Urban Centre · Area profile
Toogoom
3 km²
A much older population than most similar areas defines Toogoom, where the typical resident is 53. The community has grown by 58% since 2011, yet it has become significantly older as the proportion of seniors rose to 32%. This shift helps explain why more residents now need help with daily activities and why more people are providing unpaid care compared to the national average. It is a residential area of large, detached homes where many people now live in retirement.
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The area is far older than the Queensland and national typical age of 38, with seniors making up nearly a third of the population. Conversely, children under 15 have fallen to 16.0%, which is a little below the national figure.
While 16.6% of residents were born overseas—a figure much higher than similar areas—this is still well below the Queensland average. English and Australian are the most common ancestries.
English is the primary language for 92.7% of the community. Only 3.1% of people use another language at home, which is far below the national figure of 22.3%.
A laity of 45.8% of residents report having no religion, a figure well above the national average. This represents a significant rise of 18 points since 2011.
Educational attainment is far below state and national levels, with only 11.2% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. The proportion of residents who finished Year 12 also fell since 2011.
Typical weekly household income is $1,040, which is far below the national figure of $1,746. This is consistent with a population that has seen typical personal incomes fall by $701 since 2011.
Health challenges are much more common here than in most areas, with 40.9% of people living with a long-term health condition. Over 10% of residents need help with daily activities, which is well above the national average.
Unpaid care and housework are more common than usual, though volunteering has fallen since 2011. Notably, 6.6% of residents have served in the Defence Force, among the highest for its level.
Most homes are occupied by couples, with 44.8% being couples without children. The number of people living alone has risen since 2011 to reach 23.3%.
Housing is dominated by separate houses, with 98.3% of dwellings being detached. Home ownership is very high, as 48.3% of homes are owned outright, far above the national figure.
The community is almost entirely reliant on cars, with 0.0% of people commuting via public transport. About 43.5% of homes have two vehicles.
Toogoom is a high-turnover area, with 53.2% of people having moved in the last five years, which is far above the national average. However, recent arrivals from overseas have fallen sharply since 2011.
Fewer adults are working or looking for work compared to most areas, at 41.5%. The unemployment rate is also much higher than the national figure, sitting at 9.4%.
This is a car-dependent area with a walkability score of 0.5. No homes are within a 15-minute walk of a school, health service, or grocery store.