Urban Centre · Area profile
Kuranda
18 km²
A higher rate of unemployment and lower full-time work define the economic landscape of Kuranda. This community has grown by 43% since 2011, becoming a place where the typical resident is now 47 years old. It is marked by a strong presence of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and a high proportion of residents who identify as having no religion. Many people here work from home or hold professional roles, contributing to a distinctive mix of higher education levels despite lower typical incomes.
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The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population is 11.8%, which is much higher than most similar areas and has risen sharply since 2011. The community is far older than the national figure, with 21% of people aged 65 and over.
People born overseas make up 22.4% of the population, a figure that rose slightly since 2011. English, Australian, and Irish are the most common ancestries reported.
While 7.3% of residents use a language other than English at home—which is much higher than in most similar areas—this is still far below the national figure. English remains the dominant language for 80.6% of the community.
More than half of residents (51%) report having no religion, a figure that is far above the national average and has risen by 33 percentage points since 2011.
The area is better qualified than most similar spots, with 22.1% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher and 51.9% completing Year 12, both of which have seen significant increases since 2011.
Typical weekly family income is $1,716, which is a little below the state and national figures. However, the number of households earning $3,000 or more per week has risen since 2011 to 14.2%.
Residents are generally healthier than those in most similar areas, with a lower rate of long-term health conditions (25.7%) and fewer people needing daily assistance (5.4%).
Volunteer rates are 17.6%, which is well above the national figure. Unpaid housework is also more common here than in the rest of the state.
About 30.4% of people live alone, which is well above the national average. One-parent families are also more common here than in most other areas.
Separate houses make up 90.5% of homes, far above the national figure. While 38.5% of homes are owned outright, the area has a much lower proportion of large three-bedroom homes than most similar places.
The community is very reliant on cars, with 52.9% of workers driving to work. However, 18.3% work from home, a figure that has risen sharply since 2011.
Movement into the area has slowed, with 34.6% of people moving in the last five years, which is well below the national figure. Recent arrivals from overseas have also fallen sharply since 2011.
The unemployment rate is 8.1%, which is well above the national figure. Full-time employment (48.8%) is also much lower than in most similar areas.
With a score of 1.9, the area is highly car-dependent and far below the state average. Very few homes are within a 15-minute walk of a school (2.2%) or public transport (0%).