Section of State Range · Area profile
499 or less
261 km²
A far older population than the national average defines 499 or less, where the typical resident is now 50. This community is distinguished by a high proportion of seniors and a strong Indigenous presence, with 10.1% of people identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. Life here is generally slower and more affordable, marked by low incomes and a high rate of home ownership. It is a stable, long-term residential area where few people have moved in recently.
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The community is aging rapidly, with 26.8% of people aged 65 or over and a typical age of 50. This is much higher than the national figure, while children under 15 make up a much lower share of the population than in most areas.
Most residents were born in Australia, with 81% born here, which is far below the national average for overseas birth. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, and the proportion of people born overseas has barely changed since 2011.
English is the primary language for 83% of the community. While the number of people using another language at home rose slightly since 2011 to 9.2%, this remains far below the national figure.
There has been a significant shift away from organized religion, with the share of people reporting no religion rising 20 points since 2011 to 48.7%. This is much higher than in most similar areas.
Educational attainment is much lower than the national average, with only 9.4% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Only 33.3% of residents completed Year 12, although this has risen slightly since 2011.
Incomes are among the lowest for this level, with a typical weekly family income of $1,336. Only 7.3% of households earn $3,000 or more a week, which is far below the national figure of 22.6%.
Residents face more health challenges than most, with 35.1% reporting a long-term health condition. This is well above the national average, and 7% of people need daily help with activities.
This is a highly engaged community where 22.6% of people volunteer, a figure well above the national average. There is also a higher rate of unpaid care and a larger number of former Defence Force members than in most areas.
A high number of people live alone (34.2%), which is well above the national average. Households are generally smaller than usual, with only 2.2 people per home.
Housing is overwhelmingly dominated by separate houses (95.4%), and 43.6% of homes are owned outright. This high level of ownership helps explain why typical weekly rents ($175) and mortgage payments are far below national figures.
The area is heavily reliant on cars, with 65.6% of workers driving to get to work. Very few people use public transport to commute (0.6%), and only 6.3% work from home.
The population is very stable, as only 29% of people moved in the last five years. This is far below the national average, and the arrival of new overseas residents has fallen since 2011.
Fewer adults here are working or looking for work compared to the national average. The unemployment rate of 7.1% is higher than in most similar areas, and full-time employment has fallen slightly since 2011.
The area is mostly car-dependent with a walkability score of 3.6. While 72.7% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of a park, only 15.9% are near health services.