Top towns in each Australian state and territory revealed using 2021 Census data trends now
The best small Australian towns to live in have been revealed with the popular tourist hot spot of Kiama in New South Wales topping the list.
A total of 752 towns that had between 1,000 and 50,000 residents were analysed based on data collected from four million Australians in the 2021 Census.
The extensive criteria used to judge the best town in each state and territory include measuring up the area's prosperity, skills, diversity and wellness.
Specifically, the towns needed to have more than $1,282 in their household weekly income and an unemployment rate less than 5.1 per cent.
The results, collated by The Australian's columnist Bernard Salt, also included towns that had at least 14 per cent of residents born overseas and more than half living without long-term illnesses.
The best small towns to live in each state and territory can be revealed based on the regions' prosperity, skilled workforce, diversity, wellness and lowest unemployment rates (pictured: Kiama, NSW, near Wollongong)
The extensive criteria used to judge the best in each state and territory include the region's prosperity, skills, diversity and wellness (pictured: Queensland's top town Tamborine Mountain)
New South Wales - Kiama
Kiama, which lies just south of Sydney, was ranked the best town in NSW and overall in Australia largely due to its average weekly income for households of $1,752, skills, wellness and percentage of residents who volunteer - 20 per cent.
Sixteen per cent of those living in the beach town were also born overseas.
The area grew by 9 per cent from 2016 to 2021 with the coastal town's population hitting the 23,000 mark in 2023.
Kiama is a coastal town surrounded by pastures and forests about 130km south of Sydney and is a tourism hot spot as thousands gather daily at the Kiama blowhole.
Kiama was ranked the best in NSW
Queensland - Tamborine Mountain
Tamborine Mountain is made up of North Tamborine, Eagle Heights and Mount Tamborine and is nestled on a plateau in the Gold Coast hinterland.
The population of the region is just over 8,000 people, with 27 per cent born overseas.
The percentage of volunteers in the town is at 21, while the population has overall grown by 8 per cent between 2016 and 2021.
The town has a subtropical climate with temperatures often five degrees less than surrounding regions.
It also features a large rainforest.
Tamborine Mountain earned top spot in Queensland with its small population of 8,000 people and subtropical climate
Victoria - Bright
The Victorian town of Bright has ranked as the best town in the state with a population of around 2,500 people.
Bright is known for its consistently warm temperatures and is located
