Burnett Heads

The community is significantly older than most areas, with 32.2% of residents aged 65 and over, a figure that rose 6.2 points since 2011. In contrast, children under 15 make up only 13.2%, which is well below the national average.

While 80.7% of residents were born in Australia, the proportion of people born overseas is higher than most similar areas at 14.5%. The most common ancestries are English (46.2%) and Australian (40.3%).

English is the primary language for 92% of the population. Very few people use another language at home (3.2%), and those who speak little or no English make up just 0.5% of the community.

A little above the state figure, 43.9% of residents report having no religion, a figure that has risen by 25 points since 2011. Christianity remains the most common affiliation at 48.7%.

Education levels are lower than most areas, with only 32.9% of residents completing Year 12. Those with a bachelor degree or higher make up 10.4% of adults, which is far below the national figure.

Typical incomes are much lower than the national average, with the typical family earning $1,269 a week. Only 8.5% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly, though this has risen 5.4 points since 2011.

Long-term health challenges are common here; 41.6% of people have a long-term health condition, far above the national figure. About 10.1% of residents need help with daily activities, which is much higher than most areas.

The area has a higher rate of people serving in the Defence Force (5.6%) than most areas. However, volunteering has fallen significantly, with only 11.8% of people volunteering compared to 23.7% in 2011.

Homes tend to be small, with 2.2 people per household. Couples without children are the most common household type at 45.1%, and 26.1% of people live alone.

The community is dominated by separate houses (93.4%), and a very high 47.2% of homes are owned outright. Renting is far less common here than in the rest of the state, at only 22.4%.

The area is heavily reliant on cars, as 71.7% of workers drive to work and no one uses public transport to commute. Most homes have at least two vehicles.

Movement into the area is high, with 41.2% of people moving in the last five years. However, recent arrivals from overseas have fallen sharply to 5.7% since 2011.

A much lower proportion of adults are working or looking for work (44.3%) compared to the state average. The unemployment rate is 6.2%, which is a little above the national figure.

The area is mostly car-dependent with a walkability score of 3.3. While many homes are near public transport, very few are within a 15-minute walk of health services (17.4%) or groceries (42.4%).