Urban Centre · Area profile
Mount Perry
2 km²
A dramatic shift in age and population has transformed Mount Perry since 2011. Once a very young community, it is now far older than the national average, with a typical resident aged 53. This small town of 250 people has become a place where seniors are common and many homes are owned outright. While the population has shrunk slightly, recent arrivals from overseas and a high proportion of Indigenous residents add variety to this quiet QueenslandH settlement.
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The community has aged significantly, with the typical resident now 53 and seniors making up 32.4% of the population. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people represent 9.2% of the area, which is well above the national figure of 3.2%.
English and Australian ancestries are most common, and while 74.8% of residents were born in Australia, the proportion of people born overseas rose to 11.2% since 2011.
English is the dominant language, with only 1.6% of people using another tongue at home—a figure far below the national average of 22.3%.
Christianity remains the most common faith at 45.2%, while those with no religion make up 38.0%, which is about the same as the national figure.
Education levels are lower than average, with only 30.1% of residents completing Year 12. However, the number of adults with a bachelor degree or higher rose to 10.3% since 2011.
Incomes are much lower than in most areas, with the typical household earning $933 a week. Only 3.2% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly, which is far below the Queensland figure of 20.2%.
Health challenges are common here, as 41.2% of people have a long-term health condition. This is far above the national average, and 12.8% of residents need help with daily activities.
Volunteering is more common than usual at 18.6%, and 27.0% of people spend 15 or more hours a week on unpaid housework.
One-parent families are much more common here than in most areas, making up 22.8% of households. About 31.6% of residents live alone.
Housing is very affordable, with typical weekly rent at $200 and typical monthly loan payments at $800. Over half of all homes (51.6%) are owned outright, far above the national figure of 31.0%.
Every single home in Mount Perry has at least one motor vehicle. Interestingly, 9.6% of people commute by public transport, which is well above the national average.
The area has seen a recent influx of new residents, with 41.5% of people moving here in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas also rose to 14.3% since 2016.
The workforce is heavily concentrated in mining, construction, and agriculture. However, the unemployment rate is very high at 21.0%, far above the national figure of 5.1%.
The town is mostly car-dependent, as no one lives within a 15-minute walk of groceries or public transport. On the plus side, many homes are within a short walk of health services and schools.