Weipa

The community is far younger than the national figure, with 25.8% of people being children under 15 and only 3.1% aged 65 or over. There is a strong First Nations presence at 19.9%, and de facto relationships are far more common here than in the rest of the state.

Most residents were born in Australia, and the area has a much lower proportion of overseas-born people than both Queensland and Australia. The most common ancestries are Australian and English.

English is the primary language for the vast majority of the population. The proportion of people using another language at home is 9.4%, which is well below the Queensland and national figures.

A large number of residents report having no religion, at 47.0%, which is well above the national figure. This has risen significantly by 23 percentage points since 2011.

The area has a lower proportion of adults with a bachelor degree than most similar places, at 13.9%. However, Year 12 completion has risen by 12 percentage points since 2011 to reach 54.6%.

Weekly incomes are far above the national figure, with the typical family earning $3,283. This is reflected in the fact that 42.2% of households earn $3,000 or more a week, a figure that has risen 16 points since 2011.

Residents are generally healthier than those in other areas, with only 14.2% reporting a long-term health condition. The number of people needing help with daily activities is also among the lowest at this level.

Unpaid childcare is common here, with 30.6% of people providing this help. While volunteering is around the middle for similar areas, the number of volunteers has fallen by 5.1 points since 2011.

First Nations people in Weipa fare very well compared to other areas, with a much lower unemployment rate of 4.1% and high Year 12 completion at 59.2%. Many also speak a First Nations language, at 27.0%.

Homes tend to be larger than average, with 2.9 people per home. This is consistent with the high number of couples with children, who make up 68.0% of families.

Renting is far more common than in the state average, at 58.4%, and weekly rents are much higher than usual at $500. Outright home ownership is among the lowest at this level at 10.2%.

The town is heavily reliant on cars, as there are no public transport stops or routes. Working from home is also very rare here, at just 2.7%.

The population is quite mobile, with 52.7% of people moving in the last five years, which is far above the national figure. Recent arrivals from overseas have fallen since 2011.

The workforce is dominated by mining, where 39.3% of people work. This helps explain why the area is among the highest for full-time employment, at 71.1%, and has a very low unemployment rate of 2.1%.

Weipa is generally more advantaged than 70% of similar areas, with an overall advantage score of 1,036. However, its population growth since 2021 has been well below the Queensland average.

The area is very wet and warm, with an average annual rainfall of 2,095mm, which is far above the Queensland average. Minimum temperatures are also well above the state figure.

The town is very car-dependent, with a walkability score of 1.7. Most homes are far from parks, groceries and health services, though 62.5% are within a 15-minute walk of a school.