Toowoomba

The population has shrunk by 12% since 2011 to 142,163 people. While the typical age is a little younger than the national figure, there has been a sharp rise in seniors, with those aged 65 and over increasing by 9.1 percentage points since 2011.

About 15.1% of residents were born overseas, which is higher than most similar areas but far below the national figure. English and Australian ancestries remain the most common, making up 38.9% and 37.7% respectively.

A growing number of people use another language at home, reaching 10.2% in 2021. This is much higher than most similar areas, though still far below the 22.3% seen across Australia.

Religious affiliation is common here, with 55% identifying as Christian. Those with no religion make up 32.8%, which is well below both the state and national figures.

Education levels have climbed since 2011, with 20.9% of adults now holding a bachelor degree or higher. This is much higher than most similar areas, though still a little below the Queensland average.

Typical weekly personal income is $766, which is about the same as the national figure. Higher earners are also more common now, with the share of people earning $2,000 or more a week rising 3.9 percentage points since 2011.

Health challenges are more prevalent here than in most similar areas, with 11.2% of people reporting a mental health condition. Additionally, 7.0% of residents need help with daily activities, which is a little above the national figure.

Volunteering is more common here than in most similar areas, at 16.2%. The community also has a much higher rate of former Defence Force members than most similar places, at 4.7%.

Families tend to be larger here, with 2.5 people per home. About 54.1% of households are couples with children, while 27.8% of people live alone, a figure that has risen 5.9 percentage points since 2011.

Most people live in separate houses, and nearly 80% of homes have three or more bedrooms. Renting is much more common here than in similar areas, with 33.8% of households renting at a typical weekly cost of $310.

The area is heavily reliant on cars, with 70.3% of people driving to work. Only 0.3% of the population commutes via public transport, a figure that has fallen since 2011.

Toowoomba is a highly mobile community, with 46% of people moving in the last five years. This includes a very high proportion of recent overseas arrivals, at 25.2%.

Full-time employment is more common here than in most similar areas, at 60.6%. The local economy is driven by health care and social assistance, which employ 19.8% of the workforce.

The area is somewhat walkable, with 90.5% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a park. Access to schools is also high, though only 42.9% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of health services.