Urban Centre · Area profile
Sarina
5 km²
A very walkable lifestyle defines Sarina, where most residents live within a short stroll of health services, groceries, and parks. The community has grown by 41% since 2011, becoming notably younger with a typical age of 38. It is a place where families are common, and a significant proportion of the population identifies as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. This growth and shift in age give the town a refreshed, family-oriented character within the Mackay region.
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The population has become much younger since 2011, with the typical age dropping by 13 years to 38. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 11.9% of the community, which is well above the national figure of 3.2%.
Most residents were born in Australia, and the proportion of people born overseas has fallen sharply since 2011 to 6.9%, which is far below the national average.
English is the primary language for 84.3% of the community. Those using another language at home make up 3.3% of the population, a figure well below the state and national averages.
Christianity is the most common faith at 45.6%, while 39.4% of residents report having no religion, a figure that has risen by 16 points since 2011.
Qualifications are generally lower than in most areas, with only 5.2% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. This is far below the national figure of 26.3%.
Typical weekly household income has risen by $825 since 2011 to $1,412, which is a little below the national figure of $1,746.
About 30.6% of people live with a long-term health condition, most commonly mental health, arthritis, and asthma. The number of people needing help with daily activities fell to 6.5% since 2011.
Volunteer rates are much lower than most areas at 12.3%. Around 26% of people provide unpaid childcare, which is about the same as the national figure.
Families with children make up 50.7% of households, and the typical home holds 2.5 people. One-parent families are more common here than in most other areas.
Separate houses are very common, making up 86.9% of all homes. Renting is more frequent than in most areas, with 35.3% of households renting at a typical weekly cost of $300.
Most people drive to work, with 68.7% as the driver. Only 3% of the workforce works from home, which is far below the national figure of 21%.
While only 33.9% of residents moved in the last five years, recent arrivals from overseas have risen to 19.5%, a figure well above the national average.
Full-time employment is more common here than in most areas at 61.7%. Many residents work in transport, warehousing, and mining, and the unemployment rate has fallen to 6.1% since 2011.
The town is very walkable, with 73.9% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a '15-minute-city' walkshed. Residents have far easier access to health services and groceries than the state average.