Central Highlands - East

This is a young area where 24% of people are children under 15, a figure well above the national average. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 21.2% of the population, which is far above the Queensland average and has risen since 2011.

The community is predominantly Australian born, with only 7.7% of residents born overseas. This is far below the national figure and has barely changed over the last decade.

English is the main language for the vast majority of the community. Only 3.8% of people use another language at home, which is far below the national average.

While 45.6% of residents identify as Christian, the number of people reporting no religion has risen by 17 points since 2011 to reach 38.1%.

Educational attainment is much lower than in most areas, with only 40.7% of residents completing Year 12. Just 7.6% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, which is far below the national figure.

Typical incomes are higher than the national figure, with the usual household earning $2,069 a week. Notably, 19.9% of people earn $2,000 or more weekly, a rate well above the national average.

Residents generally report better health than most other areas. The 21.4% of people with a long-term health condition is much lower than the national figure, and only 2.7% need help with daily activities.

Unpaid care for children is more common here than elsewhere, with 29.6% of people providing this support. However, the rate of general volunteering has fallen since 2011 to 15.1%.

The First Nations community is significant in size, though it faces hardship; typical personal incomes are among the lowest at this level and the unemployment rate of 20% is much higher than most areas.

Homes tend to be larger with an average of 2.6 people per dwelling. One-parent families make up 22.3% of households, which is well above the national average and has risen sharply since 2011.

Rental properties are very common, with 57.3% of households renting, far above the state average. Most people live in separate houses, and 82.8% of these homes have three or more bedrooms.

Most residents rely on cars, though 9.2% of homes have no motor vehicle, which is much higher than most areas. Only 9% of the workforce works from home, far below the national figure.

The area sees a fair amount of movement, with 42.9% of people having moved in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 11.3% of the population, a figure that has fallen since 2011.

Mining and agriculture dominate the local economy, with 32.9% of people working in mining. Full-time employment is far more common here than in the rest of the state, at 69.9%.

The area is ranked among the most disadvantaged in the region, scoring a 1 out of 10 for overall advantage, access to resources, and job skills.

The region is warm and dry, with an average maximum temperature of 30.8 degrees and annual rainfall of 530mm, which is well above the Queensland average.

Most of the area is car-dependent, with a low walkability score of 3.3. While many homes are within walking distance of a park or school, only 44.6% are within a 15-minute walk of groceries.