Region (SA4) · Area profile
Central Queensland
117,588 km²
A reliance on cars and large family homes defines daily life in Central Queensland. This is a region where 87.4% of dwellings are separate houses, far above the national figure, and most people commute by car. It is a community with a strong presence of First Nations people and a population that is slightly younger than the national typical age of 38. While the area has grown by 8% since 2011, it remains a place where traditional family structures and detached living are the norm.
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The region has a much higher proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (7.2%) than most areas, a figure that has risen since 2011. Children under 15 make up 20.7% of the population, which is a little above the national average.
People born overseas make up only 10.9% of the population, a figure far below the national average of 27.7%. The most common ancestries are Australian (41.1%) and English (38.8%).
English is the primary language for 86.1% of residents. Only 5.4% use another language at home, which is far below the 22.3% national figure.
About 39% of people report having no religion, which is consistent with the national figure. Christianity remains the most common affiliation at 48.7%.
Qualifications are lower than in most areas, with only 12.8% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. However, Year 12 completion has risen by 7.1 percentage points since 2011 to reach 45.6%.
Typical weekly family income is $2,035, which is about the same as the Queensland figure. A higher than usual 12.4% of people earn $2,000 or more per week.
Health trends match the national pattern, with 28.7% of people living with a long-term health condition. Mental health (9.4%) and arthritis (9.1%) are the most commonly reported conditions.
Unpaid childcare is common here, with 28.1% of people providing this care—a rate much higher than most areas. Volunteering has fallen since 2011 and now sits at 15.7%.
First Nations people in the region are noticeably younger, with a typical age of 21. The unemployment rate for this group is 15.0%, which is much higher than in most other areas.
Homes tend to be larger, with 2.5 people per dwelling. There are more one-parent families here (16.1%) than in most Australian areas.
Detached houses are the standard, making up 87.4% of all homes. Rent is well below the national average, with a typical weekly cost of $280.
Public transport use is very low, with only 1.4% of people using it to commute. This car-dependency is reflected in the fact that 38.4% of homes have two vehicles.
Around 40% of the population has moved in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 14.1% of the community, a figure that has fallen by 12 percentage points since 2011.
Full-time employment is much more common here than in most areas, at 63.1%. The most common industries are health care and social assistance, followed by education and retail.
The population grew by 5.7% since 2021, which is a little below the Queensland average of 8.7%.
The region is quite warm, with an average maximum temperature of 30.7 degrees. Annual rainfall is 559mm, which is well above the state average.
The area is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 3.1. Only 40.2% of homes have a 15-minute-city walkshed, far below the state average of 59.1%.