State Electorate · Area profile
Barron River
636 km²
A significantly higher proportion of people in Barron River identify as having no religion compared to the national figure. This growing community has expanded by 35% since 2011, reaching a population of 56,646. It is a relatively mature area where the typical resident is 41, noticeably older than the state and national average. The community is largely residential, with a high number of detached houses and a population that has seen a recent surge in people moving into the area.
13 schools within reach make Barron River convenient for families.
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The population is older than most areas, with a typical age of 41. There has been a notable rise in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, which now makes up 5.3% of residents, and a significant increase in people in de facto relationships.
About 24.8% of residents were born overseas, a figure slightly above the Queensland average. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, while England is the most frequent overseas birthplace.
English is the dominant language, with 82.3% of people using it exclusively at home. The proportion of people using another language has fallen since 2011, and very few residents speak little or no English.
Nearly half of the community (48.5%) reports having no religion, which is well above the national figure. This represents a sharp increase of 31 percentage points since 2011.
A little over 23% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, which is slightly above the state average. Most residents who finished secondary school reached Year 12, and the area has unusually large average school sizes.
Typical personal weekly income is $854, which is a little above the state and national figures. Household incomes are around the middle for similar areas, with typical weekly family earnings at $2,098.
Residents are generally healthier than those in most similar areas, with lower rates of long-term health conditions and mental health conditions. Only 4.8% of people need help with daily activities.
The area has a much higher proportion of former Defence Force members than most other areas. While volunteering has fallen since 2011, about 27.4% of people still provide unpaid childcare.
Families with children make up the majority of households at 54.3%. There are more one-parent families here than in most similar areas, and the typical home has 2.5 people.
Detached houses are very common here, well above the national average. While typical weekly rents of $380 are higher than in most areas, the proportion of homes owned outright has fallen since 2011.
Car dependence is very high, as almost no one (0.9%) commutes by public transport. Most homes have at least one vehicle, and very few households are without a motor vehicle.
The area is very dynamic, with 46.3% of people having moved here in the last five years. This is well above the national figure, though the rate of recent overseas arrivals has fallen since 2011.
More adults are working or looking for work here than in most similar areas. Health care and social assistance is the most common industry, and professionals are the largest occupational group.
The area is somewhat walkable, with many homes within a short walk of parks and public transport. However, residents are far less likely to be within walking distance of schools or health services compared to the state average.