Gympie Surrounds

The population is much older than most areas, with 21.3% of residents aged 65 and over. This senior population is well above the national figure of 17.2%.

The community is very traditional in its roots, with 79.7% of people born in Australia. Only 12.2% were born overseas, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%.

English is the dominant language, spoken by 90.5% of residents. Only 2.5% use another language at home, among the lowest rates at this level.

A large portion of the community identifies as having no religion, at 44.8%. This is well above the national figure of 38.9% and has risen 19 points since 2011.

Education levels are much lower than most areas, with only 40.6% of residents completing Year 12. This is far below the national figure of 58.8%.

Incomes are much lower than most areas; the typical household earns $1,292 a week, which is well below the national figure of $1,746.

Health needs are higher than usual, with 7.8% of people needing help with daily activities. Long-term health conditions affect 32.2% of the population, which is well above the national figure.

Residents are active in their community, with 16.6% volunteering and 14.3% providing unpaid care, both of which are higher than most areas.

The First Nations community is larger than 89% of similar areas. However, Year 12 completion is much lower at 33.6%, well below the national figure of 37.0%.

Families tend to be larger here, with 2.6 people per home. Couples with children make up 52% of households.

Housing is dominated by separate houses, making up 97.1% of all homes. Ownership is very high, with 44.1% of homes owned outright, far above the national figure of 31.0%.

The area is heavily car-dependent, with 97.1% of homes owning a vehicle. Only 0.4% of people use public transport to commute, and it takes nearly two hours to drive to the city.

The population is relatively stable, with 36.2% moving in the last five years, which is well below the national figure of 40.7%.

Working life is less common here, with only 53.6% of adults working or looking for work, much lower than the national figure of 61.1%.

While the area has a high number of businesses, it ranks poorly for overall advantage and job skills compared to most other areas.

The area is wetter than the state average, with 1,116mm of annual rainfall. Temperatures are also higher than most areas.

The region is almost entirely car-dependent, with a walkability score of 0.4. Only 6.1% of homes have basic amenities within a 15-minute walk, far below the national figure of 59.1%.