Ayr

This is an older community where the typical resident is 44, which is noticeably older than the national figure. Seniors make up 23.7% of the population, a figure well above the national average, while children under 15 have fallen to 16.4% since 2011.

Most residents were born in Australia, with only 10.4% born overseas, which is far below the national average. Italian ancestry is particularly common here, accounting for 16.7% of the population.

English is the dominant language, and only 7.4% of people use another language at home, a figure far below the national average. This is consistent with the low proportion of overseas-born residents.

Faith remains common here, as 65.2% of people identify as Christian. Those with no religion make up 22.6%, which is far below the national figure of 38.9%.

Education levels are much lower than most areas, with only 39.5% of people completing Year 12. Only 9.6% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, which is far below the national average.

Incomes are generally lower than the national figure, with a typical household earning $1,269 a week. Only 12% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, which is well below the state average.

More people here need help with daily activities (6.9%) than in most areas. Long-term health conditions are also more common, affecting 30.2% of the population.

Volunteering is slightly more common here than in the rest of the state, with 15.7% of people helping out. However, the proportion of people caring for children unpaid has fallen to 21.8% since 2011.

The First Nations community is significant, with 714 people living in the area. Those who identify as First Nations are generally younger, with a typical age of 23.

Many people live alone here, accounting for 32.8% of households, which is well above the national figure. Because of this, typical home sizes are small, with only 2.2 people per home.

Housing is very affordable, with a typical weekly rent of $230, which is far below the national average. A high proportion of people—39.3%—own their homes outright.

Cars are the primary way to get around, as the town has no public transport stops. Only 4.6% of people work from home, which is far below the national average.

The community is relatively stable, with far fewer people moving in the last five years compared to the rest of the state. Interestingly, recent arrivals from overseas have risen to 31.5% since 2011.

Full-time employment is much higher here than in most areas, at 64.5%. The local economy is driven by agriculture, forestry and fishing, as well as manufacturing.

The area faces some challenges, with an overall advantage score of 2 out of 10. It ranks particularly low for education and job skills compared to other areas.

Ayr is a wet and warm place, with average annual rainfall of 1,221mm, which is far above the Queensland average. Minimum temperatures are also among the highest in the state.

The town is somewhat walkable, and many people live within a 15-minute walk of a school or health service. However, there is no public transport within walking distance of any home.