Ask Australians living beyond the major capital cities how they are feeling about life in 2025 and how they engage with their community, and the answers very much depend on their generation.

The 2025 Heartbeat of Australia report, the country's most comprehensive annual study of national sentiment , reveals a profound age divide in how regional Australians view their life in their local community, with older generations reporting significantly higher levels of satisfaction, belonging and optimism than their younger counterparts.

The disparity is visible in everything from housing and volunteering to work and family life, painting a complex portrait of a regional Australia in transition.

Conducted by ACM, publisher of this masthead, in partnership with research agency Australian Regi

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