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About Toowoomba

Toowoomba is located 132 kilometres west of Brisbane and sits atop the Great Dividing Range, around 700 metres above sea level. Toowoomba is known as 'The Garden City', and with around 150 public parks and 6,300 hectares of open space within the city, this second name is not undeserved. Our temperate climate means that the four seasons can be enjoyed unlike the hot, humid conditions which exist in much of Queensland. Our gardens and parks are just some of the many features that make Toowoomba a great place to live.

As one of Australia's largest inland cities, Toowoomba has all the services and variety of a large city without the congestion. Toowoomba is a healthcare and education centre, providing services to residents, as well as a large number of people to our west. Toowoomba is a medical hub for the Darling Downs, with three hospitals and a comprehensive range of other healthcare services.

With a number of independent and state schools as well as the University of Southern Queensland, there is no shortage of educational options in Toowoomba. In fact, school education is the number one industry of employment with 6.4 per cent of people employed in this sector. Other areas of significant employment include hospitals, cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services, tertiary education and meat and meat product manufacturing.

A rich history, a wide range of services and accessibility to other centres, as well as local events, fantastic dining and a relaxed atmosphere, make Toowoomba a great place to live or visit.

More Statistics

Age: Although many believe that Toowoomba has a higher proportion of older people, this is in fact not true. People living in Toowoomba have an average age is 35 which is just below the national average of 37.

Country of Birth: Of the people now living in Toowoomba, 9.7 per cent of us were born overseas, which is around half the national average. Of these people now calling Toowoomba home, the greatest proportion migrated from England (2.2%) and New Zealand (1.3%). A small proportion of people were also born in South Africa (0.4%), Sudan (0.4%) and Scotland (0.4%).

Religion: 25.8 per cent of people in Toowoomba identify as Catholic, which is comparable to the national average. The next most prolific religions are Anglican, Uniting Church and Lutheran. Toowoomba has fewer people identifying themselves as having no religion (12.4%) compared to the national average (18.7%).

Income: The average weekly individual income in Toowoomba is $448 and the average household income is $960 per week. These incomes are below the national average by $18 and $67 respectively.

Dwellings: There is a significant number of people living in seperate houses in Toowoomba compared to the rest of Australia. The average weekly rent is below the national average ($175 compared to $190 for the nation).

Internet: People in Toowoomba are less connected compared to the rest of Australia, with 60.6 per cent of people having an internet connection, which is less than the national average of 63.4 per cent. Of the people who are connected to the internet, 61.1 per cent have broadband and 37.9 per cent have dial up. 64% of Australians have broadband, and therefore Toowoomba residents are a little behind on this measure.

Transport: 78.5 per cent of Toowoomba residents drove to work as the driver and 9.8 per cent were driven to work as the passenger. Just 1.4 per cent rode a motorbike or scooter to work and just 1.3 per cent rode a bicycle. 4.6 per cent walked to work. In Toowoomba, 0.7 per cent of people got to work using a bus (public transport).

Sources:Australian Bureau of Statistics (2006). http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/