age of 27 and a high proportion of children, though the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents has fallen by 12 points since 2011.

The vast majority of residents were born in Australia, and only 1.6% were born overseas, which is far below the state and national averages.

Language diversity is high, with 33.8% of people using another language at home, a figure that rose 17 points since 2011.

A majority of residents report having no religion (50.7%), which is far above the national figure and represents a 31 point increase since 2011.

Educational attainment is much lower than the national average, with only 2.9% of adults holding a bachelor degree and just 21.8% having completed Year 12.

Typical incomes are far below the national figure, with the usual household earning $1,010 a week. No one in the community earns $2,000 or more per week.

Residents generally report fewer long-term health conditions (22.0%) and lower rates of mental health conditions (5.3%) than most other areas.

Caring for children is very common here, with 42.4% of people providing unpaid childcare, though volunteering rates are well below the state average.

First Nations people in Mapoon face significant hardship, with an unemployment rate of 34.0% and a typical personal income of $343. However, cultural connection remains strong, as 42.6% speak a First Nations language.

Homes are often crowded, with 3.6 people per dwelling, and one-parent families are far more common here (34.2%) than in the rest of Australia.

The community is almost entirely made up of separate houses, but 92.6% are rented. Outright home ownership is very low at 3.2%, while typical weekly rent is just $120.

Car dependence is high, though 32.3% of homes have no motor vehicle. There is no public transport available in the area.

The population is relatively stable, with only 21.7% of people moving in the last five years, far lower than the national figure.

While the unemployment rate is very high at 27.0%, those who are employed are more likely to work full-time (64.5%) than in other areas, mostly in public administration and safety.

Mapoon is one of the most disadvantaged areas in the country, scoring 1 out of 10 for overall advantage, though its population has grown by 11.8% since 2021.

The environment is tropical and wet, with an average annual rainfall of 2,104mm and average minimum temperatures well above the state average.

The area has a very high recorded offence rate, with assault, property damage, and burglary rates all much higher than in most other areas.

The community is entirely car-dependent, with a walkability score of 0.0 and no shops, schools or health services within a 15-minute walk.