A study has looked into 752 small towns sprawled across Australia and determined which are the best in each state.
The study, which was published by The Australian, considered criteria like unemployment, median income, technical skills and university education from the 2021 census to ascertain the winners.
The study used to following criteria to determine which towns were chosen:
- Earn more than $1,282 per a week household median income.
- Less than 5.1 per cent unemployment.
- More than 15 per cent attained university education.
- More than 36 per cent with technical (trade) skill.
- More than 12 per cent workforce owner/manager.
- No less than 14 per cent born overseas.
- At least 17 per cent volunteer.
- At least 14 per cent provide unpaid care e.g., for example to a relative.
- More than 59 per cent have no long-term health condition.
- More than 6.5 hours per a week in unpaid domestic housework.
Bernard Salt, founder of The Demographics Group, who led the study, said: “In the modern era, say the 2020s and beyond, I think that small-town Australia, as well as big-city Australia, needs skills, training, entrepreneurial energy and a measure of diversity to deliver opportunity to residents.”
He added that all of the winning towns have certain things in common and that the results show what Australians value when it comes to location.
“What this exercise shows is that across the continent Australians want more or less the same thing when it comes to living in a small town: proximity to a capital or major regional city; a tree-change or a sea-change environment; or, better still, all three criteria jammed within a single location offering views and amenity,” he said.
Top Towns in Each State:
Love Travel?
Get the latest Travel news, features, updates and giveaways straight to your inbox Learn more
NSW: Kiama
Northern Territory: Nhulunbuy
Queensland: Tamborine Mountain
South Australia: Mount Barker
Western Australia: Dunsborough
Victoria: Bright
Tasmania: Legana
For more on this topic, follow the Travel Observer.
