Suburb / Locality · Area profile
Innisfail
2 km²
A huge proportion of residents in Innisfail rent their homes, with 61.9% of households renting compared to about 31% nationally. This is a diverse community where 26.8% of people were born overseas and many more speak a language other than English at home. The population is older than the national figure, and nearly a quarter of the community are seniors. It is a very walkable town where almost every home is within a short stroll of health services, groceries and schools.
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The community has a very strong First Nations presence, with 23.5% of residents identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, far above the 4.6% seen in Queensland. Seniors make up 22.8% of the population, which is well above the national figure.
Born overseas, 26.8% of residents come from outside Australia, which is well above the state average. While English and Australian ancestries are most common, there is also a notable Indian birth rate at 8.3%.
Language diversity is very high, with 26.6% of people using a language other than English at home. This is far above the Queensland figure, and 5.7% of residents speak little or no English.
Religious affiliation is higher here than in most areas, with 45.6% of people identifying as Christian. Only 32.3% of residents report having no religion, which is well below the national figure of 38.9%.
Educational attainment is lower than most areas, with only 40.8% of people completing Year 12. This is far below the national average of 58.8%, and only 9.3% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher.
Incomes are among the lowest for its level, with a typical household earning $894 a week, which is far below the national figure of $1,746. Only 4.6% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly.
Residents struggle more with daily tasks than most areas, with 9.7% needing help, well above the national figure of 5.8%. Arthritis is the most common long-term health condition at 12.0%.
Participation in unpaid work is much lower than most areas, with only 8.3% of people volunteering. Similarly, far fewer people provide unpaid care for children or do heavy housework compared to the state average.
With 256 First Nations people, this is one of the largest populations at this level. However, the unemployment rate for this group is 23.5%, far above the national figure of 12.3%.
Living arrangements are unusual, with a very high 40.8% of people living alone. One-parent families are also far more common here than in other areas, making up 25.9% of households.
The housing market is dominated by renters, and only 20.9% of homes are owned outright. Smaller homes are the norm, with 50.5% of dwellings having three or more bedrooms, which is far below the national figure.
Many residents live without a car, as 23.6% of homes have no motor vehicle, which is far above the national average. Public transport use is also slightly higher than the state and national figures.
The area has seen significant movement, with 46.5% of people moving in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 37.3% of the population, far above the national figure.
Working or looking for work is less common here, with only 50.7% of adults active in the workforce. The unemployment rate is 11.6%, well above the national average of 5.1%, with many people working in agriculture, forestry and fishing.
The town is very walkable, with a score of 6.7. Nearly every home is within a 15-minute walk of a park, school, grocery store and health service.