# Toogoolawah

Suburb / Locality · Area profile

Located in: Queensland › Greater Brisbane › Somerset › 4313, QLD

Area: 43 km²

Seniors make up a huge part of the population in Toogoolawah, where the typical resident is 56. This makes the community far older than the national average, with over a third of people aged 65 or more. Many residents live alone and in their own homes, creating a quiet, established feel in this part of the Somerset region. The area is also marked by lower typical incomes and a higher need for health support than in most other places.

## Demographics & Identity

The area is far older than Queensland and Australia, with a typical age of 56 and a very high proportion of seniors at 37.3%. Children under 15 make up only 13.7%, which is well below the national figure.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Total population | 1,200 | +3.3% since 2011 |
| Median age | 56 yrs | +14.3% since 2011 |
| Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander population | 4.8% | +70.8% since 2011 |
| People aged 65 and over | 37.3% | +29.5% since 2011 |
| Children under 15 | 13.7% | -12.7% since 2011 |
| People in a de facto relationship | 10.3% | +12.6% since 2011 |

**Age structure** — Seniors (65+) 37.3%, Older adults (45–64) 27.1%, Young adults (25–44) 15.3%, Children (0–14) 13.7%, Youth (15–24) 8.2%

**Marital status** — Married 44.5%, Never married 25.8%, Divorced 15.3%, Widowed 10.2%, Separated 3.8%

## Ancestry & Birthplace

Most residents were born in Australia, and about 10.3% were born overseas, which is far below the national figure. Common ancestries include Australian, English, and Scottish.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People born overseas | 10.3% | -6.2% since 2011 |

**Country of birth** — Australia 86.3%, England 3.8%, New Zealand 1.9%, Philippines 1.1%, South Africa 0.4%, Italy 0.3%

**Ancestry** — Australian 46.1%, English 43.3%, Scottish 13.4%, German 12.6%, Irish 12.0%, Filipino 1.3%, Dutch 1.1%, Italian 0.8%, Greek 0.4%

## Language

English is the dominant language, with 95.7% of people using it at home. Only 1.6% of the community use another language, a figure far below the national average.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People using another language at home | 1.6% | -36.6% since 2011 |
| People who speak little or no English | 0.3% | +6.6% since 2016 |

**Language used at home** — English only 95.7%, Tagalog 0.8%, Mandarin 0.3%

## Religion

More than half of the population identify as Christian, while 36.4% say they have no religion, which is a little below the national figure.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People with no religion | 36.4% | +120.8% since 2011 |

**Religious affiliation** — Christianity 56.9%, No religion 36.4%, Not stated 6.2%, Buddhism 0.5%

## Education & Qualifications

Education levels are much lower than in most areas, with only 35.3% of residents completing Year 12. This is far below the national figure of 58.8%.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Completed Year 12 | 35.3% | +21.2% since 2011 |
| Adults with a bachelor degree or higher | 10.0% | +24.2% since 2011 |
| Schools per 1,000 children | 12.20 | — |
| Schools within 3 km | 2 | — |
| Average school size | 262 | — |
| Average school ICSEA | 955 | — |

**Highest year of school** — Year 12 35.3%, Year 10 33.3%, Year 9 or below 21.9%, Year 11 5.5%

**Highest qualification level** — Certificate III / IV 45.5%, Bachelor degree 13.7%, Advanced diploma / diploma 10.9%, Graduate diploma / certificate 4.6%, Certificate I / II 4.6%, Postgraduate degree 2.4%

**Field of qualification** — Engineering & related 15.5%, Education 12.1%, Management & commerce 11.1%, Society & culture 10.9%, Health 8.9%, Architecture & building 6.6%, Food, hospitality & personal services 6.6%, Agriculture & environment 6.0%, Creative arts 2.0%, Information technology 0.8%, Natural & physical sciences 0.6%

## Income

Typical incomes are much lower than in most areas, with the usual weekly household income at $967. Only 6.2% of households earn $3,000 or more a week, which is far below the state average.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Median personal income (weekly) | $501 | +34.3% since 2011 |
| Median household income (weekly) | $967 | +46.1% since 2011 |
| Median family income (weekly) | $1,230 | +50.9% since 2011 |
| People earning $2,000+ a week | 3.5% | — |
| Households earning $3,000+ a week | 6.2% | — |

