Urban Centre · Area profile
Bell
1 km²
An aging population of just 246 people defines Bell, where nearly 30% of residents are aged 65 and over. The community is far older than the national figure, with a typical resident aged 49. While many live alone in small households, there is a notable presence of children, making up 19.1% of the population. This small Queensland town is a place of modest incomes and a high rate of long-term health needs.
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The typical resident is 49, which is far older than the state and national figures. Seniors make up 29.3% of the population, a figure that rose 7.1 points since 2011, while the total population shrank by 10% over the same period.
Most residents were born in Australia, and only 6.9% were born overseas, which is far below the national figure. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, together accounting for over 80% of the community.
English is used in almost every home, with only 2% of people using another language, a figure far below the national average. No one in the community reported speaking little or no English.
Christianity remains the most common faith at 61.4%. Those reporting no religion make up 35.8% of the area, which is a significant increase from 8.7% in 2011.
Qualifications are lower than the state average, with only 11.9% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. About 34.9% of residents completed Year 12, which is far below the national figure of 58.8%.
Incomes are among the lowest for similar areas, with a typical weekly household earning $793. This is far below the national figure of $1,746, and very few households earn more than $3,000 a week.
Long-term health conditions are very common here, affecting 43.9% of people, which is far above the national figure. This is reflected in the 8.5% of residents who need help with daily activities.
Volunteering is more common here than in most areas, though the rate fell from 36.7% in 2011 to 19.8% in 2021. About 4% of the population have served in the Defence Force.
The area has a high number of people living alone (43.6%) and a very high rate of one-parent families at 29.2%. Because of this, homes are smaller than usual, with just 2.0 people per home.
Detached houses are common, and 39.3% are owned outright. Rent is much lower than the national figure at $200 a week, and typical mortgage payments are also very low at $769 a month.
Cars are the primary way to get around, and no one uses public transport to commute. Working from home is rare at 5.7%, which is far below the national average.
The community is relatively stable, with 33.5% of people moving in the last five years, which is well below the national figure. There were no recent arrivals from overseas.
Unemployment is much higher than in most areas at 8.7%. Those who work are often in agriculture, forestry, and fishing, or as labourers.
The town is very walkable, with 99% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a park or health services. Most residents can also reach groceries and a school within a short walk.