Russell Island

Russell Island is far older than most areas, with 35.6% of people aged 65 and over, compared to 17.2% nationally. Children under 15 make up only 9.7% of the population, which is well below the national figure of 18.2%.

About 23.4% of residents were born overseas, which is similar to the Queensland average. English is the most common ancestry at 44.7%, followed by Australian at 31.7%.

English is the main language for 85.8% of the community. While more people here use another language at home than in most similar areas, this is still far below the national figure of 22.3%.

Religious views are split, with 44.6% identifying as Christian and 40.0% reporting no religion, which is about the same as the national trend.

Education levels are much lower than in most areas, with only 32.0% of residents completing Year 12, compared to 58.8% across Australia. Only 9.5% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher.

Incomes are among the lowest for this area type, with a typical weekly household earning $756, which is far below the national figure of $1,746. Only 2.2% of households earn $3,000 or more per week.

Health challenges are common here, as 47.7% of people have a long-term health condition—far above the national average of 27.7%. This is reflected in the 14.5% of residents who need help with daily activities.

Unpaid care is a key part of community life, with 16.8% providing unpaid care, well above the national rate of 11.9%. There is also a higher-than-average presence of Defence Force veterans at 5.7%.

First Nations people make up 5.2% of the population, which is a little above the national average. This group faces significant hardship, with a much higher unemployment rate of 31.9% and a typical household income of $806.

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

Housing is dominated by separate houses (98.8%), and nearly half (48.4%) are owned outright. Typical monthly mortgage payments are much lower than elsewhere, at $867.

The island is highly car-dependent, with 11.1% of homes having no motor vehicle—among the highest for its level. Public transport is almost non-existent, with no routes or stops available within the area.

The community has seen significant movement, with 46.2% of people moving in the last five years. However, recent arrivals from overseas are far fewer than the national average.

Working life is limited here; only 30.2% of adults are working or looking for work, which is far below the national figure of 61.1%. The unemployment rate is also very high at 14.4%.

Walking is difficult for most residents, as only 17.0% of homes are in a 15-minute-city walkshed. This is far below the Queensland average of 59.1%, with very few homes within walking distance of shops or health services.