Maryborough

The community is significantly older than most areas, with the typical resident aged 47 and the 65-and-over group rising to 26.3% since 2011. In contrast, children under 15 make up only 15.5%, which is well below the national figure.

Most residents were born in Australia, and the area has a much lower proportion of overseas-born people (9.0%) than the Queensland average of 22.7%. English, Australian, Scottish, and Irish are the most common ancestries.

English is the dominant language, with only 2.4% of people using another language at home, a figure far below the national average of 22.3%. Consequently, very few residents (0.3%) speak little or no English.

About 45.3% of people identify as Christian, while those with no religion make up 41.4%. The proportion of people reporting no religion has risen by 20 percentage points since 2011.

The area has among the lowest levels of higher education, with only 7.9% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Year 12 completion is also far below the national average at 33.9%, though this has risen slightly since 2011.

Typical weekly incomes are far below the national figure, with the typical family earning $1,273. Only 6.9% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, which is among the lowest for similar areas.

Health challenges are common here, as 41.5% of people have a long-term health condition and 12% need help with daily activities, both of which are well above the state average.

Unpaid care is more common than usual, with 14.5% of people providing such support. There is also a higher rate of former Defence Force members (4.9%) compared to the national average.

First Nations people make up 6.8% of the population, which is much higher than most areas. This community faces significant gaps, with a 22.1% unemployment rate and a typical personal income of $483, both well below state figures.

Homes tend to be smaller, with only 2.2 people per home. There is a high number of people living alone (34.1%) and a higher rate of one-parent families (23.7%) than in most other areas.

Most people live in separate houses (86.3%), and home ownership is high, with 37.9% owning their place outright. Typical weekly rents are $255, which is well below the national figure.

The area is heavily dependent on cars, as public transport use is very low (0.4%) and there are no public transport stops or routes. About 10.8% of homes have no motor vehicle, which is well above the state average.

The population is relatively stable, with 37% of people moving in the last five years, which is well below the Queensland average of 44.8%. Recent overseas arrivals are also low at 7%.

Jobs are mainly in health care, retail, and education. However, the unemployment rate is 11%, which is well above the national figure of 5.1%, and only 42.9% of adults are working or looking for work.

The town is ranked among the most disadvantaged areas in the region, scoring a 1 out of 10 for overall advantage. Population growth has been slow, rising by 2.2% since 2021.

Maryborough receives an average annual rainfall of 944mm, which is far above the Queensland average. Summer temperatures are also higher than in most similar areas.

The town is somewhat walkable, with many homes within a 15-minute walk of a school or health service. However, no homes are within 10 minutes of public transport.