State Electorate · Area profile
Gympie
4,622 km²
Weekly household incomes in Gympie are well below the national figure, reflecting a community where many residents earn a modest living. The area is far older than the Queensland and Australian averages, with a significant rise in the number of seniors since 2011. It is a predominantly residential place where most people live in detached houses and rely heavily on cars. This older population is mirrored in the health data, showing a higher need for daily assistance and a rise in long-term health conditions.
Gympie is well supplied with schools for its relatively small share of children.
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The typical resident is 49, making Gympie far older than the state and national average of 38. Seniors make up 25.5% of the population, a figure that has risen by 11 points since 2011, while the proportion of children has fallen.
The community is overwhelmingly Australian-born, with 80.4% born here. The number of people born overseas is much lower than in most other areas and has fallen to 12.0% since 2011.
English is the primary language for 90.4% of residents. Only 2.8% of people use another language at home, which is far below the national figure of 22.3%.
A larger share of residents report having no religion compared to the rest of Australia. This figure rose by 18 points since 2011 to reach 44.0%.
Education levels are much lower than in most areas, with only 10.1% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Only 38.6% of residents completed Year 12, far below the national figure of 58.8%.
Typical weekly household incomes are well below the national average at $1,091. Only 8.3% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, which is far below the Australian figure of 22.6%.
Health challenges are more common here than in most areas. About 10% of people need help with daily activities, and 36.3% have a long-term health condition, well above the national average.
Residents are more likely to provide unpaid care and perform unpaid housework than those in most other areas. However, the number of volunteers has fallen 6.4 points since 2011.
One-parent families are much more common here than in similar areas. People living alone also make up a higher share of the population, rising to 27.4% since 2011.
Housing is dominated by detached houses, which make up 91.5% of dwellings. A huge 42.7% of homes are owned outright, far above the national figure, and typical weekly rents are much lower at $290.
The area is very car-dependent, with 65.8% of people driving to work. Public transport use is much lower than most areas, with only 0.6% of people using it to commute.
Migration is relatively stable, though recent arrivals from overseas are among the lowest at this level. This figure fell by 4.0 points since 2011 to 5.7%.
Fewer adults are working or looking for work compared to the rest of the state. The unemployment rate is 6.3%, which is a little above the national figure of 5.1%.
The area is mostly car-dependent with a walkability score far below the state average. Only 23.8% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries, well below the Queensland figure of 60.6%.