South Burnett

The typical resident is 48, which is far older than the national figure of 38. Seniors make up 26.4% of the population, a figure well above the state average, while children under 15 have fallen to 17.0% since 2011.

The community has strong ties to its colonial roots, with English and Australian ancestries being the most common. Only 9.7% of people were born overseas, which is far below the national average of 27.7%.

English is the dominant language, and only 3.1% of people use another language at home, far below the national figure of 22.3%. Very few people speak little or no English.

About half of the population identifies as Christian, while 37.8% have no religion. The proportion of people with no religion has risen by 18 points since 2011.

Educational attainment is much lower than most areas, with only 9.5% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Only 35.4% of residents completed Year 12, which is far below the national figure of 58.8%.

Incomes are much lower than in most other areas. The typical household earns $1,045 a week, which is well below the Queensland typical of $1,675, and only 8.6% of households earn $3,000 or more per week.

Health challenges are common here, with 36.6% of people living with a long-term health condition. This is well above the national average, and 10% of residents need help with daily activities.

Providing unpaid care is more common here than in most areas, though the number of people caring for children has fallen since 2011. There is also a higher-than-average number of former Defence Force members.

First Nations people make up 6.2% of the population, which is well above the national average. This community is notably young, with a typical age of 22, though household incomes are a little below the state average.

About 30.2% of people live alone, and one-parent families are more common here than in most areas. The typical home holds 2.3 people, slightly fewer than the national figure.

Housing is dominated by separate houses, which make up 92.4% of all homes. Many residents have high security in their housing, with 43.2% owning their home outright, far above the national figure.

The area is almost entirely reliant on cars, as there are no public transport routes or stops. Only 9.5% of people work from home, which is far below the national figure of 21%.

Around 36.5% of people have moved in the last five years, though this is well below the national figure. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 10.5% of the population.

Working or looking for work is much less common here than in other areas, with only 47.2% of adults in the workforce. Local jobs are concentrated in health care, agriculture, and retail.

The area faces significant challenges, with an overall advantage score that is smaller than about 80% of other areas. This is consistent with the lower levels of job skills and access to resources reported across the region.

The climate is warmer than most areas, with an average maximum temperature of 27.4 degrees. Rainfall is around 616mm annually, which is far above the Queensland average.

Recorded offences are much higher than in most areas, particularly drug offences and burglaries. However, the overall crime rate has fallen by 16.2% over the last five years.

The region is highly car-dependent, with a walkability score far below the state average. Only 25.6% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of basic amenities.