Region (SA4) · Area profile
Darling Downs - Maranoa
166,347 km²
Spanning a vast rural landscape in Queensland, Darling Downs - Maranoa is a wide-open region where agriculture and traditional family life prevail. It is an older community than most, with a high proportion of seniors and a strong presence of First Nations people. The area is distinctive for its low overseas migration and very high rates of home ownership, creating a stable but slow-growing population. Life here is largely car-dependent and rooted in a conservative, English-speaking culture.
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The population is noticeably older than the national figure, with a typical resident aged 42 and 21.3% of people aged 65 or over. First Nations people make up 7.2% of the community, which is well above the Australian average of 3.2%.
People born overseas make up only 8.4% of the population, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%. Most residents claim Australian, English, Irish, or Scottish ancestry.
English is the dominant language, and only 3.9% of people use another language at home, far below the national average. Very few residents, just 0.5%, speak little or no English.
Christianity remains the primary faith for 58% of the population. While those with no religion rose to 30.1% since 2011, this is still well below the national figure of 38.9%.
The area has a lower rate of higher education, with only 11.3% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Year 12 completion is also far below the national average at 40.9%.
Incomes are much lower than in most areas, with a typical weekly family income of $1,582. Only 11.4% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, well below the national figure of 22.6%.
Long-term health conditions are more common here than in most areas, affecting 31.5% of people. Around 6.6% of residents need help with daily activities, which is slightly higher than the state average.
Volunteering is very high here, with 19.7% of people helping out, well above the national figure of 14.1%. Unpaid housework is also more common than in most other areas.
First Nations people have a much younger typical age of 22 and a lower rate of Year 12 completion at 33.4%. Unemployment for this group is 12.9%, which is about the same as the national figure.
One-parent families are more common than usual at 15.2%, and 27.8% of people live alone, which is higher than the state average.
Homes are predominantly separate houses, making up 91.8% of all dwellings. Ownership is strong, with 38.1% of homes owned outright, and typical weekly rents are much lower than the national figure at $250.
The region is heavily reliant on cars, as only 0.5% of people use public transport to get to work. Very few homes, just 4.3%, have no motor vehicle.
The community is relatively stable, with 35.9% of people moving in the last five years, well below the national figure of 40.7%.
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing is a major employer for 19.2% of the workforce. Full-time employment is higher than most areas, though the overall proportion of adults working or looking for work is lower than the state average.
Recent population growth of 3.2% is much lower than the Queensland average of 8.7%.
The region experiences an average maximum temperature of 28.4 degrees and receives 520mm of annual rainfall, which is well above the state average.
The area is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 2.2. Only 1% of homes are within a 10-minute walk of public transport, far below the state average.