Urban Centre · Area profile
Brookton
4 km²
A typical resident in Brookton is 51, making the community far older than the national figure. This small town has seen its population shrink by 32% since 2011, while the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people has risen sharply to 14.5%. It is a place where many people live alone and a significant number of residents now require help with daily activities, reflecting a shift towards an older, more vulnerable population.
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The community is far older than most areas, with seniors making up nearly 32% of the population. This trend is highlighted by the typical age rising 10 years to 51 since 2011, while the number of children has fallen.
Most residents were born in Australia, and those with overseas origins are far fewer than the state and national figures. English is the most common ancestry after Australian, while the share of people born overseas fell slightly since 2011.
While English is the main language for 80.3% of residents, the share of people using another language at home rose to 6.4% since 2011. This is still far below the national figure.
About 40% of the community reports having no religion, a figure that rose nearly 9 points since 2011. Christianity remains the most common affiliation at 43.4%.
Education levels are much lower than in most areas, with only 7.5% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. The share of people who completed Year 12 also fell since 2011.
Incomes are far below the national and state figures, with a typical weekly household earning $1,017. This is much lower than most areas and represents a decrease since 2011.
Health challenges are common here; 41.5% of people have a long-term health condition, and 14.5% need help with daily activities. This last figure is among the highest for similar areas and rose 11 points since 2011.
Volunteering is more common here than in most areas, with 20.6% of people pitching in. However, the proportion of people doing unpaid housework or caring for children fell since 2011.
The area has a high number of people living alone, at 40.7%, which is far above the national figure. This is consistent with the older population and smaller average household size of 2.1 people.
Home ownership is high, with 43.7% of homes owned outright, far above the state average. Rent is much lower than typical, with a typical weekly rent of $200.
Cars are the primary way to get around, as 0% of people use public transport to commute. A much higher share of homes have no motor vehicle compared to most areas.
About 35.8% of residents moved in the last five years, which is about the same as similar areas. There were no recent arrivals from overseas recorded in 2021.
Far fewer adults are working or looking for work compared to most areas, and the unemployment rate of 7.0% is a little above the national figure. Education and agriculture are key industries.
The town is somewhat walkable, with 90% of homes within a 15-minute walk of amenities like groceries and schools. However, there are no health services within a 15-minute walk.