# Willowbank

Urban Centre · Area profile

Located in: Queensland › Greater Brisbane › Ipswich › 4306, QLD

Area: 4 km²

A massive 61% population drop since 2011 has left Willowbank as a smaller, more sparsely populated community of 1,300 people. It is a place where many residents are now older, with a typical age of 41, though it still maintains a fair number of children. The area is heavily car-dependent and lacks local shops and schools, creating a quiet, residential feel. It is a stable community where most people are born in Australia and have lived for a long time.

## Demographics & Identity

The typical resident is 41, which is noticeably older than the national figure of 38. While children under 15 make up 19.8% of the population, the number of seniors has risen sharply to 18.2% since 2011.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Total population | 1,300 | -61.0% since 2011 |
| Median age | 41 yrs | +36.7% since 2011 |
| Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander population | 5.1% | -72.6% since 2011 |
| People aged 65 and over | 18.2% | +830.9% since 2011 |
| Children under 15 | 19.8% | -24.8% since 2011 |
| People in a de facto relationship | 11.3% | -48.0% since 2011 |

**Age structure** — Older adults (45–64) 26.1%, Young adults (25–44) 24.6%, Children (0–14) 19.8%, Seniors (65+) 18.2%, Youth (15–24) 11.4%

**Marital status** — Married 51.3%, Never married 31.3%, Divorced 9.8%, Widowed 3.6%, Separated 3.3%

## Ancestry & Birthplace

This is a very traditional Australian community, with 84.7% born in Australia and only 9% born overseas, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People born overseas | 9.0% | -16.9% since 2011 |

**Country of birth** — Australia 84.7%, New Zealand 2.5%, England 2.2%

**Ancestry** — Australian 44.7%, English 39.3%, Scottish 12.4%, German 9.5%, Irish 9.2%, Dutch 2.9%, Italian 0.7%, Chinese 0.6%, Filipino 0.5%, Greek 0.3%

## Language

English is the primary language for 91.7% of the area. Only 1.8% of residents use another language at home, a figure that is far below both the state and national averages.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People using another language at home | 1.8% | -78.8% since 2011 |
| People who speak little or no English | 0.7% | — |

**Language used at home** — English only 91.7%, Hindi 0.2%

## Religion

About 41.5% of people report no religion, which is about the same as the Queensland average. This figure has risen by 17 points since 2011.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People with no religion | 41.5% | +72.7% since 2011 |

**Religious affiliation** — Christianity 48.2%, No religion 41.5%, Not stated 8.5%, Buddhism 0.6%, Hinduism 0.3%, Other religions 0.2%

## Education & Qualifications

Education levels are much lower than in most areas, with only 7.5% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher, far below the national figure of 26.3%.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Completed Year 12 | 41.5% | -3.3% since 2011 |
| Adults with a bachelor degree or higher | 7.5% | -41.7% since 2011 |

**Highest year of school** — Year 12 41.5%, Year 10 30.5%, Year 9 or below 12.6%, Year 11 7.8%

**Highest qualification level** — Certificate III / IV 45.7%, Advanced diploma / diploma 15.9%, Bachelor degree 9.6%, Certificate I / II 3.1%, Graduate diploma / certificate 1.9%, Postgraduate degree 1.0%

**Field of qualification** — Engineering & related 20.7%, Management & commerce 15.3%, Society & culture 11.4%, Health 8.2%, Education 7.7%, Food, hospitality & personal services 6.4%, Architecture & building 5.6%, Agriculture & environment 1.6%, Information technology 1.4%, Creative arts 1.3%, Natural & physical sciences 0.8%

## Income

Typical weekly household income is $1,414, which is a little below the national figure of $1,746. This is a significant drop from the typical income of $2,501 seen in 2011.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Median personal income (weekly) | $718 | -42.1% since 2011 |
| Median household income (weekly) | $1,414 | -43.5% since 2011 |
| Median family income (weekly) | $2,017 | -23.8% since 2011 |
| People earning $2,000+ a week | 7.0% | — |
| Households earning $3,000+ a week | 15.9% | — |

**Household income distribution** — $650–$1,499 28.7%, $1,500–$2,999 27.2%, Under $650 20.9%, $3,000–$3,999 9.8%, $4,000 or more 6.1%

**Personal income distribution** — Under $650 42.3%, $650–$1,499 31.7%, $1,500–$2,999 16.3%, $3,000 or more 1.1%

## Health & Disability

Residents face more health challenges than most, with 36.2% having a long-term health condition and 11.9% reporting a mental health condition, both of which are well above the national average.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People with a long-term health condition | 36.2% | — |
| People with a mental health condition | 11.9% | — |
| People needing help with daily activities | 5.6% | +289.9% since 2011 |

**Long-term health conditions reported** — Arthritis 13.7%, Asthma 12.6%, Mental health 11.9%, Other condition 11.8%, Diabetes 6.8%, Heart disease 5.2%, Lung condition 4.1%, Cancer 3.9%, Stroke 0.8%

**Number of long-term health conditions** — None 54.5%, One condition 22.9%, Two conditions 7.1%, Three or more 6.4%

## Community Participation

The area has a high proportion of former Defence Force members at 12.2%, which is well above the national figure of 2.8%. However, volunteering has fallen to 10% since 2011.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Volunteers | 10.0% | -51.6% since 2011 |
| People providing unpaid care | 12.1% | +106.8% since 2011 |
| People caring for children unpaid | 27.8% | -11.7% since 2011 |
| People who served in the Defence Force | 12.2% | — |
| People doing 15+ hours of unpaid housework | 22.8% | +29.3% since 2011 |

