4310, QLD

The area is far older than the national figure, with 28.6% of residents aged 65 and over compared to 17.2% across Australia. In contrast, children under 15 make up only 14.9% of the population, which is well below the national average.

Most residents were born in Australia (82.6%), and the area has far fewer overseas-born residents (10.4%) than the national figure of 27.7%. English, Australian, and German are the most common ancestries.

English is the primary language for 90.7% of the community. Only 3.5% of people use another language at home, which is far below the Australian figure of 22.3%.

Christianity is the most common affiliation at 55.5%. While 34.6% of residents report no religion, this is well below the national figure of 38.9%.

Qualifications are lower than the national average, with 13.8% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher compared to 26.3% across Australia. However, the share of people who completed Year 12 rose 8.2 points since 2011 to reach 44.4%.

Incomes are much lower than the national figure, with a typical family earning $1,484 a week. Only 11.2% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly, which is far below the Australian figure of 22.6%.

Health challenges are more common here, with 35% of people living with a long-term condition, well above the national figure of 27.7%. This is consistent with the older population, and 6.9% of residents need help with daily activities.

Volunteering is high, with 20.5% of people helping out, well above the national figure of 14.1%. There is also a higher share of former Defence Force members (4.3%) than the national average.

Most homes are occupied by couples, with 48.9% having children and 38.6% without. About 25.1% of people live alone, which is about the same as the national figure.

Housing is dominated by separate houses (94%), and 47.8% of these are owned outright, far above the national figure of 31%. Renting is uncommon, with only 16.9% of households renting, far below the national average.

The area is heavily reliant on cars, as 60.3% of workers drive and there are no public transport stops or routes. Most homes have at least one vehicle, and the drive time to the city is about 69 minutes.

While 34.2% of residents moved in the last five years, this is well below the national figure of 40.7%. Interestingly, recent arrivals from overseas are much higher than in most other areas at 16.9%.

The working population is smaller than in most areas, with 51.9% of adults working or looking for work. The most common industries are agriculture, forestry and fishing, and health care.

The area ranks lower than most for overall advantage, with a score of 4. This reflects lower typical incomes and fewer residents with higher education qualifications compared to other regions.

The region is car-dependent with a very low walkability score of 1.8. Very few homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries (23.4%) or health services (22.7%), far below the state averages.