Miles

The community has become older over the last decade, with the typical resident now 39 and the proportion of seniors rising to 21%. About 10.8% of residents are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, a figure that has risen significantly since 2011.

Most residents were born in Australia, and those with overseas heritage most commonly cite English, Irish, or Scottish ancestry. Only 10.2% of the population was born overseas, which is far below the national figure.

English is the main language for the vast majority, though 6.1% of people use another language at home. This is higher than in similar areas, although it remains well below the Queensland average.

Over half of the population identifies as Christian, while 30.2% of residents report having no religion. This figure is well below the national average, although it has risen since 2011.

Education levels are lower than the state and national averages, with only 10.1% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Those who finished school most commonly hold a Certificate III or IV.

Typical incomes are well below the national figure, with a typical household earning $1,131 a week. This is a sharp drop from 2011, and only 8.5% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly.

Health challenges are more common here than in most areas, with 32.8% of people living with a long-term condition. This is reflected in a higher-than-average need for help with daily activities, affecting 7.3% of residents.

Volunteering is more common here than in the wider state, with 18.1% of people pitching in. However, the proportion of people providing unpaid care for children has fallen sharply since 2011.

Living arrangements are unusual for the region, as 38.9% of people live alone and 22.3% live in one-parent families. Consequently, the typical home is smaller, with only 2.1 people per dwelling.

Renting is far more common here than across Australia, with 50.9% of households renting at a typical weekly cost of $192. Monthly mortgage payments are also much lower than the national figure, typically $878.

Most people drive to work, and only 0.9% use public transport. While 3.8% work from home, this is far below the national figure.

The town is quite mobile, with 48.9% of people moving in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals make up 23.2% of the population, which is well above the state average.

Full-time employment is high at 66.2%, well above the national figure, though the overall proportion of adults working or looking for work has fallen since 2011. Labourers and technicians are the most common roles.

The town is very walkable, with 89% of homes within a 15-minute walk of key amenities. Nearly every home is within a short walk of a park, and 92.3% are close to health services.