Council (LGA) · Area profile
Scenic Rim
4,243 km²
The population of Scenic Rim grew by 18% since 2011, turning it into a much older community. The typical resident is now 46, which is far older than the national figure. This shift is seen in the high number of seniors and a rise in people who need help with daily activities. It is a place of large, detached homes where many people now work from home, creating a quiet, residential character in the Greater Brisbane region.
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The area is far older than the state and national average, with seniors making up 22.6% of the population. While the number of children has fallen since 2011, the total population has climbed to 42,984.
Most residents were born in Australia, and those born overseas make up 15.0% of the community, which is far below the national figure. English and Australian are the most common ancestries.
English is the primary language for the vast majority, with only 3.6% of people using another language at home. This is far below the national figure of 22.3%.
The number of people reporting no religion rose by 20 percentage points since 2011 to reach 40.9%, which is about the same as the Queensland figure.
Higher education is more common here than in most similar areas, though the 15.0% with a bachelor degree or higher is far below the national average. Year 12 completion rose 7.6 percentage points since 2011.
Typical weekly family income is $1,706, which is a little below the national figure. However, the proportion of households earning over $3,000 a week rose 10 percentage points since 2011.
Long-term health conditions are more common here than in most areas, with 32.4% of people affected. This is well above the national figure, and 6.8% of residents need help with daily activities.
Unpaid care is very common here, with 13.7% of people providing care and 26.3% doing over 15 hours of housework weekly, both of which are well above state figures.
There are 1,574 First Nations people in the area, with a typical age of 22, which is younger than most areas. The unemployment rate for this group is 10.0%, well below the state average.
Homes here are larger than in most areas, with a typical 2.6 people per home. This is consistent with the fact that only 22.3% of people live alone, which is well below the national figure.
Separate houses are very common, making up 92.1% of dwellings, far above the national figure. Home ownership is also high, with 38.3% of homes owned outright.
The area is heavily car-dependent, as only 0.3% of people commute by public transport. Very few homes have no vehicle, and 15.6% of the workforce now works from home.
About 38.3% of people moved house in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 6.3% of the population, which is well below the national figure.
Working or looking for work is less common here than in most areas, at 55.4%. Full-time employment fell 4.7 percentage points since 2011, and health care and construction are the main industries.
The area has a high level of access to money and resources compared to similar areas. Population growth since 2021 has been 7.7%, which is much higher than most areas.
The region is much wetter than the state average, with 928mm of annual rainfall. Minimum temperatures are also well below the state average.
The rates for robbery, motor vehicle theft, and property damage are much lower than in most areas, though the overall crime rate rose by 29.2% over five years.
The area is very car-dependent, with a walkability score of 1.9. This is far below the state average, and only 20.9% of homes have a 15-minute-city walkshed.