Urban Centre · Area profile
Maaroom
0 km²
Tucked away in the Fraser Coast region, Maaroom is a very small and aging community of 249 people. It is a place where seniors dominate, with over half the population aged 65 and over. This shift is dramatic, as the typical resident is now 65, compared to just 29 in 2011. The area feels quiet and residential, with very few children and a population that has shrunk by 18% over the last decade.
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The community is far older than the state and national figures, and children under 15 make up only 1.6% of residents. About 52.6% of people are seniors, a figure that rose 47 points since 2011.
English ancestry is the most common at 49.4%, and while 13.7% of people were born overseas, this is well below the Queensland figure.
English is the primary language for 90.4% of residents. Only 1.2% use another language at home, which is far below the national figure.
Over half the population identifies as Christian (51.4%). Those with no religion make up 37.8%, which is a little below the national figure.
Education levels are much lower than in most areas, with only 19.0% of residents having completed Year 12 and just 5.7% holding a bachelor degree or higher.
Incomes are among the lowest at this level, with the typical household earning $731 a week, which is far below the national figure of $1,746.
Health challenges are common here, with 56.2% of people living with a long-term condition. This is far above the national figure, and 11.6% of residents need help with daily activities.
Unpaid care is a key part of life, as 18.4% of people provide this support, well above the national average. Additionally, 9.2% of residents served in the Defence Force, which is among the highest for similar areas.
Homes are typically small, with 1.7 people per house and 39.3% of people living alone. This is much higher than the state figure and reflects the aging population.
Home ownership is very high, with 65.8% of houses owned outright, far above the national figure. Most are separate houses, though the number of large homes with three or more bedrooms fell 38 points since 2011.
The area is entirely car-dependent, as every single home has at least one motor vehicle. No one in the community uses public transport to get to work.
While 38.2% of people moved here in the last five years, there have been no recent arrivals from overseas since 2011.
Few residents are still in the workforce, with only 22.0% working or looking for work. Among those employed, manufacturing and accommodation and food services are the main industries.
The area is almost exclusively car-dependent with a walkability score of 1.2. While nearly everyone lives within a 15-minute walk of a park, there are no shops, schools, or health services within walking distance.