Paroo

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 35.9% of the population, a figure that rose 5.3 points since 2011 and is far above the national average. The community is notably older than most areas, with a typical age of 44 and 20.5% of residents aged 65 and over.

The area is overwhelmingly Australian-born, with 87.6% born here and only 5.0% born overseas, which is far below the national figure. Most residents claim Australian or English ancestry.

English is the dominant language, used by 91.2% of the community. Only 3.4% of people use another language at home, which is far below the national average.

Most residents identify as Christian (58.5%), while 32.8% report no religion. This last figure has risen sharply by 21 points since 2011, though it remains well below the national average.

Education levels are much lower than most areas, with only 36.0% of residents completing Year 12. Just 9.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is far below the national average.

Incomes are very low here; the typical weekly household earns just $920, which is far below the national figure of $1,746. Only 6.8% of households earn $3,000 or more per week.

Long-term health conditions are more common than in most areas, affecting 32.3% of residents. This is consistent with a higher-than-average 6.1% of people needing help with daily activities.

Volunteering is very high at 24.8%, far above the national average of 14.1%. However, rates of unpaid care and housework are lower than most other areas.

The First Nations community faces significant hardship, with a typical weekly household income of $790 and an unemployment rate of 16.0%, both of which are well above or below the state and national figures.

Living arrangements are unusual, with 37.2% of people living alone—among the highest rates for similar areas. One-parent families are also much more common here than in most of Australia.

Housing is mostly detached houses (90.5%), and 42.7% are owned outright. While rents are much lower than the national average at $125 a week, the area has far fewer large homes with three or more bedrooms.

The area is entirely dependent on cars, with 0% of people using public transport for commuting. About 12.6% of homes have no motor vehicle, which is well above the national average.

The population is relatively stable, with 34.4% moving in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas have fallen sharply from 21.0% in 2011 to 4.8% in 2021.

Full-time employment is high at 67.9%, but the overall number of adults working or looking for work is lower than most areas. Jobs are concentrated in agriculture, public safety, and health.

The region is ranked very low for overall advantage and access to resources, with an overall advantage score of 884, well below the national average.

The climate is hot and dry, with average maximum temperatures and rainfall that are both lower than the Queensland state averages.

Recorded offences are among the highest for similar areas, particularly for drug offences, assault, and burglary.

The area is mostly car-dependent with a low walkability score of 3.7. While many homes are near health services, very few are within walking distance of public transport, schools, or groceries.