Whitsunday

The typical resident is 39 years old, and the population has aged slightly since 2011. While the number of children under 15 has fallen, there has been a notable increase in people aged 65 and over, who now make up 15.1% of the community.

English and Australian are the most common ancestries, with 41.2% and 34.5% respectively. About 18.1% of people were born overseas, a figure that is well below the national average of 27.7%.

English is the dominant language, spoken by 82.3% of people at home. Only 6.6% of the community uses another language, which is far below the Australian figure of 22.3%.

A large and growing number of residents report no religion, accounting for 45.8% of the population. This is well above the national figure and represents a 21 point increase since 2011.

Education levels are lower than in most areas, with only 13.7% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. However, Year 12 completion rose by 8 points since 2011 to reach 48.1%.

Typical personal weekly income is $842, which is about the same as the national figure. While household incomes are generally lower than most areas, the number of households earning over $3,000 a week rose by 9.5 points since 2011.

Residents here are healthier than those in most other areas, with only 23.1% reporting a long-term health condition. Similarly, the rate of mental health conditions is much lower than the state and national figures.

Community participation is lower than in many other areas, with only 14% of people volunteering. Unpaid care roles are also less common, as fewer people provide unpaid care or do significant housework compared to the national average.

The First Nations community is relatively small at 784 people. This group has a much higher typical personal income ($730) and a much lower unemployment rate (7%) than most similar areas.

Families make up the bulk of the community, with 52.2% being couples with children. About 26% of people live alone, which is a slight increase since 2011.

Most people live in separate houses, though 32.6% of the community rents. Typical weekly rent is $350, which is about the same as the state and national figures.

The area is very car-dependent, as there are no public transport stops or routes. This is reflected in the fact that 54.1% of people drive themselves to work.

The community is highly mobile, with 46.3% of people moving in the last five years. This is well above the national average, consistent with a high rate of recent overseas arrivals (19.3%).

Employment is strong, with 61.5% of people working full-time and an unemployment rate of 4.0%, which is lower than the national figure. Many residents work in accommodation and food services.

The region continues to grow, with a 10.1% population increase since 2021, which is higher than the Queensland average.

The environment is characterized by high rainfall, averaging 1,389mm annually, which is far above the state average. Temperatures are also among the highest at this level.

The area is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 2.8, far below the state average of 5.0. While many homes are near parks, very few are within a short walk of public transport, groceries or health services.