Palen Creek

The community is noticeably older than the state and national typical age of 38, with a typical resident here being 41. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 6.3% of the population, which is much higher than most similar areas.

Most residents were born in Australia, and those born overseas make up 11.4% of the population, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%. English and Australian are the most common ancestries.

English is the only language used at home, with 0.0% of people using another language. This is far below both the Queensland and Australian averages.

The area has a very low proportion of people with no religion at 15.8%, which is far below the national figure of 38.9%.

Education levels are much lower than most areas, with only 31.1% of residents completing Year 12, compared to 58.8% nationally. A typical qualification here is a Certificate III or IV.

Incomes are well below the national figure, with a typical weekly household earning $1,174. No households in the area earn $3,000 or more per week.

Long-term health conditions are far below the national average at 14.7%, and the rate of mental health conditions is also much lower than most areas.

Participation in unpaid work is very low, with only 6.0% of people volunteering and a far below average rate of people caring for children unpaid.

First Nations people are more common here than in most similar areas, though the typical age of 37 is far older than the national figure of 24.

Homes tend to be larger than average with 2.6 people per household. One-parent families make up 16.3% of the community, which is a little above the national average.

Every home in the area is a separate house, and 32.8% are owned outright. While typical weekly rent is far below the national figure, monthly home-loan payments are well above the state average.

The area is entirely dependent on cars, as 0.0% of people commute by public transport. However, working from home is more common here than in the rest of the state.

The population is very stable, with only 11.0% of people moving in the last five years, which is far below the national figure of 40.7%.

The local economy is driven by agriculture, forestry, and fishing, which employ 32.8% of the workforce. The unemployment rate is 0.0%, though the overall percentage of adults working or looking for work is among the lowest for its level.

The area is strictly car-dependent with a walkability score of 0.1. No homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries, health services, or public transport.