Urban Centre · Area profile
Hervey Bay
93 km²
The community of Hervey Bay has aged significantly since 2011, with the typical resident now 51 years old. This shift is clear in the population, as the number of seniors has surged while the proportion of children has fallen. Many of these residents own their homes outright, which helps explain the lower typical incomes seen across the area. It is a large regional centre where a high proportion of people are now retired or out of the workforce.
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Hervey Bay is far older than the national average, with 31.9% of people aged 65 and over. Since 2011, the typical age has climbed by 16 years to 51, while the share of children under 15 has dropped to 15.4%.
People born overseas make up 18.4% of the population, a figure that has risen by 9.1 points since 2011. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, and England is the most frequent overseas birthplace.
English is the main language for 89.1% of residents. While 5.1% use another language at home, this is far below the national figure of 22.3%.
About 41.3% of people report having no religion, which is a rise of 23 points since 2011. Christianity remains the most common affiliation at 48.4%.
About 13% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, which is far below the national figure. This is consistent with a typical school leaving age of Year 10 or 12 for most residents.
Typical weekly household income is $1,083, which is well below the Queensland figure of $1,675. Personal incomes have also fallen slightly since 2011, with over half of all people earning under $650 a week.
Health needs are high here, as 39.8% of people have a long-term health condition. This is far above the national average, and 10.8% of residents need help with daily activities.
Unpaid care for others is common, with 14.2% of people providing this support. However, the share of volunteers has fallen by 5.3 points since 2011 to 12.5%.
Family sizes are slightly smaller than usual, with 2.3 people per home. One-parent families make up 18.1% of households, which is higher than in most other areas.
Home ownership is strong, with 43.3% of homes owned outright—far above the national figure. Most people live in separate houses, and 78.4% of homes have three or more bedrooms.
The area is very car-dependent, with 69% of people driving to work. Very few people use public transport for commuting, at just 0.4%.
Hervey Bay is a high-turnover area, with 46.7% of people moving house in the last five years. This is well above the national figure of 40.7%.
Far fewer people are working or looking for work compared to most areas, at 43.6%. The unemployment rate is 8.0%, which is higher than both the state and national figures.
Most of the area is car-dependent, with a walkability score of 3.0. While most homes are near a park, very few are within a 10-minute walk of public transport.