Urban Centre · Area profile
Arcadia Bay
1 km²
Daily life in Arcadia Bay is defined by a quiet, older pace, where nearly half of all residents are seniors. The typical resident is 63, making the community far older than the national figure. This is a well-educated area with many people living alone in small homes, which helps explain why the population is so sparse and children are few. Situated in the Townsville region, it is a place where many people have retired and now spend their time volunteering.
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The area is far older than the state and national average, with people aged 65 and over making up 42.7% of the population. Children under 15 are very rare at just 6.0%, a figure that has fallen since 2011.
People born overseas make up 21.4% of the community, which is among the highest for similar areas, though this has fallen slightly since 2011. English is the most common ancestry at 46.4%.
English is the primary language for 85.1% of residents. While 4.8% of people use another language at home, which is higher than most similar areas, no one reported speaking little or no English.
Half of the population identifies as Christian. Those with no religion make up 36.7%, which is a little below the national figure.
Residents are highly qualified, with 30.4% holding a bachelor degree or higher, well above the national average. Over half of adults have completed Year 12, a figure that rose 11 points since 2011.
Typical weekly household income is $1,008, which is far below the national figure of $1,746. Very few homes earn $3,000 or more a week, at just 5.6%.
Long-term health conditions are more common here than in the state or nation, affecting 32.3% of people. However, mental health conditions are much lower than most areas at 5.2%.
Volunteering is very common, with 26.1% of people helping out, far above the national figure. There is also a strong history of service, as 10.6% of residents served in the Defence Force.
Almost half of all residents (46.8%) live alone, meaning the typical home only has 1.6 people. This is much lower than the national average of 2.5.
Home ownership is high, with 48.4% of homes owned outright, far above the national figure. Most homes are small, with only 38.9% having three or more bedrooms.
Working from home is very common at 25.0%, which is far above the state average. About 12.6% of homes have no motor vehicle, which is well above the national figure.
The community is quite mobile, with 42.2% of people moving in the last five years. In contrast, there have been no recent arrivals from overseas.
Fewer people are working or looking for work (42.6%) compared to most areas, though the unemployment rate is quite low at 3.1%. Many of those employed work in accommodation and food services.
Most homes are within a 15-minute walk of a park (99.8%) or groceries (90.1%). However, there is no public transport, health service, or school within a 15-minute walk.