Suburb / Locality · Area profile
Newtown
6 km²
A huge proportion of residents in Newtown have moved here in the last five years, with nearly 49% arriving recently. This is a noticeably young community where the typical resident is just 35. It is a highly walkable area with a large population of over 10,000 people. The neighbourhood is distinctive for its high number of renters and a significant First Nations presence, creating a diverse social character in the heart of Toowoomba.
34 schools within reach make Newtown convenient for families.
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Newtown is much younger than most similar areas, with a typical age of 35. It has a strong First Nations presence at 7.5%, which is well above the national figure of 3.2%.
While 16.3% of people were born overseas—higher than most similar areas—this is still far below the Australian average of 27.7%. English and Australian are the most common ancestries.
About 12.8% of people use a language other than English at home, which is much higher than in similar areas. This is reflected in the fact that 4% speak little or no English, a figure among the highest for its level.
Religious affiliation is higher here than in many similar areas, with 47.4% identifying as Christian and 36.8% reporting no religion, which is a little below the national figure.
Education levels are far below the national average, with only 15.5% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Year 12 completion at 48.2% is also well below the Queensland figure.
Incomes are generally lower than in most areas. The typical household earns $1,200 a week, which is well below the national figure of $1,746, and only 7.7% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly.
Health challenges are much more common here than in most areas. This includes a higher rate of mental health conditions (13.1%) and 34.1% of people living with a long-term health condition.
Volunteer rates (13.6%) and unpaid housework (18.0%) are lower than in most similar areas. However, the proportion of people who served in the Defence Force is higher than most.
The First Nations community is large and young, with a typical age of 20. This group faces significant challenges, with an unemployment rate of 18.4%, which is well above the national average.
Living arrangements are quite unusual for the area, with a very high number of people living alone (38.0%) and one-parent families (25.6%) being far more common than across Australia.
Renting is very common, with 47.2% of households renting, which is far above the national average. Homes here are typically smaller and less likely to be owned outright.
Public transport access is excellent, with 99.9% of homes within a 10-minute walk of a stop. Interestingly, 10.7% of homes have no motor vehicle, which is much higher than most areas.
The area is seeing significant movement, with 48.8% of people moving in recently. This includes a very high number of recent overseas arrivals, at 40%.
Unemployment is much higher than in most similar areas at 7.2%. The local workforce is concentrated in health care and social assistance, which employs 20.3% of residents.
Newtown is very walkable, with a score of 7.6. Almost every home is within a 15-minute walk of a park, school, and grocery store.