Surat

The community is far older than most areas, with a typical age of 47 and 27.4% of people aged 65 or over. However, children under 15 make up 21.4% of the population, which is well above the national figure of 18.2%.

Very few residents were born overseas, at just 4.7%, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%. The most common ancestries are Australian, English, Irish and Scottish.

English is the dominant language here, with 92.5% of people using it only. Only 1.2% of residents use another language at home, which is far below the national average of 22.3%.

More than half the population identifies as Christian. Those with no religion make up 34.8% of the community, which is well below the national figure of 38.9%.

Educational qualifications are much lower than in most areas, with only 29.0% of people completing Year 12. Only 10.0% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, which is far below the national figure of 26.3%.

Incomes in Surat are well below those found elsewhere, with a typical household earning $1,062 a week. This is far below the national figure of $1,746.

Health challenges are more common here than in most areas; 38.8% of people have a long-term health condition. Additionally, 7.7% of residents need help with daily activities, which is a little above the national average.

Volunteering is high at 21.6%, which is well above the national figure of 14.1%. Around 11.9% of people provide unpaid care, and 3.8% have served in the Defence Force.

The First Nations community is larger than in 85% of similar areas. While their typical personal income is well above the national figure at $725, their Year 12 completion rate of 29.2% is well below the national average.

A high number of people live alone, at 39.9%, which is far above the national figure of 25.6%. This helps explain why the typical home has only 2.0 people, much lower than the national average of 2.5.

Rent is very affordable, with a typical weekly rent of $150, far below the national figure of $375. Most people live in separate houses, and 41.0% of households are renting, which is far above the national average.

Cars are essential as there are no public transport stops in the area. Only 1.9% of people work from home, which is far below the national figure of 21.0%.

The population is relatively stable, with 33.4% of people moving in the last five years, which is well below the national figure of 40.7%.

Full-time employment is high at 65.0%, well above the national average. The unemployment rate is very low at 1.9%, though only 49.5% of adults are working or looking for work.

The town is very walkable, with 98.6% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a school and 97.2% near groceries. This makes it far more walkable for daily needs than the state average.