Council (LGA) · Area profile
Sandstone
32,605 km²
Far older than most of the state, Sandstone is a tiny community where the typical resident is 60 years old. This sparsely populated area has a population of just 109 people and is notably missing children, with none under 15 recorded. It is a place where many people live alone and a large proportion of the population is now retired, making it much older than the national figure. The community has seen a slight growth of four people since 2011.
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The area is far older than the national average, with seniors aged 65 and over making up 28.4% of the population. This is a significant increase from 2011, while the number of children has fallen to 0.0%.
About 14.7% of residents were born overseas, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%. The most common ancestries are English and Australian.
English is the primary language here, with only 2.8% of people using another language at home, a figure far below both the state and national averages.
Religious affiliation is lower than in most areas, with 31.2% of residents reporting no religion, though this has risen since 2011.
Education levels are among the lowest at this level, with only 8.0% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher and only 25.7% having completed Year 12.
Incomes are generally low, with a typical household earning $949 a week, which is far below the national figure of $1,746. Only 7.0% of households earn $3,000 or more per week.
Residents report fewer long-term health conditions than most areas, with only 20.2% affected, compared to the national figure of 27.7%.
Unpaid care for children and housework is much lower than most areas, which is consistent with the complete absence of children in the community.
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population is 0.0%, which is well below the national average.
Living arrangements are unusual, with 51.2% of people living alone and a typical household size of just 1.5 people.
Home ownership is strong, with 41.9% of homes owned outright, far above the national figure of 31.0%. However, rent is exceptionally low at a typical $70 per week.
The community is entirely dependent on cars, as there are no public transport stops and every single home has at least one motor vehicle.
The population is relatively stable, with only 24.8% of people moving in the last five years, far lower than the national average of 40.7%.
Working or looking for work is far less common here than elsewhere, with only 42.5% of adults doing so. Many employees work in public administration and safety or agriculture.
The area ranks very low for overall advantage, scoring a 2 out of 10, with particularly low scores for education and job skills.
Sandstone is quite hot, with an average maximum temperature of 29.5 degrees, and it receives very little rain compared to other areas.
The area is completely car-dependent, with no residents living within a 15-minute walk of groceries, health services, or a school.