Urban Centre · Area profile
Townsend
3 km²
A significantly higher proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people live in Townsend compared to most similar areas. This community has grown by 36% since 2011, and it now has a noticeably older population than the national figure. While it is home to many families with children, there is a striking increase in seniors, who now make up over a quarter of the residents. The area is largely residential and dominated by large, detached family homes.
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The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population is 10.3%, which is well above the national figure and has risen since 2011. Seniors aged 65 and over make up 25.3% of the community, a figure that has climbed 12 points over the last decade.
The area has a very low proportion of overseas-born residents at 8.0%, which is far below the state and national figures. Most people identify as Australian or English.
English is the only language used at home for 93.0% of residents. This means the use of other languages is far below the national figure, though there has been a small increase since 2011.
More than half of the population identifies as Christian. Those reporting no religion make up 38.6%, which is about the same as the national figure, though this has risen 16 points since 2011.
The area has far fewer adults with a bachelor degree or higher (10.9%) and those who completed Year 12 (33.9%) than the state or national averages. Certificates III and IV are the most common qualifications.
Incomes are well below the national figure, with a typical family earning $1,370 a week. Only 5.5% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly, which is much lower than most other areas.
Health challenges are more common here, with 37.2% of people having a long-term health condition. This includes a higher rate of mental health conditions and a higher percentage of people needing help with daily activities than in most areas.
A higher number of people provide unpaid care compared to other areas. However, the proportion of volunteers has fallen 6.8 points since 2011.
One-parent families make up 20.3% of the population, which is well above the national average. About 28.4% of people live alone.
The housing stock is dominated by large homes, with 92.5% having three or more bedrooms. Outright home ownership is common at 39.7%, well above the state figure.
The community is heavily reliant on cars, as 0.0% of people commute using public transport. Only 4.0% of people work from home, which is far below the national figure.
The area has seen significant movement, with 41.9% of residents moving in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas are few at 3.8%.
Fewer adults are working or looking for work (48.4%) compared to the rest of the country. The unemployment rate is 3.7%, which is a little below the national average.
Most homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries, parks, and schools, but there is no public transport or health services within that distance. Overall, the area is mostly car-dependent.