Region (SA4) · Area profile
Moreton Bay - North
4,344 km²
Older residents are a prominent feature of Moreton Bay - North, where the typical person is 42 and over a fifth of the population are seniors. This is a growing region that has added nearly 50,000 people since 2011, creating a community where large family homes are common. While it remains largely Australian-born and English-speaking, the area is marked by a high proportion of people who identify as having no religion and a significant number of households with single parents.
Rapid population growth here is outstripping school provision.
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The area is noticeably older than the national figure, with 21.8% of people aged 65 and over, a figure that has risen by 5.8 points since 2011. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 4.7% of the population, which is a little above the Australian average.
Most residents were born in Australia (75.4%), and the area is well below the national average for overseas-born residents at 19.1%. English, Australian, Irish, and Scottish are the most common ancestries.
English is the primary language for 87.7% of the community. Only 6.3% of people use another language at home, which is far below the national figure of 22.3%.
A high proportion of residents—44.6%—report having no religion, a figure well above the national average. This represents a significant increase of 21 points since 2011.
Educational attainment is much lower than in most similar areas, with only 12.6% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Year 12 completion sits at 46.5%, which is far below the national figure of 58.8%.
Typical weekly household income is $1,383, which is well below the national figure of $1,746. Only 14.2% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, a standing that is much lower than most areas.
Health challenges are common here, with 35.8% of people reporting a long-term health condition and 12.2% reporting a mental health condition. Both figures are well above the national average.
Unpaid care is a significant part of local life, as 13.2% of people provide unpaid care, which is much higher than most areas. The region also has a higher rate of former Defence Force members than the national average.
There are 12,441 First Nations people in the area. While Year 12 completion is well above the national average, the unemployment rate of 12.9% is a little above the national figure.
Family sizes tend to be larger than usual, with 2.5 people per home. One-parent families are particularly common, making up 18.2% of households, which is well above the national average.
Large homes are the norm, with 80.6% having three or more bedrooms and 80.4% being separate houses. Renting is slightly more common than the national average, with 31.7% of households renting.
Car travel is the dominant way to get to work (62.2%), and public transport use for commuting is low at 2%. Very few homes have no motor vehicle (5.7%).
The area has seen high movement, with 44.9% of people moving in the last five years, which is well above the national average. However, recent arrivals from overseas have fallen since 2011.
The unemployment rate is 6.3%, which is a little above the national figure. About 54.6% of adults are working or looking for work, a figure well below the national average.
The region is growing quickly, with a population increase of 11.5% since 2021, which is a little above the Queensland average.
The area is wetter and cooler than the state average, with annual rainfall of 916mm and a typical maximum temperature of 26.3°C.
The area is considered somewhat walkable, with 86.7% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a park. However, access to health services is poor, with 39.3% of homes within a 15-minute walk of such services.