# Airlie Beach

Suburb / Locality · Area profile

Located in: Queensland › Rest of Qld › Whitsunday › 4802, QLD

Area: 3 km²

Airlie Beach is a coastal hub in the Whitsunday region defined by a highly mobile and international population. It is a place of transient energy, with over 60% of residents having moved here in the last five years. This openness is reflected in its diverse community, where nearly one in three people were born overseas. While it attracts a working-age crowd, the area feels like a resort town with a high proportion of renters and small, modern apartments.

## Demographics & Identity

The community is noticeably older than the national figure, with a typical age of 41. It is an adult-centric area with very few children, as only 5.3% are under 15, which is far below the national average.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Total population | 1,312 | +44.3% since 2011 |
| Median age | 41 yrs | +10.8% since 2011 |
| Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander population | 1.3% | +96.1% since 2011 |
| People aged 65 and over | 13.5% | +67.8% since 2011 |
| Children under 15 | 5.3% | -40.2% since 2011 |
| People in a de facto relationship | 17.9% | -20.1% since 2011 |

**Age structure** — Young adults (25–44) 39.7%, Older adults (45–64) 30.8%, Seniors (65+) 13.5%, Youth (15–24) 9.8%, Children (0–14) 5.3%

**Marital status** — Never married 50.9%, Married 31.3%, Divorced 11.3%, Separated 4.9%, Widowed 1.6%

## Ancestry & Birthplace

This is a diverse area where 31.5% of people were born overseas, well above the Australian figure of 27.7%. English, Australian, and Irish are the most common ancestries.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People born overseas | 31.5% | +17.3% since 2011 |

**Country of birth** — Australia 54.1%, England 6.9%, New Zealand 5.3%, Philippines 0.7%, South Africa 0.6%, India 0.5%, Italy 0.3%, China 0.2%

**Ancestry** — English 39.3%, Australian 24.0%, Irish 12.0%, Scottish 10.2%, German 4.6%, Italian 3.5%, Dutch 2.1%, Chinese 1.5%, Filipino 0.7%, Indian 0.5%, Greek 0.3%, Vietnamese 0.2%

## Language

A higher number of residents speak a language other than English at home compared to similar areas, though this 11.6% is still a little below the Queensland average.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People using another language at home | 11.6% | +64.4% since 2011 |
| People who speak little or no English | 0.0% | -100.0% since 2016 |

**Language used at home** — English only 73.9%, Arabic 0.7%, Mandarin 0.6%, Italian 0.4%, Cantonese 0.3%, Vietnamese 0.2%, Tagalog 0.2%

## Religion

The area is far more secular than the rest of the country, with 50% of residents reporting no religion, a figure well above the national average of 38.9%.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People with no religion | 50.0% | +65.3% since 2011 |

**Religious affiliation** — No religion 50.0%, Christianity 30.2%, Not stated 17.7%, Buddhism 1.2%, Judaism 0.4%, Islam 0.3%, Hinduism 0.3%, Other religions 0.3%

## Education & Qualifications

The workforce is well qualified, and 58.4% of residents have completed Year 12. About 21.9% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, which is about the same as the state average.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Completed Year 12 | 58.4% | +20.0% since 2011 |
| Adults with a bachelor degree or higher | 21.9% | +39.6% since 2011 |
| Schools within 3 km | 1 | — |
| Average school size | 758 | — |
| Average school ICSEA | 987 | — |

**Highest year of school** — Year 12 58.4%, Year 10 14.8%, Year 11 8.6%, Year 9 or below 2.9%

**Highest qualification level** — Certificate III / IV 25.7%, Bachelor degree 22.9%, Advanced diploma / diploma 15.9%, Postgraduate degree 5.2%, Graduate diploma / certificate 1.8%, Certificate I / II 1.4%

**Field of qualification** — Management & commerce 17.7%, Engineering & related 15.0%, Society & culture 9.5%, Food, hospitality & personal services 7.4%, Health 7.2%, Architecture & building 5.8%, Education 4.5%, Creative arts 4.4%, Natural & physical sciences 2.0%, Agriculture & environment 1.7%, Information technology 1.0%

