Evans Head
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in Evans Head are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Evans Head's population was around 6,199 as of Aug 2025. This reflected an increase of 556 people (9.9%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,643 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 5,918 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 301 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equated to a density ratio of 11.4 persons per square kilometer. Evans Head's 9.9% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region (3.2%), along with the non-metro area, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by interstate migration that contributed approximately 69.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on demographic trends and latest population numbers, an above median population growth of national regional areas is projected. The area is expected to expand by 917 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 10.3% in total over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Evans Head when compared nationally

Evans Head has granted approximately 18 residential property approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 90 homes. As of FY26, 8 approvals have been recorded. On average, 4.7 people moved to the area each year for every dwelling built between FY21 and FY25. This high demand exceeds new supply, leading to price growth and increased buyer competition.

New properties are constructed at an average cost of $478,000. In FY26, $7.6 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating the area's residential character. Compared to the rest of NSW, Evans Head records roughly half the building activity per person and ranks among the 46th percentile nationally, resulting in relatively constrained buyer choice and supporting interest in existing dwellings. This level is below the national average, suggesting the area's established nature and potential planning limitations.

New building activity consists of 86.0% standalone homes and 14.0% medium to high-density housing, maintaining Evans Head's traditional low-density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. Developers are building more traditional houses than the current mix suggests (71.0% at Census), indicating continued strong demand for family homes despite density pressures. The estimated count of 364 people in the area per dwelling approval reflects its quiet, low activity development environment. Future projections show Evans Head adding 636 residents by 2041. Construction is maintaining a reasonable pace with projected growth, although buyers could encounter growing competition as population increases.

Evans Head has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified two projects that could affect this region: Woodburn Street Mixed-use Precinct at 17 McDonald Place, Evans Head; Iron Gates Residential Release, also in Evans Head; Queensland Energy Roadmap Infrastructure; and the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan. These are the most relevant projects.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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AreaSearch analysis indicates Evans Head maintains employment conditions that align with national benchmarks

Evans Head has a skilled workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 2.5% as of June 2025.

The area had an unemployment rate 1.2% lower than the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation was at 48.7%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction. Notably, education & training has a strong specialization with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level.

Conversely, public administration & safety is under-represented at 5.4% compared to Rest of NSW's 7.5%. Limited local employment opportunities are suggested by the Census working population vs resident population count. Between June 2024 and June 2025, Evans Head's labour force decreased by 4.8% while employment declined by 3.6%, leading to a 1.2 percentage point drop in unemployment rate. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates across industry sectors. Applying these projections to Evans Head's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.3% over five years and 13.2% over ten years.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that Evans Head has lower income compared to national averages. The median income is $42,267 and the average is $50,427. This contrasts with Rest of NSW's median income of $49,459 and average income of $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $47,597 (median) and $56,786 (average). According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Evans Head fall between the 9th and 15th percentiles nationally. Income distribution shows that the $800 - $1,499 bracket dominates with 27.9% of residents (1,729 people), unlike metropolitan regions where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket leads at 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Evans Head, with only 83.0% of income remaining, ranking at the 10th percentile nationally.

Evans Head is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

The dwelling structure in Evans Head, as per the latest Census, consisted of 70.7% houses and 29.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro NSW's 75.1% houses and 24.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Evans Head was at 43.6%, similar to Non-Metro NSW. The remaining dwellings were either mortgaged (26.9%) or rented (29.5%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,563, below Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,980. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $320, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $450. Nationally, Evans Head's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Evans Head features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 65.2% of all households, including 20.7% couples with children, 32.9% couples without children, and 10.9% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 34.8%, with lone person households at 31.0% and group households comprising 3.4%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

Educational outcomes in Evans Head fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area has educational challenges, with university qualification rates at 17.6%, significantly below the NSW average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 12.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.9%) and graduate diplomas (2.0%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 42.1% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (10.2%) and certificates (31.9%).

Educational participation is high, with 27.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.5% in primary education, 8.8% in secondary education, and 2.6% pursuing tertiary education. Evans Head's 4 schools have a combined enrollment of 770 students as of the latest data available. The area demonstrates typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 960) with balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes 3 primary schools and 1 K-12 school.

Transport servicing is low compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

The analysis of public transportation in Evans Head indicates that there are currently 172 active transport stops operating within the area. These stops service a mix of bus routes, with a total of 19 individual routes providing weekly passenger trips amounting to 248. The average distance between residents and their nearest transport stop is 226 meters, indicating good accessibility.

On average, there are 35 trips per day across all routes, translating to approximately one weekly trip per individual stop.

Health performance in Evans Head is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Evans Head faces significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low at approximately 46%, covering around 2863 people, compared to 52.3% in Rest of NSW and a national average of 55.3%. The most common conditions are arthritis (12.1%) and mental health issues (9.2%), while 59.6% report no medical ailments, lower than the 68.0% in Rest of NSW.

The area has 29.2%, or around 1813 people aged 65 and over, higher than the 23.6% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present challenges but perform better than the general population in health metrics.

The latest Census data sees Evans Head placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Evans Head's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 88.5% of its population being citizens, 91.9% born in Australia, and 97.3% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion in Evans Head, comprising 53.6%, compared to 42.2% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were English (31.6%), Australian (31.4%), and Irish (10.0%).

Notably, Scottish representation was higher at 9.4%, Australian Aboriginal at 4.1%, and New Zealand at 0.7%.

Evans Head hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Evans Head has a median age of 49, which is higher than Rest of NSW's figure of 43 and Australia's national average of 38 years. Comparing Evans Head with Rest of NSW, the 65-74 age cohort is notably over-represented at 16.5% locally, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 8.4%. This concentration of the 65-74 cohort is significantly higher than the national average of 9.4%. Between 2021 and present, the 75 to 84 age group has increased from 7.8% to 9.6% of Evans Head's population. Conversely, the 5 to 14 age group has decreased from 11.2% to 10.3%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Evans Head's age structure. The 75 to 84 age cohort is projected to grow by 202 people (34%), increasing from 593 to 796. In contrast, population declines are projected for the 5 to 14 and 15 to 24 age groups.