Cooloola

This is an exceptionally old community; the typical resident is 62, which is 24 years older than the national figure. The number of people aged 65 and over has risen 17 points since 2011 to 43.7%, while children under 15 have fallen to just 9.2%.

Most residents were born in Australia (75.4%), and the proportion of people born overseas is far below the national figure at 14.6%. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, accounting for 44.5% and 36.8% respectively.

English is the dominant language here, with 89.5% of people using it only. The proportion of people using another language at home is among the lowest in the country at 2.0%, and no one reported speaking little or no English.

The number of people reporting no religion has risen 18 points since 2011 to 40.8%, which is about the same as the Queensland figure. Christianity remains the most common affiliation at 47.7%.

Education levels are far below the national average, with only 29.8% of residents completing Year 12 and just 7.9% holding a bachelor degree or higher. Most adults hold a Certificate III or IV qualification.

Incomes are among the lowest in the country, with a typical weekly household income of $790, which is $956 lower than the national figure. Only 4.3% of households earn $3,000 or more per week.

Health challenges are common here; 43.1% of people have a long-term health condition, far above the national figure of 27.7%. This is reflected in the 11.4% of residents who need help with daily activities.

Unpaid care is a notable part of life, with 14.6% of people providing unpaid care. There is also a higher than average presence of former Defence Force members at 6.7%.

First Nations people make up a larger share of the population than in most similar areas. This group is noticeably older than the national average, with a typical age of 30.

Homes here are smaller than usual, with only 2.0 people per home. A high proportion of residents—33.1%—live alone, which is well above the national figure of 25.6%.

Housing is overwhelmingly detached houses (83.6%) and is largely owned outright, with 54.6% of homes having no mortgage. Typical weekly rents are much lower than the national figure at $280.

Residents rely heavily on cars, with 55.4% of workers driving to work. Public transport use is very low at 0.8%, and the drive time to the city is among the highest at 157 minutes.

The area has seen significant movement, with 41.4% of people moving in the last five years. However, recent arrivals from overseas are far below the national figure at 2.7%.

The working population is small, with only 31.1% of adults working or looking for work, far below the national figure of 61.1%. Many of those employed work in accommodation, food, or retail trade.

Cooloola is ranked among the most disadvantaged areas, with an overall advantage score of 863. It scores very low for both general access to resources and job skills.

The area receives much more rain than most of Queensland, with an average of 1,359mm. Average maximum temperatures are also higher than most areas.

While most homes are within a 15-minute walk of a park, they are far less likely to be within walking distance of a school compared to the state average. The area is considered somewhat walkable overall.