Gympie - North

The population is noticeably older than the state and national figure, with 23.1% of residents aged 65 and over. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 5.7% of the community, a figure that has risen since 2011 and is higher than most similar areas.

This is a very traditional community where 83.4% of people were born in Australia. Only 10.7% were born overseas, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%.

English is the primary language for 91.0% of residents, and only 3.4% use another language at home. This is well below the Queensland average, and very few people here speak little or no English.

A significant shift has occurred since 2011, with the proportion of people reporting no religion rising by 23 points to reach 46.6%. This is well above the national figure.

Educational attainment is much lower than most areas, with only 40.1% of residents completing Year 12. Only 9.9% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, which is far below the national figure of 26.3%.

Typical incomes are among the lowest at this level; the typical weekly household earns $1,082, which is far below the national figure of $1,746. Only 7.2% of households earn $3,000 or more per week.

Health needs are high here, as 38.0% of people have a long-term health condition. This is far above the national average, and 11.5% of residents need help with daily activities.

Unpaid care is common in the area, with 14.3% of people providing unpaid care, which is much higher than most similar areas. About 14.6% of residents are volunteers.

The First Nations community is relatively large, with 847 people. This population is noticeably younger than others, with a typical age of 20, and faces a higher unemployment rate of 13.4%.

Living arrangements are distinct, with a very high 31.9% of people living alone. One-parent families are also common at 24.5%, which is far above the national figure of 14.1%.

Separate houses dominate the landscape at 87.1%, far above the national average. While 33.8% of homes are rented, typical weekly rents of $295 are well below the national figure.

Most people rely on cars, and only 0.7% of residents commute by public transport. Working from home is also rare here, with only 5.6% doing so, far below the national figure of 21.0%.

The area is quite mobile, with 45.9% of people having moved in the last five years. However, recent arrivals from overseas have fallen since 2011 to 8.3%.

The job market is struggling, with only 49.6% of adults working or looking for work, far below the national figure of 61.1%. The unemployment rate of 6.7% is higher than most similar areas.

Overall advantage is very low, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas. This is consistent with the low levels of job skills and limited access to money and resources recorded here.

The area is wetter than the state average, with annual rainfall of 1,012mm. Temperatures are generally mild, with an average maximum of 28.1°C.

Most homes are within a short walk of public transport and schools, but far fewer have easy access to groceries and health services compared to the state average.