## Income

Personal incomes are a little above the national figure, with a typical weekly pay of $932. However, typical weekly household incomes of $1,562 are a little below the national figure.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Median personal income (weekly) | $932 | +33.1% since 2011 |
| Median household income (weekly) | $1,562 | +39.5% since 2011 |
| Median family income (weekly) | $2,011 | +43.0% since 2011 |
| People earning $2,000+ a week | 11.5% | — |
| Households earning $3,000+ a week | 18.8% | — |

**Household income distribution** — $650–$1,499 31.6%, $1,500–$2,999 30.4%, $4,000 or more 11.7%, Under $650 11.4%, $3,000–$3,999 7.1%

**Personal income distribution** — $650–$1,499 40.8%, Under $650 23.5%, $1,500–$2,999 13.7%, $3,000 or more 5.5%

## Health & Disability

Residents are generally healthier than those in most other areas, with a long-term health condition rate of 19.4%, which is well below the national figure of 27.7%.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People with a long-term health condition | 19.4% | — |
| People with a mental health condition | 6.3% | — |
| People needing help with daily activities | 2.1% | +142.0% since 2011 |

**Long-term health conditions reported** — Mental health 6.3%, Asthma 5.7%, Other condition 4.7%, Arthritis 4.6%, Heart disease 2.7%, Diabetes 2.4%, Cancer 2.2%, Lung condition 1.4%, Stroke 0.8%, Dementia 0.4%

**Number of long-term health conditions** — None 64.3%, One condition 14.5%, Two conditions 3.0%, Three or more 1.9%

## Community Participation

Community participation is among the lowest for its level, with far fewer people providing unpaid care or doing housework compared to the state and national figures.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Volunteers | 12.6% | -7.2% since 2011 |
| People providing unpaid care | 4.4% | -4.6% since 2011 |
| People caring for children unpaid | 9.2% | -22.0% since 2011 |
| People who served in the Defence Force | 3.3% | — |
| People doing 15+ hours of unpaid housework | 10.5% | -9.0% since 2011 |

## First Nations

The First Nations population is small, but the typical personal income for this group is $1,024, which is far above the national figure of $540.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people | 17 | — |
| First Nations median age | 29 yrs | — |
| First Nations median personal income | $1,024 | — |
| First Nations household income | $2,250 | — |

## Family & Households

Homes are small, with only 1.8 people per household, and 40.3% of people live alone. This is far above the national figure of 25.6%.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Average household size | 1.8 | -5.3% since 2011 |
| One-parent families | 8.5% | +7.6% since 2011 |
| People living alone | 40.3% | +7.6% since 2011 |

**Family composition** — Couples without children 59.8%, Couples with children 30.6%, One-parent families 8.5%, Other families 0.8%

**Household size** — 2 people 44.6%, 1 person 40.3%, 3 people 8.0%, 4 people 4.6%, 5 people 1.6%

## Housing & Dwellings

Renting is very common here, with 49% of households renting, far above the national average. This is reflected in the housing mix, where flats or apartments make up 41.9% of dwellings.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Median rent (weekly) | $380 | +26.7% since 2011 |
| Median mortgage repayment (monthly) | $1,925 | -24.4% since 2011 |
| Average people per bedroom | 0.80 | -27.3% since 2011 |
| Households renting | 49.0% | -15.0% since 2011 |
| Homes owned outright | 30.0% | +52.8% since 2011 |
| Separate (detached) houses | 30.0% | -3.3% since 2011 |
| Homes with three or more bedrooms | 40.7% | +6.7% since 2011 |

**How homes are owned or rented** — Rented 49.0%, Owned outright 30.0%, Owned with a mortgage 17.6%, Other tenure 2.5%, Not stated 0.9%

**Types of homes** — Flat or apartment 41.9%, Separate house 30.0%, Townhouse / semi-detached 12.6%, Other dwelling 11.7%

**Bedrooms per home** — 2 bedrooms 42.6%, 3 bedrooms 24.9%, 1 bedroom 12.8%, 4 bedrooms 12.4%, Studio / none 4.1%, 5 or more 3.4%

