Urban Centre · Area profile
Dalby
139 km²
A strong Indigenous presence marks Dalby, where 9.0% of the population identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. This is a noticeably young community, with a typical resident aged 35 and a high proportion of children. The area has grown by 11% since 2011, reaching a total population of 12,082. It is a place of large family homes and a workforce heavily engaged in full-time employment, reflecting a practical, working-class character in the Western Downs region.
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The community is much younger than most similar areas, with children under 15 making up 22.6% of the population. This is well above the national figure of 18.2%. Meanwhile, those aged 65 and over are less common here, at 15.3%, which is a little below the Australian average.
Most residents were born in Australia (85.1%), and the area has a much lower proportion of overseas-born people than the state or nation. English, Irish, and German are the most common ancestries after Australian.
English is the main language for 88.5% of the population. While 4.9% of people use another language at home—which is higher than in similar areas—this is still far below the national figure of 22.3%.
Religious affiliation is more common here than elsewhere, as 31.1% of people report no religion, which is well below the national figure of 38.9%. Christianity remains the most prominent faith at 59.7%.
Education levels are lower than the state and national figures, with only 11.4% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. However, more people have completed Year 12 than in 2011, rising to 44.4%.
Typical incomes are higher than in similar areas, with a typical weekly household income of $1,451. While this is a little below the national figure of $1,746, the number of households earning $3,000 or more per week has risen to 13.5% since 2011.
Long-term health conditions are more common here than nationally, affecting 32.1% of people. Mental health conditions are also a little more frequent, reported by 11.2% of residents.
Unpaid care for children is more common here than in most areas, at 28.9%. Volunteering is around the middle for its level at 16.7%, though this has fallen since 2011.
Families tend to be larger, with 2.5 people per home. One-parent families are well above the national average at 18.9%, and 54.3% of households consist of couples with children.
The area is dominated by separate houses (91.2%), with 84.0% of homes having three or more bedrooms. Renting is much more common than in similar areas, accounting for 35.9% of households.
The community is very car-dependent, with 70.0% of workers commuting by car as the driver. Only 0.8% use public transport, and working from home is far less common than the national figure.
The population is quite mobile, with 42.1% of people moving in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 14.0% of the community, though this is a sharp fall from 33.7% in 2011.
Full-time employment is much more common here than in similar areas, at 62.5%. The workforce is largely employed in retail, health, and education, with technicians and trades making up the largest occupational group.
The area is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 3.4, which is well below the Queensland average. No homes are within a 10-minute walk of public transport.