Burdekin

Seniors make up 23.6% of the population, a figure well above the national average. This trend has accelerated recently, as the proportion of people aged 65 and over rose 7.4 points since 2011.

The community is overwhelmingly Australian-born, with only 7.3% born overseas, which is far below the national figure. Italian ancestry is notably present at 17.7%.

English is the primary language for 86.2% of the area, and the proportion of people using another language at home is much lower than most similar areas.

Christianity remains the dominant faith for 65.7% of residents, though the number of people reporting no religion rose 11 points since 2011.

Educational attainment is much lower than the national average, with only 35.2% of residents completing Year 12 and 8.4% holding a bachelor degree.

Typical weekly household income is $1,422, which is a little below the national figure. However, the number of households earning over $3,000 a week rose 7.8 points since 2011.

Long-term health conditions are more common here than in most areas, with 29.7% of people affected and 6.3% needing help with daily activities.

Volunteerism is higher than the state average at 17.1%, although this is a drop from 2011. People are also more likely to do 15 or more hours of unpaid housework than most people across Australia.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 5% of the population, which is much higher than most similar areas. This group is generally younger and has a much lower rate of Year 12 completion than the wider community.

Most households consist of couples, and 53.4% have children. About 26.1% of residents live alone, a figure that has risen since 2011.

The area is dominated by separate houses (95.1%), and 46.9% of homes are owned outright, which is far above the national figure. Rent is very affordable, with a typical weekly payment of $210.

Car dependency is extremely high, with 65% of people driving to work and almost no one using public transport. About 97% of homes own at least one motor vehicle.

The population is very stable, as only 26% of people moved in the last five years, far fewer than the national average of 40.7%.

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing are the primary industries, employing 26.7% of the workforce. Full-time employment is much higher than most areas at 65.8%.

While the area has a fair number of businesses, it ranks low for education and job skills compared to other regions.

The region is warmer than the state average, with a typical minimum temperature of 19.2 degrees, and it receives significantly more rain than the Queensland average.

The area is almost entirely car-dependent, with a very low walkability score. Only 17.3% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of basic amenities.