## Family & Households

Families tend to be larger here, with 2.6 people per home. Around 59.4% of households are couples with children.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Average household size | 2.6 | -7.1% since 2011 |
| One-parent families | 11.4% | +25.1% since 2011 |
| People living alone | 27.2% | +48.1% since 2011 |

**Family composition** — Couples with children 59.4%, Couples without children 28.7%, One-parent families 11.4%, Other families 0.3%

**Household size** — 2 people 32.0%, 1 person 27.2%, 4 people 15.1%, 3 people 13.4%, 5 people 7.9%, 6 or more 4.2%

## Housing & Dwellings

Most people live in separate houses, which make up 79.9% of dwellings. While 22.4% of homes are rented, 33.3% are owned outright, a large increase since 2011.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Median rent (weekly) | $240 | — |
| Median mortgage repayment (monthly) | $1,625 | -18.8% since 2011 |
| Average people per bedroom | 0.80 | -33.3% since 2011 |
| Households renting | 22.4% | -62.3% since 2011 |
| Homes owned outright | 33.3% | +375.2% since 2011 |
| Separate (detached) houses | 79.9% | +23.9% since 2011 |
| Homes with three or more bedrooms | 72.2% | +7.4% since 2011 |

**How homes are owned or rented** — Owned with a mortgage 41.0%, Owned outright 33.3%, Rented 22.4%, Other tenure 1.7%, Not stated 1.7%

**Types of homes** — Separate house 79.9%, Other dwelling 18.6%

**Bedrooms per home** — 3 bedrooms 32.4%, 4 bedrooms 32.0%, 2 bedrooms 16.5%, 5 or more 7.7%, 1 bedroom 6.7%, Studio / none 1.5%

**Weekly rent distribution** — $200–$349 57.0%, Under $200 25.2%, $350–$549 15.0%

**Monthly mortgage distribution** — $1,000–$1,799 39.8%, $1,800–$2,999 26.5%, Under $1,000 21.4%, $3,000 or more 10.7%

## Transport & Vehicles

Driving is essential, as 67.9% of people use a car to get to work. Working from home is more common here than in most areas at 10%.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Homes with no motor vehicle | 4.9% | +63.0% since 2011 |
| People working from home | 10.0% | +535.2% since 2011 |
| Commuting by public transport | 1.6% | +85.0% since 2011 |

**How people get to work** — Car (driver) 67.9%, Worked at home 10.0%, Car (passenger) 4.1%, Bus 0.9%, Train 0.7%

**Motor vehicles per home** — 2 vehicles 33.4%, 1 vehicle 33.0%, 3 vehicles 14.5%, 4 or more 13.8%, No vehicle 4.9%

## Migration & Movement

The community is very stable, with only 32.2% of people moving in the last five years, far below the national figure of 40.7%.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People who moved in the last 5 years | 32.2% | -40.0% since 2011 |
| Recent arrivals from overseas | 2.6% | -89.3% since 2011 |

## Jobs & Industry

Full-time employment is much higher than most areas at 62.1%. Many residents work in health care and social assistance or construction.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | +86.3% since 2011 |
| Labour-force participation | 56.9% | -26.1% since 2011 |
| Employed full-time | 62.1% | -18.3% since 2011 |

**Industries people work in** — Health care & social assistance 14.6%, Construction 10.4%, Retail trade 9.5%, Public administration & safety 9.3%, Education & training 7.9%, Manufacturing 7.1%, Transport & warehousing 6.6%, Other services 6.4%, Accommodation & food 5.5%, Administrative & support 4.6%, Professional & technical 3.8%, Wholesale trade 2.3%, Mining 1.6%, Finance & insurance 1.6%, Agriculture, forestry & fishing 1.4%, Arts & recreation 1.1%, Electricity, gas & water 0.5%, Rental & real estate 0.5%

**Occupations people work in** — Technicians & trades 18.6%, Clerical & administrative 14.5%, Community & personal service 13.4%, Professionals 12.9%, Machinery operators & drivers 11.4%, Labourers 10.5%, Sales workers 10.0%, Managers 9.6%

## Walkability

The area is almost entirely car-dependent, with a walkability score of 1.6. No homes are within a 15-minute walk of a school or health service.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Walkability score | 1.6 | — |
| Amenity types within a 15-minute walk | 1.3 | — |
| Homes with a 15-minute-city walkshed | 0.0% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of groceries | 17.6% | — |
| Homes within 10 min walk of public transport | 61.9% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of a school | 0.0% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of a park | 33.6% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of health services | 0.0% | — |
| Walkable amenities per 1,000 residents | 7.7 | — |
| Street connectivity (intersections/km²) | 13 | — |
| Mean terrain slope | 5.0% | — |

## Nearby areas

[Walloon](https://censusatlas.au/region/ucl/UCL315097/walloon) · [Thagoona](https://censusatlas.au/region/ucl/UCL321102/thagoona) · [Rosewood](https://censusatlas.au/region/ucl/UCL315085/rosewood) · [Peak Crossing](https://censusatlas.au/region/ucl/UCL322096/peak-crossing) · [Marburg](https://censusatlas.au/region/ucl/UCL321070/marburg) · [Harrisville](https://censusatlas.au/region/ucl/UCL322057/harrisville) · [Minden Village](https://censusatlas.au/region/ucl/UCL321072/minden-village) · [Fernvale](https://censusatlas.au/region/ucl/UCL315035/fernvale)

Interactive profile: https://censusatlas.au/region/ucl/UCL315100/willowbank