Section of State Range · Area profile
500 or more
417 km²
A much higher proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people live in 500 or more than in most other areas, making up 14.2% of the population. The community is noticeably older than the national average, with a growing number of seniors and a population that has shrunk by 15% since 2011. It is a place where most people live in separate houses and have a strong tendency to volunteer. These features combine to create a mature, stable residential area with deep cultural roots.
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The typical resident is 43, which is older than the national figure of 38. While children under 15 make up 18.8% of the community, the number of seniors has risen significantly to 20.5% since 2011.
English and Australian are the most common ancestries here. About 16.1% of residents were born overseas, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%.
English is the main language for 80.1% of the community. Only 8.8% of people use another language at home, and very few people—just 0.7%—speak little or no English.
A large number of residents report having no religion, at 44.5%, which is well above the national figure. This has seen a sharp increase of 17 percentage points since 2011.
Educational qualifications are lower than in most areas, with only 10.1% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher and 36.5% having completed Year 12.
Typical incomes are well below national levels, with the usual household earning $1,292 a week. However, the proportion of households earning $3,000 or more per week has risen to 13.1%.
About 29.2% of people live with a long-term health condition, which is a little above the national figure. Arthritis is the most common long-term condition reported.
Volunteering is very common here, with 19.8% of people helping out, a figure well above the national average. Unpaid housework is also slightly more common than usual.
The area has a high number of people living alone (31.7%) and one-parent families (18.1%), both of which are well above national figures. Typical homes are smaller, with 2.3 people per house.
Separate houses are far more common here than across Australia, making up 91.8% of all homes. Weekly rents are much lower than typical, at just $200.
Most people drive to work, but 7.5% of homes have no motor vehicle. Only 5.3% of residents work from home, which is far below the national figure.
The population is relatively stable, as the proportion of people who moved in the last five years is well below the national average at 34.0%.
Full-time employment is slightly higher than the national average at 60.1%, though fewer adults overall are working or looking for work. Mining is a key industry for the local workforce.
The area is somewhat walkable, with over 80% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a park. About 66% of residents can reach groceries within a similar timeframe.