Ipswich Hinterland

The population is noticeably older than the state and national figures, with a significant 19.8% of residents aged 65 and over. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 5.2% of the community, a figure that has risen by 2.2 points since 2011.

The area is far less diverse than the rest of the country, with only 10.7% of people born overseas. English and Australian ancestries are the most common, and the proportion of overseas-born residents has barely changed since 2011.

English is the primary language for 89% of the community. Only 2.8% of residents use another language at home, which is far below the national figure of 22.3%.

Nearly half of the population (49%) identify as Christian. The number of people reporting no religion has risen by 20 points since 2011 to reach 39.3%.

Education levels are far below the national average, with only 10.1% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. However, Year 12 completion has risen by 8.3 points since 2011 to reach 41.2%.

Typical weekly household income is $1,406, which is a little below the state and national figures. While typical incomes have risen since 2011, the area remains much lower than most similar regions.

Health challenges are more common here than in most areas, with 34.7% of people reporting a long-term health condition. Additionally, 7.7% of residents need help with daily activities, which is a little above the national figure.

The community has a high rate of unpaid care, with 13.8% providing support to others. It also has a higher-than-average proportion of former Defence Force members at 6.2%.

There are 3,497 First Nations people living here, and the community is around the middle for its level in terms of median age and household income. Unemployment is higher than most areas at 13.1%.

Homes tend to be larger, with 2.6 people per household. One-parent families are slightly more common here than in the state average, making up 15.7% of households.

The area is dominated by separate houses, which make up 96.2% of dwellings. Home ownership is strong, with 36.3% of homes owned outright, far above the national figure of 31%.

Car dependency is very high, as only 0.6% of people commute via public transport. Almost every home has a vehicle, with only 2.6% of households owning none.

The population is relatively stable, with fewer people moving in the last five years (36.9%) compared to the national average. Recent overseas arrivals are also far below the national figure at 5.8%.

Fewer adults are working or looking for work (54.0%) compared to the state average. Common industries include health care, construction, and agriculture, forestry and fishing.

The population is continuing to grow, with an increase of 9.8% since 2021, which is a little above the Queensland figure.

The region is generally cooler than the state average, with an average minimum temperature of 12.7 degrees. Annual rainfall is around 918mm, far above the state average.

The area is highly car-dependent with a low walkability score of 1.7. Very few homes are within a 15-minute walk of public transport (11.7%) or groceries (21.6%).