Cardwell

Seniors aged 65 and over make up 39.5% of the population, which is far above the national figure of 17.2%. First Nations people also make up a much larger share of the community here than in most other areas, at 9.6%.

English and Australian are the most common ancestries, with 40.5% and 33.6% respectively. While 16.1% of people were born overseas, this is well below the Queensland figure of 22.7%.

English is the main language for 85.2% of the community. About 5.1% use another language at home, which is higher than most similar areas, though still far below the national figure of 22.3%.

Over half of the population (52.3%) identify as Christian. Those with no religion make up 34.6% of the community, which is well below the national figure of 38.9%.

Education levels are much lower than most areas, with only 8.5% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Only 31.9% of residents completed Year 12, which is far below the national figure of 58.8%.

Incomes are very low here; the typical household earns just $846 a week, which is far below the national figure of $1,746. Only 5.5% of households earn $3,000 or more per week.

Health challenges are common, with 42.0% of people living with a long-term condition, far above the national figure of 27.7%. Around 12.8% of residents need help with daily activities, one of the highest rates for this level.

Community service is high among former Defence Force members, who make up 5.2% of the population. Unpaid childcare is much less common here than in other areas, likely due to the small number of children.

The First Nations community is larger than in 89% of similar areas. However, this group faces significant challenges, with an unemployment rate of 28.2%, which is far above the national figure of 12.3%.

Living arrangements are unusual, as 40.0% of people live alone, far above the national figure of 25.6%. This contributes to a low average of 1.9 people per home.

While 43.1% of homes are owned outright, renting is much more common than usual at 38.6%. Rent is quite affordable, with a typical weekly cost of $250, well below the national figure of $375.

The area is almost entirely dependent on cars, as there are no public transport stops or routes. Most people drive to work, and 46.9% of homes have only one vehicle.

The community has seen significant movement, with 39.4% of people moving house in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals make up 7.0% of the population.

Working rates are among the lowest at this level, with only 37.3% of adults working or looking for work. The unemployment rate is 8.2%, which is well above the national figure of 5.1%.

Most homes are within a 15-minute walk of a park, but the area is mostly car-dependent. There is no public transport within walking distance, and the overall walkability score is well below the state average.