28,849 ▼ -2.7%
Lower than 79% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
- 2011: 29,662
- 2016: 28,960
- 2021: 28,849
The number of people who usually live in the area, counted on Census night.
Central Highlands · Sub-region (SA3)
Demographics & Identity in Central Highlands
Who lives here — how many people, how old they are, and how communities identify.
A much younger population than most similar areas defines Central Highlands, where the typical resident is just 34. The region is home to 28,849 people, though this number has shrunk by 2.7% since 2011. It is a place with a strikingly high proportion of children and a strong Indigenous identity.
28,849
▼ -2.7%
- 1–2: 3 areas
- 2–2: 0 areas
- 2–4: 0 areas
- 4–6: 0 areas
- 6–9: 2 areas
- 9–15: 2 areas
- 15–23: 1 area
- 23–37: 0 areas
- 37–57: 1 area
- 57–90: 0 areas
- 90–141: 1 area
- 141–221: 1 area
- 221–347: 1 area
- 347–545: 2 areas
- 545–854: 3 areas
- 854–1,340: 0 areas
- 1,340–2,101: 3 areas
- 2,101–3,296: 1 area
- 3,296–5,169: 2 areas
- 5,169–8,107: 3 areas
- 8,107–12,714: 7 areas
- 12,714–19,940: 16 areas
- 19,940–31,273: 30 areas
- 31,273–49,048: 61 areas
- 49,048–76,924: 90 areas
- 76,924–120,643: 70 areas
- 120,643–189,211: 46 areas
- 189,211–296,748: 12 areas
All sub-region (sa3) areas, 2021. The marker is Central Highlands — lower than 79% of areas.
| Central Highlands | 28,849 |
|---|---|
| Rest of Qld | 2,615,036 |
| Queensland | 5,156,138 |
| Australia | 25,422,788 |
Population
How many people, and the typical age.
The typical resident here is 34, which is noticeably younger than the Queensland and Australian figure of 38. While this age has risen slightly since 2011, the total population has fallen by about 813 people.
34 yrs ▲ +9.7%
Younger than 89% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
- 2011: 31 yrs
- 2016: 33 yrs
- 2021: 34 yrs
Half the population is older than this age, and half younger.
Age profile
How the population splits across age groups.
Children under 15 make up 23.7% of the population, which is well above the national figure of 18.2%. This helps explain why the area is so young, as seniors aged 65 and over represent only 9.5% of the community, well below the state and national averages.
9.5% ▲ +57.0%
Lower than 92% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
- 2011: 6.1%
- 2016: 7.5%
- 2021: 9.5%
Share of the population aged 65 years and over.
23.7% ▼ -4.9%
Higher than 95% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
- 2011: 25.0%
- 2016: 25.0%
- 2021: 23.7%
Share of the population aged under 15 years.
Age structure
View on map →In Central Highlands, the largest group is Young adults (25–44) at 30%, followed by Older adults (45–64) (24%) and Children (0–14) (24%).
Identity & relationships
First Nations identity and marital status.
Indigenous identity is much higher here than in most areas, with 8.9% of people identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. There is also a higher rate of de facto relationships at 16.1%, which is well above the Australian figure of 11.5%.
8.9% ▲ +39.5%
Higher than 86% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
- 2011: 6.4%
- 2016: 7.3%
- 2021: 8.9%
Share of people who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
16.1% ▲ +10.3%
Higher than 88% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
- 2011: 14.6%
- 2016: 14.6%
- 2021: 16.1%
Share of people aged 15+ who are in a de facto marriage (registered marriages excluded).
Marital status
View on map →In Central Highlands, the largest group is Married at 46%, followed by Never married (39%) and Divorced (8%).
Age & sex structure
Sources
- Census of Population and Housing — Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 (CC BY 4.0).
More for Central Highlands
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Demographics & Identity in Central Highlands [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/sa3/30801/central-highlands/topic/demographics-identity