State Electorate · Area profile
Gladstone
2,815 km²
Most people in Gladstone rely on their cars to get around, with only 0.7% of the population commuting by public transport. This is a growing community of 50,317 people that feels younger than the national average, with a notably high number of children and a strong presence of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It is a place where large, detached family homes are the norm and a high proportion of adults are in full-time work.
Families are well catered for: 22 schools serve Gladstone.
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The typical resident is 37, making the area a little younger than the national figure. It is a family-heavy community where 21.6% of people are children under 15, while the proportion of seniors is well below the national average.
Gladstone is much less diverse than most areas, with only 14.0% of people born overseas—a figure far below the Australian average. Most residents have Australian or English ancestry.
English is the primary language for the vast majority, and only 6.4% of people use another language at home. This is far below the national figure, and very few residents speak little or no English.
A large number of residents have no religion, accounting for 46.0% of the population. This is well above the national figure and has risen sharply since 2011.
The area has a lower rate of higher qualifications than most, with only 12.8% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Many residents hold a Certificate III or IV, and 47.4% completed Year 12, which is far below the national average.
Typical weekly household income is $1,724, which is about the same as the national figure. However, 14.5% of people earn $2,000 or more per week, a rate higher than most areas.
Mental health conditions are more common here than in most areas, affecting 9.7% of residents. About 27.3% of people live with a long-term health condition, which is consistent with the national average.
Gladstone has a high rate of unpaid childcare, with 30.1% of people providing this support. It also has more volunteers than most areas, though this has fallen since 2011.
One-parent families are more common here than in most areas, making up 16.2% of households. About 26.1% of people live alone, and the typical household has 2.5 people.
Large homes are very common, with 84.0% of dwellings having three or more bedrooms. While typical weekly rent is much lower than the national figure at $270, the proportion of renters has risen significantly since 2011.
Car dependency is very high, as 70% of people drive to work and only 0.7% use public transport. Working from home is among the lowest in the country at 4.3%.
The community is quite mobile, with 43.0% of people having moved in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 11.3% of the population, which is well below the national average.
Full-time employment is much higher here than in most areas, at 63.5%. However, the unemployment rate is also higher than the national figure at 7.3%, with many people working in manufacturing or construction.
While 74% of homes are within a short walk of public transport, overall walkability is lower than the state average. Many residents live far from groceries and health services, with only 44.6% within a 15-minute walk of a shop.