**Household income distribution** — $650–$1,499 39.5%, Under $650 29.4%, $1,500–$2,999 19.1%, $3,000–$3,999 3.5%, $4,000 or more 2.7%

**Personal income distribution** — Under $650 61.5%, $650–$1,499 25.9%, $1,500–$2,999 8.1%, $3,000 or more 0.4%

## Health & Disability

Health needs are very high here; 44.5% of people have a long-term health condition and 13.8% need help with daily activities, both of which are among the highest figures for similar areas.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People with a long-term health condition | 44.5% | — |
| People with a mental health condition | 13.6% | — |
| People needing help with daily activities | 13.8% | +9.4% since 2011 |

**Long-term health conditions reported** — Arthritis 19.8%, Mental health 13.6%, Other condition 12.5%, Asthma 10.3%, Diabetes 9.7%, Heart disease 9.3%, Lung condition 5.8%, Cancer 5.3%, Stroke 2.7%, Dementia 2.3%

**Number of long-term health conditions** — None 50.0%, One condition 24.0%, Two conditions 11.4%, Three or more 9.1%

## Community Participation

The community is active, with 20% of people volunteering, which is well above the national average. There are also more former Defence Force members here than in most areas.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Volunteers | 20.0% | -24.8% since 2011 |
| People providing unpaid care | 14.6% | +8.5% since 2011 |
| People caring for children unpaid | 17.4% | -22.6% since 2011 |
| People who served in the Defence Force | 5.6% | — |
| People doing 15+ hours of unpaid housework | 25.2% | -21.1% since 2011 |

## First Nations

There are 58 First Nations people in the area. Their typical personal income of $537 is about the same as the national figure, but Year 12 completion is lower than most areas.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people | 58 | — |
| First Nations median age | 25 yrs | — |
| First Nations Year 12 completion | 35.3% | — |
| First Nations median personal income | $537 | — |
| First Nations household income | $1,125 | — |
| Speaks a First Nations language | 0.0% | — |

## Family & Households

People are more likely to live alone here than in most areas, at 35.2%. The typical home is smaller than usual, with 2.2 people per household.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Average household size | 2.2 | +0.0% since 2011 |
| One-parent families | 17.9% | -3.1% since 2011 |
| People living alone | 35.2% | +9.8% since 2011 |

**Family composition** — Couples with children 44.0%, Couples without children 38.9%, One-parent families 17.9%, Other families 1.2%

**Household size** — 2 people 40.1%, 1 person 35.2%, 3 people 12.6%, 4 people 7.4%, 5 people 4.1%, 6 or more 2.3%

## Housing & Dwellings

Housing is dominated by separate houses, and 46.9% of homes are owned outright, far above the national figure. Rents are well below the national average, typically costing $260 a week.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Median rent (weekly) | $260 | +30.0% since 2011 |
| Median mortgage repayment (monthly) | $1,127 | +22.1% since 2011 |
| Average people per bedroom | 0.70 | -36.4% since 2011 |
| Households renting | 22.6% | -14.1% since 2011 |
| Homes owned outright | 46.9% | +6.8% since 2011 |
| Separate (detached) houses | 93.2% | -0.8% since 2011 |
| Homes with three or more bedrooms | 72.2% | +3.0% since 2011 |

**How homes are owned or rented** — Owned outright 46.9%, Owned with a mortgage 25.1%, Rented 22.6%, Other tenure 2.3%, Not stated 2.3%

