Urban Centre · Area profile
Macleay Island
7 km²
A dramatic shift in age has occurred on Macleay Island, where the typical resident is now 62 years old. This community has transitioned into a senior-heavy area, with 42.8% of people aged 65 and over, a figure that rose 31 points since 2011. This ageing trend helps explain the decline in children and the increase in people living alone. It is a place of detached homes where many residents now live in retirement.
Explore Macleay Island by topic
The area is far older than the national figure, with a typical age of 62. This is a sharp change from 2011, when the typical resident was only 32, and the proportion of children under 15 has since fallen to 7.7%.
People born overseas make up 24.0% of the population, which is a little above the Queensland average. This represents a significant increase from 2011, when only 6.8% were born overseas.
English is the main language for 87.9% of residents, and the proportion of people using another language at home is 4.3%, which is far below the national figure of 22.3%.
A high number of residents report no religion, at 45.5%, which is well above the national figure. This has risen 30 points since 2011.
Education levels are lower than in most areas, with 35.4% of people completing Year 12, which is far below the national figure of 58.8%.
Incomes are among the lowest for similar areas, with a typical weekly household income of $755. This is far below the national figure of $1,746 and has fallen $439 since 2011.
Health needs are much higher here than in the rest of the state, with 46.5% of people having a long-term health condition. This is far above the national figure of 27.7%.
Unpaid care is common, with 15.8% of people providing care, which is well above the national figure. However, the number of people caring for children has fallen 19 points since 2011.
Many residents live alone, making up 41.0% of households, which is far above the national figure of 25.6%. Consequently, the typical home holds only 1.9 people.
The area is almost entirely made up of separate houses, and 50.9% of these are owned outright, which is far above the national figure of 31.0%.
Working from home is much more common here than in most areas, with 20.0% of people doing so. Most residents rely on cars, though 8.6% of homes have no motor vehicle.
The community is quite mobile, with 45.0% of people having moved in the last five years. However, recent arrivals from overseas have fallen sharply since 2011.
Working or looking for work is far less common here than nationally, at 30.6%. The unemployment rate is 14.9%, which is well above the national figure of 5.1%.
The area is mostly car-dependent with a walkability score of 2.9. Only 3.6% of homes are within a 10 minute walk of public transport, which is far below the state figure.