Thabeban

Thabeban has a population of 2,971 people and is older than most similar areas, with 22.7% of residents aged 65 or over. It is also home to more children and a much higher proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (6.6%) than the national average.

The community is predominantly Australian and English in ancestry, with 83.2% of people born in Australia. The proportion of overseas-born residents is far below the national figure at 10.7%.

English is the main language for 88.6% of residents. While 5.6% use another language at home, this is still far below the national average of 22.3%.

Religion is split almost evenly between those with a faith and those without. About 47.5% of people identify as Christian, while 43.2% report no religion, which is well above the national figure.

Educational attainment is much lower than the state and national averages, with only 7.5% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Just 37.5% of residents completed Year 12, far below the national figure of 58.8%.

Incomes in Thabeban are much lower than typical Australian figures. The typical household earns $1,164 a week, which is well below the national figure of $1,746, and only 8.5% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly.

Health challenges are common here, with 38.2% of people reporting a long-term health condition—far above the national figure of 27.7%. This is reflected in the 9.9% of residents who need help with daily activities.

Participation in unpaid care is higher than most areas at 14.1%, and 4.7% of the population served in the Defence Force, which is much higher than similar areas.

The area has a significant First Nations community of 197 people. This group faces notable hardship, with a much higher unemployment rate (16.7%) and typical household incomes well below the national average.

One-parent families make up 21.9% of households, which is well above the national figure of 14.1%. About 24.4% of people live alone.

Separate houses are very common, making up 87.2% of homes, and 85.3% of dwellings have three or more bedrooms. While many homes are owned outright (39.4%), 33.5% of households are renting.

Car use is dominant, with 74% of people driving to work and only 2.6% working from home. Despite this, 84.3% of homes are within a 10-minute walk of public transport.

The community has seen some movement, with 37.2% of people moving house in the last five years, though this is well below the national figure of 40.7%.

Working or looking for work is much less common here than in other areas, at 51.3%. The unemployment rate is 7.5%, which is a little above the national figure of 5.1%.

Thabeban is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score well below the state average. Very few people can walk to health services or groceries within 15 minutes.