Urban Centre · Area profile
Taroom
4 km²
A growing number of seniors has shifted the feel of Taroom since 2011. The town now has a population of 578 people, with a typical resident aged 42. It is a predominantly older community where over a quarter of people are aged 65 or over, which is well above the national figure. Most residents live in detached houses and enjoy a high level of volunteering, contributing to a quiet, settled character in the Banana Shire.
Explore Taroom by topic
Seniors make up 25.3% of the population, a figure that rose 7.6 points since 2011 and is well above the national average. This trend is matched by a rise in de facto relationships, which now stand at 16.1%.
The community is overwhelmingly Australian-born, with 84.4% born here. This is far below the national figure for overseas births, which has fallen to just 4.8%.
English is the primary language for 89.8% of residents. The proportion of people using another language at home is much lower than most areas at 1.6%, and no residents reported speaking little or no English.
Christianity remains the most common faith at 63.7%. People reporting no religion make up 26.0% of the community, which is far below the national figure of 38.9%.
The area has a lower level of formal qualifications than most, with only 8.5% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. This is far below the national average, and the proportion of people who finished Year 12 has fallen to 30.8%.
Typical household weekly income is $1,160, which is well below the national figure of $1,746. Only 6.6% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, which is far below the national average.
Daily living assistance is needed by 8.1% of residents, which is a little above the national average and rose 5.8 points since 2011. Arthritis is the most common long-term health condition at 11.9%.
Volunteering is very high here, with 22.5% of people helping out, well above the national figure of 14.1%. However, unpaid care for children and housework has fallen since 2011.
Living arrangements have shifted toward smaller households, with 36.3% of people now living alone. This is far above the national figure and represents a 16 point increase since 2011.
Almost all residents live in detached houses (98.1%), and 41.5% own their home outright. Renting has become much more common, rising 18 points since 2011 to 35.4% of households.
Car travel is the primary way to get around, with no one using public transport to commute. About 6.8% of homes have no motor vehicle, which is higher than most areas.
About 35.9% of residents moved house in the last five years, which is well below the national average. Recent arrivals from overseas make up 10.7% of the population.
Full-time employment is high at 64.6%, well above the national figure, and the unemployment rate is low at 3.0%. Many residents work in health, public safety, or agriculture.
The town is quite walkable, with 93.6% of homes within a 15-minute walk of health services. Most residents can also easily walk to schools, parks, and groceries.