Southern Downs

Demographics & education

On Census Night 7th August 2001, 40,002 people were counted in Southern Downs: of these 50.6% were male and 49.4% were female. Of the total population 2.4% were Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people.

On Census Night 2001 in Southern Downs there were 9,360 children aged 0-14 years and 9,882 people aged 55 years and over.

On Census Night 2001 in Southern Downs, 37,375 people were Australian citizens, 3,023 were born overseas and 157 people were overseas visitors.

On Census Night 2001 in Southern Downs, 56.0% of people aged 15 years and over were married, 10.2% were separated or divorced, 7.4% were widowed and 26.4% were never married.

Cultural & language diversity

On Census Night 2001 in Southern Downs, 87.4% of people stated they were born in Australia. Other common responses for country of birth within Southern Downs were England 2.0%, Italy 1.0%, New Zealand 1.0%, Netherlands 0.3% and Germany 0.3%.

Of all people counted in Southern Downs on Census Night 2001, the most common responses for religious affiliation were Anglican 29.5%, Catholic 28.7%, Uniting Church 9.4%, No Religion 8.9% and Presbyterian & Reformed 4.9%.

On Census Night 2001 in Southern Downs, the most common responses for languages other than English spoken at home were Italian 1.7%, German 0.2%, Spanish 0.1%, Netherlandic 0.1% and Tagalog (Filipino) 0.1%. English was stated as the only language spoken at home by 92.2% of people counted.

Employment

During the week prior to Census Night 2001, 18,315 people aged 15 years and over in Southern Downs were in the labour force. Of these 59.8% worked full-time, 29.8% worked part-time, 3.5% were employed but did not state their hours worked and 7.0% were unemployed. 11,014 people were not in the labour force.

On Census Night 2001 in Southern Downs, the most common responses for occupation were Managers and Administrators 9.5%, Labourers and Related Workers 8.6%, Intermediate Clerical, Sales and Service Workers 7.3%, Tradespersons and Related Workers 6.4%, Professionals 6.1%, Intermediate Production and Transport Workers 5.5%, Associate Professionals 5.2%, Elementary Clerical, Sales and Service Workers 4.3% and Advanced Clerical and Service Workers 1.5%.

On Census Night 2001, of the employed people aged 15 years and over in Southern Downs, the most common responses for industry of employment included Agriculture 11.6%, Education 4.2%, Health Services 3.0%, Food Retailing 3.0% and Personal and Household Good Retailing 2.9%.

Family composition

On Census Night 2001 in Southern Downs, 10,634 families were counted: of these, 40.0% were couple families without children, 45.7% were couple families with children, 12.9% were one parent families and 1.4% were other families.

Dwelling structure

Dwellings include visitor only and other not-classifiable households unless otherwise stated

On Census Night 2001 in Southern Downs, 15,183 occupied private dwellings were counted.

On Census Night 2001, of occupied private dwellings counted in Southern Downs, 90.1% were separate houses, 1.4% were semi-detached, row or terrace houses, townhouses etc, 4.9% were flats, units or apartments and 2.7% were other dwellings.

On Census Night 2001 in Southern Downs, 45.6% of occupied private dwellings were owned outright, 20.5% were being purchased and 24.6% were rented.

On Census Night 2001 in Southern Downs, of the occupied private dwellings being rented 35.1% were rented from a real estate agent, 7.9% were rented from a State or Territory housing authority and 56.0% were rented from an other landlord type.

Household type

On Census Night 2001 in Southern Downs, 69.5% of the occupied private dwellings were family households, 24.1% were single (or lone) person households and 2.3% were group households.