Our people

Our people are Queensland’s most important asset. Queensland has the 3rd largest population in Australia. 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.

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: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 summarises Queensland’s demography, health and wellbeing measures for First Nations peoples, and maternal and child health indicators.