South Innisfail

First Nations people make up 17.9% of the population, which is far above the national figure of 3.2%. The area is much older than most, with 26.6% of residents aged 65 and over and a typical age of 50.

Australian and English are the most common ancestries, each at 28.3%. While 14.8% of people were born overseas—higher than in many similar areas—this is still far below the national average of 27.7%.

About 12.6% of people use a language other than English at home, which is much higher than in similar areas. Punjabi is the most common non-English language at 4.1%.

Religious affiliation is common here, with 56.5% of people identifying as Christians. This helps explain why the 31.3% who have no religion is well below the national figure of 38.9%.

Educational attainment is much lower than the state average, with only 8.4% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Only 32.8% of residents completed Year 12, which is far below the national figure of 58.8%.

Incomes are much lower than most areas, with a typical household earning $1,007 a week compared to the national figure of $1,746. Very few households earn $3,000 or more weekly.

Health needs are high, with 34.3% of people living with a long-term condition and 9.1% needing help with daily activities. Both figures are well above the national average.

Unpaid care is a significant part of local life, with 16.9% of people providing care, which is well above the national figure of 11.9%. However, fewer people care for children unpaid compared to most areas.

The First Nations community is larger than in about 86% of similar areas, though they face high unemployment at 27.5% and a typical personal income of $477, which is lower than the state average.

Single-parent families are very common at 24.5%, far above the national average of 14.1%. This sits alongside a high number of people living alone, at 34.1%.

Most people live in separate houses, and 43.1% own their home outright. Typical weekly rents of $250 and mortgage payments of $1,083 are both well below the national figures.

The area is heavily reliant on cars, as only 1.5% of people commute by public transport. Very few people work from home, at just 5.9%.

Movement into the area is lower than the state average, with 32.8% of residents having moved in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals make up 8.0% of the population.

Fewer adults are working or looking for work compared to the state average. Local industry is led by agriculture, forestry, and fishing, as well as health care and social assistance.

The area is mostly car-dependent with a low walkability score of 2.3. While most homes are within a 15-minute walk of a school, almost no one can walk to groceries or health services.