Toowoomba

The population has reached 173,204 people. While the typical age is 39, the community is seeing a shift, with the proportion of people aged 65 and over rising 4 percentage points since 2011 to 19.5%.

Only 13.9% of residents were born overseas, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, each cited by around 38% of the population.

About 9% of people use a language other than English at home, a figure that has nearly doubled since 2011. Despite this rise, the proportion of people who speak little or no English remains a little below the national average.

Christianity remains the most common affiliation at 55.9%. Those reporting no religion make up 32.1% of the population, which is well below the national figure of 38.9%.

The area is well-qualified, with 19% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Year 12 completion has risen significantly since 2011, now reaching 51.5% of residents.

Typical weekly family income is $1,847, which is a little below the national figure of $2,120. However, the number of households earning $3,000 or more a week has risen by 9.3 percentage points since 2011.

Health challenges are more common here than in most areas, with 32.3% of people living with a long-term health condition. Mental health conditions are also much more frequent than the national average, affecting 10.9% of residents.

Community spirit is evident in the 16.6% of people who volunteer. There is also a notably strong military connection, as 4.7% of residents have served in the Defence Force, which is much higher than in most other areas.

The First Nations community is among the largest at this level, with a typical age of 20, which is noticeably younger than the state and national figures. Year 12 completion for First Nations people is 43.7%, well above the national average.

Families with children are common, with 53.6% of households being couples with children. This helps explain why homes are generally larger, with a typical size of 2.5 people per home.

Separate houses are very common, making up 82.7% of dwellings. While 32.6% of homes are owned outright, typical weekly rents have risen by $70 since 2011 to reach $300.

Car travel is the dominant way to get around, with 69% of people driving to work. Only 0.3% of the population uses public transport for their commute, and very few people work from home compared to the national average.

The area is quite mobile, with 43.7% of people having moved house in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals are much more common here than in the rest of the country, at 23.7%.

Health care and social assistance are the biggest employers, with 18.4% of the workforce in this sector. The unemployment rate is 5%, which is about the same as the national figure.

With nearly 18,000 businesses and a population that grew 6.3% since 2021, the area is a significant economic hub. It ranks better than about 60% of similar areas in terms of overall advantage.

The climate is milder than the state average; the average maximum temperature is 26 degrees, which is well below the Queensland figure. Annual rainfall is far higher than the state average at 662mm.

The area faces higher than average crime rates, particularly for theft, drugs, and burglary. Recorded offences are higher than in most areas, with theft making up 18.2% of all crimes.

The area is somewhat walkable, though 54.1% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of public transport, which is well below the state average. Access to health services and groceries within walking distance is also lower than the state figure.