Regional Australians are more community-minded and feel less stressed and more connected than people living in the big metropolitan cities, even amid continuing cost-of-living pressures.

These are some of the key findings of the latest Heartbeat of Australia report, the country's most comprehensive annual study of national sentiment exploring how Australians - particularly those in regional and rural areas - are feeling about their lives, their communities and the future.

Conducted by ACM, publisher of this masthead, in partnership with specialist research agency Australian Regional Insights and the University of Canberra, the 2025 Heartbeat report is based on a survey of more than 7300 Australians.

The study, now in its fourth year, offers a detailed picture of life, confidence and

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