Hervey Bay

Seniors make up 31.1% of the population, which is far above the national figure of 17.2%. Meanwhile, the proportion of children under 15 has fallen to 15.5%, leaving the area much older than most similar places.

Most residents were born in Australia, and those born overseas make up 18.2% of the community, which is well below the national average of 27.7%. English and Australian are the most common ancestries.

The area is very linguistically uniform, with 89.4% of people speaking only English. Only 5.0% use another language at home, a figure far below the 22.3% seen across Australia.

Religious patterns have shifted quickly, with the proportion of people reporting no religion rising 20 points since 2011 to reach 41.7%. Christianity remains the most common affiliation at 48.4%.

Educational attainment is much lower than in most areas, with only 13.0% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. This is far below the national figure of 26.3%.

Typical weekly incomes are among the lowest at this level; the typical family earns $1,329, which is well below the national figure of $2,120.

Health needs are high here, with 39.6% of people living with a long-term health condition and 10.6% needing help with daily activities, both of which are well above the national average.

The area has a high proportion of former Defence Force members at 5.6%. While 14.3% of people provide unpaid care, the number of volunteers has fallen to 12.5% since 2011.

First Nations people make up 4.8% of the community. This group is noticeably younger than others in the area, with a typical age of 21, though they face a higher unemployment rate of 16.9%.

Homes are generally smaller than average with 2.3 people per dwelling. One-parent families are much more common here than in most areas, at 17.7%.

The community is defined by high security of tenure, with 43.4% of homes owned outright, far above the national figure of 31.0%. Detached houses make up 83.4% of all dwellings.

Car dependence is very high, with 68.8% of workers driving to work and 0% using public transport. Public transport stops and routes are almost entirely absent.

The area is a popular destination, with 46.8% of residents having moved here in the last five years. However, recent arrivals from overseas have fallen to 6.9% since 2011.

The local workforce is small, with only 44.5% of adults working or looking for work, which is far below the national figure of 61.1%. Many of those employed work in health care and social assistance.

The population has continued to grow, increasing by 11.2% since the last census, a rate that is a little above the Queensland average.

The area experiences an average maximum temperature of 27.1°C and receives 884mm of annual rainfall, which is far above the state average.

The neighborhood is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 2.7. Very few people live within a 15-minute walk of health services or public transport.