Urban Centre · Area profile
Atherton
12 km²
A significant shift toward an older population has transformed Atherton since 2011. This community in the Tablelands is now far older than the national average, with the typical resident aged 46. It is a larger town than most similar areas, though its total population shrank by 6.6% over the last decade. The area stands out for its high proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents and a growing number of seniors, which helps explain the increase in people needing daily help.
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The typical resident is 46, making the area far older than the national figure. This aging trend is clear, as the share of people aged 65 and over rose 20 points since 2011 to reach 27.1%. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 9.6% of the population, which is well above the state average.
Most residents were born in Australia (76.3%), and English and Australian are the most common ancestries. While 13.8% of people were born overseas—higher than in similar areas—this is far below the national figure of 27.7%.
English is the main language for 84.4% of residents. Those using another language at home make up 6.2% of the community, which is much higher than similar areas but far below the national average.
Christianity is the most common faith at 47.8%. People reporting no religion make up 38.6% of the population, a figure that rose 8.1 points since 2011 and is now about the same as the national average.
Qualifications are higher than in similar areas, with 13.5% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. However, this remains far below the national figure of 26.3%. The most common highest qualification is a Certificate III or IV at 34%.
Incomes are generally well below the national figure, with a typical household earning $1,089 a week. Only 9.2% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly, which is around the middle for its level but far below the national rate of 22.6%.
Long-term health conditions are more common here than nationally, affecting 32.1% of people. This is consistent with the older population, as the share of people needing help with daily activities rose 6.1 points since 2011 to 7.9%.
Volunteering is common, with 17.5% of residents helping out, which is well above the national figure. About 12.7% of people provide unpaid care, a rate that rose 7.0 points since 2011.
Living arrangements are varied, with 35.2% of people living alone—far above the state average. One-parent families make up 22.2% of households, which is well above the national figure of 14.1%.
Separate houses make up 81% of dwellings, which is well above the national average. While 37.7% of homes are rented, 36.2% are owned outright; this ownership rate rose 20 points since 2011.
The area is very car-dependent, with 65.2% of people driving to work and only 1% using public transport. Only 6.4% of people work from home, which is far below the national figure of 21%.
The community has seen significant movement, with 42% of people moving in the last five years. This is slightly above the national average, though it is a drop of 15 points from 2011.
Half of adults are working or looking for work, which is far below the national rate of 61.1%. The most common industries for employment are health care and social assistance, and retail trade.
The town is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 3.7. While 90.8% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of a park, almost no one lives within a 10-minute walk of public transport.