**Types of homes** — Separate house 93.2%, Townhouse / semi-detached 4.9%, Other dwelling 1.6%, Flat or apartment 0.6%

**Bedrooms per home** — 3 bedrooms 44.9%, 2 bedrooms 23.2%, 4 bedrooms 23.0%, 5 or more 4.3%, 1 bedroom 2.5%

**Weekly rent distribution** — $200–$349 82.8%, Under $200 17.2%, $350–$549 2.6%

**Monthly mortgage distribution** — $1,000–$1,799 35.7%, Under $1,000 34.1%, $1,800–$2,999 16.3%, $3,000 or more 3.1%

## Transport & Vehicles

Most people drive to work, and only 1.2% use public transport. While there are a few more transport stops than some similar areas, 9.3% of people work from home, which is far below the national figure.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Homes with no motor vehicle | 5.3% | -13.2% since 2011 |
| People working from home | 9.3% | +19.2% since 2011 |
| Commuting by public transport | 1.2% | +17.7% since 2011 |
| Public transport stops | 1 | — |
| PT stops per 1,000 people | 0.83 | — |
| Weekly PT departures per 1,000 people | 10.0 | — |
| Public transport routes | 1 | — |
| Walk to nearest stop (min) | 5 | — |
| Drive time to the city (min) | 81 | — |
| People reachable in 30 min by transit | 0 | — |
| People reachable in 45 min by transit | 0 | — |

**How people get to work** — Car (driver) 58.7%, Walked 9.5%, Worked at home 9.3%, Car (passenger) 2.9%, Bus 1.2%, Bicycle 1.2%

**Motor vehicles per home** — 1 vehicle 41.6%, 2 vehicles 32.7%, 3 vehicles 13.5%, 4 or more 5.7%, No vehicle 5.3%

## Migration & Movement

The area has seen a fair amount of movement, with 42% of people moving house in the last five years. However, recent arrivals from overseas are few at 2.4%.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People who moved in the last 5 years | 42.0% | +0.5% since 2011 |
| Recent arrivals from overseas | 2.4% | -48.4% since 2011 |

## Jobs & Industry

Fewer adults are working or looking for work compared to most areas, at 41.3%. Common industries include retail trade, education, and health care.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | -40.2% since 2011 |
| Labour-force participation | 41.3% | -2.5% since 2011 |
| Employed full-time | 53.3% | -5.1% since 2011 |

**Industries people work in** — Retail trade 13.7%, Education & training 12.0%, Health care & social assistance 12.0%, Agriculture, forestry & fishing 10.3%, Construction 10.3%, Transport & warehousing 5.1%, Accommodation & food 4.9%, Public administration & safety 4.2%, Other services 3.4%, Mining 3.2%, Wholesale trade 2.9%, Manufacturing 2.4%, Professional & technical 2.4%, Electricity, gas & water 2.0%, Arts & recreation 1.5%, Administrative & support 1.2%, Finance & insurance 1.0%, Media & telecommunications 0.7%

**Occupations people work in** — Community & personal service 15.2%, Technicians & trades 14.9%, Labourers 13.2%, Managers 12.5%, Clerical & administrative 11.7%, Professionals 11.0%, Machinery operators & drivers 10.8%, Sales workers 9.3%

## Walkability

The town is quite walkable, with 76.9% of homes within a 15-minute walk of the centre. Residents have far better access to health services and groceries within a short walk than the state average.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Walkability score | 5.4 | — |
| Amenity types within a 15-minute walk | 6.1 | — |
| Homes with a 15-minute-city walkshed | 76.9% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of groceries | 73.2% | — |
| Homes within 10 min walk of public transport | 50.4% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of a school | 78.3% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of a park | 79.9% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of health services | 76.1% | — |
| Walkable amenities per 1,000 residents | 34.2 | — |
| Street connectivity (intersections/km²) | 3 | — |
| Mean terrain slope | 4.8% | — |

## Schools serving Toogoolawah

2 schools, 524 students, average ICSEA 955.

By sector: Government 2

By type: Primary 1, Secondary 1

| School | Sector | Type | Distance | Students |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Toogoolawah State School | Government | Primary | 1.1 km | 221 |
| Toogoolawah State High School | Government | Secondary | 1.9 km | 303 |

## Nearby areas

[Braemore](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL30355/braemore) · [Cressbrook](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL30748/cressbrook) · [Yimbun](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL33222/yimbun) · [Ivory Creek](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL31420/ivory-creek) · [Ottaba](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL32238/ottaba) · [Mount Beppo](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL31939/mount-beppo) · [Scrub Creek](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL32528/scrub-creek) · [Lower Cressbrook](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL31691/lower-cressbrook)

Interactive profile: https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL32844/toogoolawah