Suburb / Locality · Area profile
Moranbah
3,047 km²
High weekly incomes and a huge mining workforce define Moranbah, where the typical household earns $3,079—far above the national figure. It is a remarkably young community, with a typical resident aged just 31 and many children under 15. This creates a place of young families and working adults, though few people over 65 live here. The town is highly transient, with over half the population moving in within the last five years.
Despite high local incomes, the area's schools serve a less advantaged intake.
A family-heavy area that's short on schools per child.
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The community is noticeably younger than the rest of Australia, with children under 15 making up 24.5% of the population. Seniors are rare here, as only 2.8% of residents are aged 65 or over, and de facto relationships are much more common than in most areas.
Most residents were born in Australia, and those born overseas make up 12% of the population, which is far below the national figure. The most common ancestries are Australian and English.
English is the main language for 75.3% of the population. While 6.4% of people use another language at home—higher than in most similar areas—this is still well below the Queensland and national figures.
About 41.6% of people report having no religion, which is about the same as the Queensland figure. Christianity is the next most common affiliation at 36.5%.
Many residents hold trade qualifications, with 36.4% having a Certificate III or IV. However, only 11.8% have a bachelor degree or higher, which is far below the national figure.
Incomes are exceptionally high, with typical personal weekly earnings of $1,553—far above the national figure of $805. Nearly half of all households earn $3,000 or more per week.
Residents are generally healthy, with long-term health conditions affecting 16.7% of people, which is far below the national figure. Only 1.5% of the population need help with daily activities.
Unpaid childcare is common, with 32.1% of people caring for children, but volunteering is much lower than in most areas. Fewer people provide other types of unpaid care or do heavy housework.
The First Nations community is relatively large and far more prosperous than in most areas, with a typical personal income of $1,401. Unemployment among First Nations people is also much lower than the national figure at 4.2%.
Homes tend to be larger, with 2.8 people per household, which is a little above the national average. Nearly 70% of families are couples with children.
Renting is very common, with 67.9% of households renting—far above the national figure. While typical weekly rents are very low at $111, few people own their homes outright.
The area is heavily reliant on cars, as 67.3% of people drive to work and only 3.3% work from home. There are no public transport stops in the area.
The population is very mobile, with 51% of people moving in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas also make up a higher proportion of the community than in most areas.
Mining is the dominant industry, employing 41.2% of the workforce. Full-time employment is far above the national figure, and the unemployment rate is very low at 2.3%.
The area is mostly car-dependent, though most homes are within a short walk of parks, schools and groceries. There is no access to public transport within walking distance.