Port Douglas

The typical resident is 45, which is noticeably older than the national figure of 38. Seniors aged 65 and over make up 21% of the population, a figure well above the national average, while children under 15 are well below the state and national levels.

Born overseas, 29.5% of residents come from other countries, which is well above the Queensland average. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, while New Zealand and Italy are among the top birthplaces.

English is the main language for 74.6% of the community, and the number of people using another language at home rose to 12.1% since 2011. Very few people speak little or no English, at just 0.6%.

Nearly half of the population (49%) report having no religion, a figure far above the national average of 38.9%. This reflects a significant trend, as this group rose by 17 percentage points since 2011.

About 20.6% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, which is well below the national figure. Qualifications in management, commerce, and engineering are the most common.

Typical weekly household income is $1,441, which is a little below the national figure. High earners are rare here, with only 12.1% of households earning $3,000 or more a week, far below the national average.

Residents are generally healthier than most, with only 22.4% having a long-term health condition—well below the national figure of 27.7%. Similarly, only 3.6% need help with daily activities.

Unpaid care and housework are less common here than in most areas, with only 6.7% of people providing unpaid care. Volunteering is around the middle for its level at 14.1%.

First Nations people make up 2.4% of the population, and 17.8% speak a First Nations language, which is well above the national figure. The unemployment rate for this group is 6.5%, well below the national average.

Homes tend to be small, with just 2.2 people per home. This is consistent with the fact that 47% of families are couples without children and 28.8% of people live alone.

Renting is more common here than in most areas at 36.2%. Detached houses are less frequent than the state average, with only 53.6% of dwellings being separate houses.

The area is heavily reliant on cars, as there are no public transport stops or routes. About 51.5% of people drive to work, and 11.1% work from home.

The community is highly mobile, with 48.7% of people moving in the last five years. This is well above the national figure, and recent overseas arrivals are much higher than average at 24.1%.

Accommodation and food services are the biggest employers, taking up 32.7% of jobs. Full-time employment is well below the national average at 50.3%, though the unemployment rate is low at 3.7%.

The area has an overall advantage score of 983, placing it around the middle compared to similar areas. It has seen steady population growth of 7.4% since 2021.

The area is very wet and warm, with an average annual rainfall of 1,990mm, which is far above the Queensland average. Minimum temperatures are also well above the state figure.

While 90.1% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of a park, the area is mostly car-dependent. Only 40% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries, and there is no nearby public transport.