Region (SA4) · Area profile
Wide Bay
48,503 km²
An aging population has become the defining feature of Wide Bay, where the typical resident is now 49 years old. This growth in older adults is reflected in the fact that people aged 65 and over now make up 27.3% of the community. It is a region of detached houses and lower-than-average incomes, with a population that grew by 13% since 2011. These trends suggest a shift toward a retirement-focused area where many people now own their homes outright.
Wide Bay is well supplied with schools for its relatively small share of children.
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Wide Bay is far older than the national figure, with a typical age of 49 and a high proportion of seniors. Conversely, the share of children under 15 has fallen to 16.1%, which is much lower than most similar areas.
The community is overwhelmingly Australian-born, and the number of people born overseas is far below the national figure at 13.0%. English and Australian are the most common ancestries.
English is the primary language for 89.0% of residents. Only 4.1% use another language at home, which is among the lowest rates for areas at this level.
About 40.7% of people report no religion, a figure that has risen by 19 points since 2011. Christianity remains the most common affiliation at 48.2%.
Education levels are much lower than most areas, with only 38.1% of residents completing Year 12. Just 10.8% hold a bachelor degree or higher, which is far below the national figure of 26.3%.
Incomes are among the lowest at this level, with a typical household earning $1,096 a week. This is well below the national figure of $1,746.
Health challenges are common here, as 10.0% of people need help with daily activities and 37.8% have a long-term health condition. Both figures are well above the state average.
Unpaid care is a significant part of local life, with 14.2% of people providing unpaid care and 24.4% doing 15 or more hours of housework weekly.
The First Nations community is larger than in about 88% of similar areas. However, this group faces higher unemployment at 15.9% and lower typical personal incomes than the wider population.
Homes tend to be smaller, with 2.3 people per household. There is a higher rate of people living alone (28.0%) and one-parent families (17.3%) compared to most areas.
Separate houses are very common, making up 87.8% of all dwellings. A high 42.5% of homes are owned outright, and typical weekly rents are well below the national figure at $280.
The region is heavily dependent on cars, with only 0.6% of people commuting by public transport. Very few people work from home at 7.9%, far below the national figure.
About 40.5% of residents moved in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas are much lower than in most areas at 9.5%.
The job market is struggling compared to other areas, with only 47.2% of adults working or looking for work. The unemployment rate is 7.0%, which is higher than the national figure.
The population has grown by 8.0% since 2021, which is a higher growth rate than most similar areas.
Wide Bay experiences average maximum temperatures of 29.3 degrees, which is much higher than most areas. Annual rainfall averages 635mm.
The area is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 2.6. Only 30.8% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of basic amenities, far below the state figure of 59.1%.