Gulargambone

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population has risen sharply to 43.3%, a figure far above the national average. Children under 15 also make up a larger share of the community at 23.1%, which is well above the state and national figures.

Most residents were born in Australia, and only 4.3% were born overseas, which is far below the state and national averages. English is the most common ancestry after Australian.

English is the primary language for 87.7% of the community, and very few people use another language at home. This is far below the state and national figures, and no residents reported speaking little or no English.

Over half of the residents identify as Christian, while 37% have no religion. The proportion of people with no religion has risen by 25 points since 2011.

Educational attainment is much lower than most areas, with only 4.1% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Only 20.7% of residents have completed Year 12, which is far below the national figure.

Typical weekly household income is among the lowest in the country at $714, which is far below the national figure of $1,746. Very few households earn $3,000 or more per week, and this has fallen since 2011.

Health challenges are more common here, with 9.4% of people needing help with daily activities, which is well above the national average. Long-term health conditions are also more frequent than in the rest of the state.

Participation in unpaid work has dropped, with a lower share of people caring for children or doing housework compared to most areas. Volunteers also make up a smaller proportion of the community than in 2011.

Family structures are distinctive here, as one-parent families make up 39.2% of the total, far above the national figure. Similarly, 41.2% of people live alone, which is much higher than in most other areas.

The area is dominated by separate houses, though renting has become much more common, rising to 40.5% since 2011. Typical weekly rent is $170, which is far below the state and national averages.

Cars are the primary way people get to work, though 15.1% of homes have no motor vehicle, which is well above the national average. Public transport is not used for commuting.

The community is relatively stable, with 31% of people moving in the last five years, which is well below the national average of 40.7%.

While full-time employment is slightly above the national figure, the unemployment rate is very high at 18.6%. The number of adults working or looking for work has fallen by 14 points since 2011.

The town is very walkable, with 87.1% of homes within a 15-minute walk of most amenities. Residents have easy access to groceries, schools, and health services, far exceeding the state average.