Regional Australians are emerging as one of the country’s most powerful consumer segments, contributing $250 billion annually and outspending metro counterparts across key everyday categories, according to new data.
The findings come from the inaugural Boomtown Spend Snapshot, a joint report from CommBank iQ and Boomtown, which analysed transaction data from more than 17 million Australians.
Regional spend dominates everyday categories
The report found regional consumers consistently outspend metro Australians across groceries, petrol, home and lifestyle categories, with stronger per capita spend and faster growth in several sectors.
Groceries alone account for $56.2 billion in regional spend, representing a 38% share nationally, with regional shoppers spending 13% more per checkout.
Lifestyle and streaming surge
Lifestyle spending is also outpacing metro areas, with regional Australians spending 18% more on recreational goods and 38% more on outdoor and active lifestyle categories.
Streaming is another growth area, with regional consumers accounting for 36% of spend and recording 18% year-on-year growth.
Home and auto categories boom
Regional Australians contributed 46% of national hardware and garden spend, alongside higher growth rates than metro areas, reflecting larger homes and ongoing maintenance needs.
They also dominate auto and fuel spending, accounting for more than 40% of national spend, with per capita car-related costs significantly higher than metro consumers.
Travel spend leads
Regional Australians also travel more frequently and spend more per trip, contributing 39% of national travel spend and 41% of cruise spend.
Industry reaction
Makenna Ralston, CEO of CommBank iQ, said the data highlights a major shift in consumer power.
“Our partnership with Boomtown for this landmark report into the spending habits of regional Australia has lifted the veil for the first time on the economic powerhouse that is Boomtown. Regional Australia represents a third of the economy and, in many categories, the most valuable third,” she said.
Ralston added that this audience spends with intent.
“The data shows that Boomtown delivers disproportionate spend across key food, home, lifestyle, travel, auto, and fuel categories, consistently accounting for a greater share of national spend.”
Andrew ‘Billy’ Baxter: “The ‘big money’ doesn’t just live in the big cities – national strategies now must include regional weight.”
Boomtown Chairman, Andrew Baxter, added that brands are still underinvesting in regional audiences.
“Regional isn’t incremental – it’s structurally embedded in our economy and represents a significant share of every major state economy,” he said.
“In categories where almost half the spend comes from outside capital cities – and is growing – regional investment is essential to defend and grow market share.”
The report also found that regional and metro consumers are now digitally on par, with increasing online and in-store shopping behaviour driven by improved connectivity.
Top Image: Boomtown