Statistical Area 2 (SA2) · Area profile
Moranbah
3,047 km²
High weekly incomes set Moranbah apart as a prosperous hub in the Isaac region. It is a remarkably young community where the typical resident is just 31, which helps explain why nearly a quarter of the population are children. The town's character is shaped by a strong mining presence and a transient population, with more than half of all residents having moved here within the last five years. This creates a unique environment where high earnings coexist with a high proportion of renters.
Despite high local incomes, the area's schools serve a less advantaged intake.
A family-heavy area that's short on schools per child.
Explore Moranbah by topic
This is a young area where the typical resident is 31, making it noticeably younger than the national figure of 38. Children under 15 make up 24.5% of the population, which is well above the Australian average, while seniors over 65 are far less common at just 2.8%.
Most residents were born in Australia, and the area has a much lower proportion of overseas-born people (12.0%) compared to the national figure of 27.7%. Australian and English ancestries are the most common.
English is the dominant language, and the 6.4% of people using another language at home is far below the national figure of 22.3%. Very few people speak little or no English, at just 0.6%.
About 41.6% of the community report having no religion, which is about the same as the Queensland average. This figure has risen significantly by 19 percentage points since 2011.
Qualifications are lower than in most areas, with only 11.8% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher, far below the national figure of 26.3%. Engineering and related fields are the most common area of study.
Weekly incomes are far above the national average, with typical family income reaching $3,327. About 47.1% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, a figure that rose 16 percentage points since 2011.
Residents are generally healthy, with only 16.7% reporting a long-term health condition, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%. Very few people, just 1.5%, need help with daily activities.
Unpaid childcare is common here, with 32.1% of people caring for children, well above the national figure of 26.3%. However, volunteering has fallen since 2011 to 12.2%.
First Nations people in Moranbah have a much lower unemployment rate (4.2%) and higher typical incomes than the state and national figures. Year 12 completion is also far above the national average at 51.2%.
Homes tend to be larger here, with 2.8 people per household, which is a little above the national figure. Most households are couples with children, making up 69.9% of families.
Rental properties are very common, with 67.9% of households renting, far above the national figure of 30.6%. While 88% of homes have three or more bedrooms, only 8.4% are owned outright.
The area is highly car-dependent, with 67.3% of people driving to work and almost no one using public transport. Very few homes (2.4%) have no motor vehicle.
Moranbah has a very mobile population, with 51.0% of residents moving in the last five years, which is far above the national figure of 40.7%.
Mining is the dominant industry, employing 41.2% of the workforce. Full-time employment is very high at 72.1%, far above the national figure of 58.9%, and unemployment is very low at 2.3%.
The area is generally advantaged, ranking as better off than about 60% of similar areas. This is consistent with the high employment and income levels seen across the town.
The local climate is hot and dry, with an average maximum temperature of 31.1 degrees and annual rainfall of 532mm, which is well above the state average.
While most homes are within a 15-minute walk of a park or school, the town is mostly car-dependent with a walkability score of 3.6, well below the Queensland figure of 5.0.