Bowen Basin - North

The area is a little younger than the state and national average, with a much higher proportion of children and far fewer seniors. About 7.1% of residents are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, a figure that has risen since 2011 and is well above the national average.

Most residents were born in Australia, and the area has a much lower proportion of overseas-born people compared to the rest of the country. Australian and English are the most common ancestries.

English is the dominant language, and the proportion of people using another language at home is far below the national figure. Only 0.8% of people speak little or no English.

About 43.3% of people identify as Christian, while 36.0% have no religion. The proportion of people with no religion has risen by 16 percentage points since 2011.

The area has among the lowest rates of bachelor degrees and Year 12 completion at this level, falling far below national figures. However, many adults hold a Certificate III or IV, and engineering is the most common field of qualification.

Incomes are generally high, with a typical personal weekly income of $976, which is a little above the national figure. This is consistent with the high number of full-time workers, and 26.5% of households earn over $3,000 a week.

Residents report much lower rates of long-term health conditions and mental health issues than most areas. Only 3.8% of people need help with daily activities, which is a little below the national average.

Participation in unpaid care and housework is well below the national average. Volunteering has also fallen since 2011, with 13.3% of people now volunteering.

First Nations people in the area have a much higher typical personal income ($796) and household income than those in the state or nation. The unemployment rate for this group is also well below the national figure at 7.9%.

Homes tend to be larger than usual, with 2.5 people per household and a high number of couples with children. About 27.5% of people live alone, which is a little above the national figure.

Renting is very common here, with 46.8% of households renting—far above the national average. While weekly rent is far below the national figure at $200, the area has a much lower rate of outright home ownership.

The community is heavily reliant on cars, with 61.2% of people driving to work and very few people using public transport. Only 7.0% of people work from home, which is far below the national figure.

The population is quite mobile, as 41.0% of people moved in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 22.1% of the population, which is well above the national figure.

Full-time employment is very high at 68.9%, far above the national average. The workforce is concentrated in mining (26.3%) and agriculture, forestry and fishing (12.6%).

The population has grown by 5.8% since 2021, which is a little below the Queensland average.

The region experiences high temperatures, with an average maximum of 31.4 degrees. Annual rainfall is 516mm, which is well above the Queensland average.

The area is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 2.7, far below the state average. Very few homes are within a 15-minute walk of health services, groceries, or public transport.