Mareeba

The area is now much older than it was in 2011, with the typical resident aged 40 and seniors making up 22.7% of the population. This is well above the national figure of 17.2%. Indigenous residents now make up 15.4% of the community, which is far above the Australian average of 3.2%.

Overseas births have risen to 18.0%, although this remains well below the national figure. Italian heritage is particularly prominent here, with 12.6% of residents claiming Italian ancestry and 3.3% born in Italy.

More people are using a language other than English at home, which rose to 14.3% since 2011. This is a little above the state average, with Italian being the most common non-English language spoken.

Religious affiliation is higher here than in most similar areas, with 50.3% of people identifying as Christian. Those reporting no religion make up 33.4%, which is well below the national figure of 38.9%.

Qualifications are lower than the state and national averages, with only 10.8% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Since 2011, the proportion of residents who completed Year 12 has fallen by 9.1 points.

Typical incomes have dropped sharply since 2011, with the typical household now earning $1,150 a week. This is well below the national typical figure of $1,746, and only 4.7% of people earn $2,000 or more weekly.

A long-term health condition affects 28.0% of residents, which is about the same as the national figure. However, the number of people needing help with daily activities rose to 6.7% since 2011.

Community participation has dipped, with volunteers falling to 13.9% since 2011. This is lower than most similar areas, and the number of people caring for children unpaid has also fallen significantly.

One-parent families make up 22.9% of the community, which is well above the national figure of 14.1%. While homes typically hold 2.4 people, there has been a rise in people living alone, now reaching 30.3%.

Most people live in separate houses, which make up 86.4% of dwellings. Outright home ownership has risen to 35.0% since 2011, and typical weekly rents of $286 are well below the national average.

The town is heavily reliant on cars, with 64.8% of workers driving to work. This is reflected in the home data, where 9.0% of households have no motor vehicle, a figure that has risen since 2011.

The area attracts new residents, with recent arrivals from overseas making up 23.5% of the population. This is well above the national figure of 14.5%.

Full-time employment is higher here than in most similar areas at 62.0%, though the unemployment rate has risen to 7.2%. Many residents work in agriculture, forestry, and fishing, or in health care and social assistance.

The area is mostly car-dependent with a walkability score of 3.1, which is far below the Queensland average. No homes are within a 10-minute walk of public transport, and only 45.7% are within a 15-minute walk of groceries.