The Gladstone community is in line with the socio-economic profile of the Gladstone Region.

• The median weekly household income is $1,622 compared to $1,693 for the Gladstone Region.
• 25.2 per cent of households earn $3,000 or more per week compared to 25.3 per cent for the Gladstone Region.
• 6.9 per cent households earn less than $650 each week compared to 7.2 per cent for Gladstone Region, which is a decrease of 8 per cent compared to 2016.
• 37.7 per cent of non-family households earn less than $650 each week compared to 47.0 per cent for Gladstone Region. There has been a 6.5 per cent increase in non-family households earning less than $650 between 2021 and 2016.

In 2021, 58.7 per cent of people aged 15 and over are in the labour force, which is slightly higher than 2016 data at 58.1 per cent and lower the 64.8 per cent in 2011.

The unemployment rate for the Gladstone community has fluctuated over time, being 5.2 per cent (1,421 people) in 2021, 7.6 per cent (1,974 people) in 2016 and 0.9 per cent (231 people) in 2011.

The SEIFA score for Gladstone Region in 2016 was 978.Across Australia’s local government areas, SEIFA scores range from 188 (most disadvantaged) to 1,186 (least disadvantaged).

In 2021, 22 per cent of households fully owned their housing which is 5 per cent lower than the Gladstone Region at 27.3 per cent. There have been fluctuations with the percentage of population that own their home outright and the number that own them.

In 2011, 22.7 per cent of the population owned their home outright which equated to 2,451 people. This decreased by 2.9 per cent of the population in 2016, with 2,350 people owing their home outright. Before increasing in 2021 to 22 per cent of the population or 2,880 people.

The population of Gladstone that own their home with a mortgage is decreasing, being 38.5 per cent of the population in 2011, 35.1 per cent in 2016 and 34.2 per cent in 2021. Meaning the percentage of population with a mortgage is 2.3 per cent less than the region.

The population of Gladstone that rents their home has fluctuated a little, being 32. per cent of the population in 2011 or 3,495 people, 40.3 per cent in 2016 which equates to 4,811 people and 39.5 per cent of the population in 2021 or 5,175, which is a 7.2 per cent increase in population from 2011.

The percentage of those renting from a real estate has increased by 9.2 per cent between 2011 and 2021, with the largest increase of 9.1 per cent between 2011 and 2016.

When looking at those renting from State or Territory housing providers, the numbers have steadily decreased between 2011 and 2021, with 972 people renting from State or Territory housing providers in 2011, representing 6.2 per cent of the population. In the 2016 the figure was 612 people or 5.1 per cent of the population. The numbers reduced further in 2021, with a reduction of 112 people compared to 2016. Meaning 500 people or 3.8 per cent of the population rented their home from a State or Territory housing provider.

Community members that stated they rented from a Community Housing Provider increased over time, being 32 in 2011, 105 in 2016 and 159 in 2021.

The average mortgage repayment is $1,517 which is lower than the Gladstone Region by $112 and lower than the State by $216. There has been a $483 reduction in average mortgage payments between 2011 and 2021, with the largest reduction being $433 between 2016 and 2023.

There is a general increase of households paying between $0-$1799 between 2011 and 2021. The most significant change is a 7.2 per cent (362 people) increase in the population paying $1,000-$1,399, followed by a 6.4 per cent increase in the population paying $1,400-$1,799, which equates to 332 people.

There is a general trend in the number of people paying monthly mortgage payments between $1,800 and $4,000 reducing over the last 10 years, with some significant reductions between 2016 and 2021. The largest reductions were seen in the number of people paying $2,400-$2,999, reducing by 337 people to 6.7 per cent of the population compared to 15.3 per cent in 2011.

There was also a notable difference in the population paying $1,800-$2,399, with a 1.6 per cent increase between 2011 and 2016 and a 6.9 per cent decrease between 2016 and 2021. This equates to an overall decrease of 5.3 per cent of the population or 154 people.

The median rent for Gladstone was $265 in 2021 compared to $275 in the Gladstone Region and $365 in the State. The median rent in Gladstone has fluctuated over time being, $265 in 2021, $240 in 2016 and $300 in 2011.