Our people are Queensland’s most important asset. Queensland has the third largest population in Australia, and the diversity of Queensland’s geography and climate is reflected in the diversity of its people, their social and physical environments, and their health status. Queensland’s people are frequently affected by drought, heatwaves, bushfires, tropical cyclones and floods.
Sociodemographic factors, such as the ones below, play an important role in people’s overall health and wellbeing, as well as the ability of governments, services providers and communities themselves to provide healthy environments and health services.
According to the 2021 Census, in Queensland in 2021:1
- just over 50% of people lived outside of Greater Brisbane
- the median age was 38 years
- 4.6% of people identified as First Nations peoples, up from 4.0% in 2016.
- 22.7% of people were born overseas,2 up from 21.6% in 2016.
- the proportion of mortgaged dwellings increased from 33.7% in 2016 to 34.4% in 2021.
- The proportion of people 15 years and older with a Bachelor degree level and above as their highest level of educational attainment increased from 18.3% in 2016 to 21.9%.
- median weekly household income in 2021 was $1,517, up from $1,222 in 2016.
This chapter currently summarises health and wellbeing measures for First Nations peoples and in Queensland regions. Over time, this chapter is intended to grow to include other groups. In this way, the diversity of Queensland’s people, as well as their health, will be equally represented.
References
- Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2023. Queensland 2021 Census All persons QuickStats. Accessed: 15 March 2023.
- Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2022. Snapshot of Queensland. Accessed: 15 March 2023.