Griffith Surrounds

The typical resident is 40 years old, and about 19.7% of the population are children under 15. This is a community with a significant First Nations presence, as 6.5% of residents are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, which is well above the national figure of 3.2%.

Most people here were born in Australia, and the area has a much lower proportion of overseas-born residents (9.6%) compared to the rest of the state. Italian ancestry is notably common, accounting for 17.2% of the population.

English is the main language for the vast majority, and only 8.5% of people use another language at home, which is far below the national figure. Very few residents speak little or no English, at just 1.3%.

Christianity remains the most common faith at 60.6%. The proportion of people reporting no religion has climbed to 23.2% since 2011, though this is still far below the national average.

Qualifications are generally lower than in most areas, with only 10.6% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. However, there are many schools for the number of children, with 5.58 schools per 1,000 children, which is much higher than most areas.

Typical weekly household income is $1,630, which is about the same as the national figure. While most residents earn a modest income, the proportion of households earning $3,000 or more a week rose 13 points since 2011.

Health profiles are around the middle for similar areas, with 28% of people living with a long-term health condition. Those needing help with daily activities make up 4.2% of the population, which is a little below the state average.

Volunteering is more common here than in most areas, with 16.5% of people pitching in, although this is down 6 points since 2011. Unpaid care for children is also steady, with 25.9% of the community providing this support.

The area has a large First Nations population of 831 people. Residents here are slightly older and earn more than the national average for First Nations people, and the unemployment rate is much lower at 8.1%.

Homes tend to be larger here, with a typical 2.6 people per household. Most families consist of couples with children (59.3%) or couples without children (27.9%).

The area is dominated by separate houses, which make up 95.5% of all homes. Housing is more affordable than in most areas, with typical weekly rents at $220 and monthly mortgage payments at $1,200, far below the state averages.

Car use is essential, as 65.6% of people drive to work and only 0.7% use public transport. This reliance is clear in the homes, where 62.5% have two or more vehicles.

The population is quite stable, with only 26.8% of people moving in the last five years. In contrast, there has been a significant rise in recent arrivals from overseas, who now make up 28.7% of the community.

Job prospects are strong, with a very low unemployment rate of 2.5% and 66.1% of people working full-time. Agriculture, forestry, and fishing are the biggest employers, representing 29.4% of the workforce.

The area has a large number of businesses (2,287) and is ranked as having a moderate level of access to money and resources. Overall advantage is lower than in 60% of similar areas.

The environment is characterised by low rainfall, averaging 466mm annually, which is among the lowest for its level. Maximum temperatures average 25.3 degrees, while minimums are much lower than in most areas.

The area is mostly car-dependent, with a very low walkability score of 2.2. Only 25.1% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries, and just 17.6% are near health services.