**Weekly rent distribution** — $350–$549 50.0%, $200–$349 31.3%, $550–$749 6.5%, Under $200 5.6%, $750 or more 3.3%

**Monthly mortgage distribution** — $1,800–$2,999 32.5%, $1,000–$1,799 22.1%, $3,000 or more 13.0%, Under $1,000 9.1%

## Transport & Vehicles

A high 18.9% of homes have no motor vehicle, which is far above the national figure. This likely relates to the area's high walkability and the fact that 19.2% of workers walk to their jobs.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Homes with no motor vehicle | 18.9% | +15.0% since 2011 |
| People working from home | 11.3% | +43.4% since 2011 |
| Commuting by public transport | 4.0% | +19.3% since 2011 |
| Public transport stops | 0 | — |
| PT stops per 1,000 people | 0.00 | — |
| Weekly PT departures per 1,000 people | 0.0 | — |
| Public transport routes | 0 | — |

**How people get to work** — Car (driver) 41.5%, Walked 19.2%, Worked at home 11.3%, Car (passenger) 4.3%, Bus 1.1%

**Motor vehicles per home** — 1 vehicle 49.1%, 2 vehicles 27.1%, No vehicle 18.9%, 3 vehicles 5.6%, 4 or more 1.4%

## Migration & Movement

The population is incredibly transient, with 61.7% of people moving in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals are also among the highest at this level at 39.2%.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People who moved in the last 5 years | 61.7% | +20.9% since 2011 |
| Recent arrivals from overseas | 39.2% | +8.3% since 2011 |

## Jobs & Industry

The local economy is heavily tied to tourism, with 30.3% of workers in accommodation and food services. The unemployment rate is 7.5%, which is a little above the national figure.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unemployment rate | 7.5% | +59.6% since 2011 |
| Labour-force participation | 63.8% | -0.6% since 2011 |
| Employed full-time | 56.3% | -19.9% since 2011 |

**Industries people work in** — Accommodation & food 30.3%, Transport & warehousing 8.7%, Health care & social assistance 6.6%, Retail trade 6.5%, Construction 5.8%, Professional & technical 5.0%, Mining 4.8%, Administrative & support 4.8%, Rental & real estate 3.3%, Manufacturing 3.2%, Public administration & safety 2.9%, Other services 2.5%, Education & training 2.3%, Agriculture, forestry & fishing 1.9%, Finance & insurance 1.9%, Arts & recreation 1.7%, Wholesale trade 1.0%, Electricity, gas & water 0.6%, Media & telecommunications 0.4%

**Occupations people work in** — Community & personal service 19.7%, Managers 19.2%, Professionals 14.2%, Technicians & trades 13.2%, Labourers 13.0%, Sales workers 7.7%, Clerical & administrative 7.6%, Machinery operators & drivers 5.0%

## Walkability

The area is very walkable, with 84.2% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a 'city' hub. Most residents can easily reach parks, groceries, and health services on foot, despite the steep terrain.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Walkability score | 5.2 | — |
| Amenity types within a 15-minute walk | 5.3 | — |
| Homes with a 15-minute-city walkshed | 84.2% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of groceries | 86.9% | — |
| Homes within 10 min walk of public transport | 0.0% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of a school | 83.5% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of a park | 98.0% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of health services | 84.4% | — |
| Walkable amenities per 1,000 residents | 64.8 | — |
| Street connectivity (intersections/km²) | 93 | — |
| Mean terrain slope | 21.2% | — |

## Schools serving Airlie Beach

1 school, 758 students, average ICSEA 987.

By sector: Government 1

By type: Primary 1

| School | Sector | Type | Distance | Students |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cannonvale State School | Government | Primary | 1.8 km | 758 |

## Nearby areas

[Jubilee Pocket](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL31457/jubilee-pocket) · [Mandalay](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL31746/mandalay) · [Flametree](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL31049/flametree) · [Cannonvale](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL30521/cannonvale) · [Mount Rooper](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL32018/mount-rooper) · [Riordanvale](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL32432/riordanvale) · [Shute Harbour](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL32559/shute-harbour) · [Brandy Creek](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL30360/brandy-creek)

Interactive profile: https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL30016/airlie-beach