Evans Head

Population growth drivers in Evans Head are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Evans Head's population, as of Nov 2025, is around 6,078, marking a 435-person increase since the 2021 Census. This growth represents a 7.7% rise from the previous count of 5,643 people. The change is inferred from ABS estimates: 5,918 in June 2024 and an additional 306 validated new addresses post-Census. Population density stands at 11.2 persons per square kilometer. Evans Head's growth exceeded its SA4 region (3.9%) and the Rest of NSW, indicating leadership in regional population increase. Interstate migration drove this growth, contributing approximately 69% of overall gains.

AreaSearch employs ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For uncovered areas, it uses NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 using 2021 as the base year. Applying growth rates by age group from these aggregations to all areas projects Evans Head's population to expand by 917 persons to 2041, reflecting a 12.4% increase over 17 years.

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

Evans Head has recorded approximately 18 residential properties granted approval each year over the past five financial years, totalling 90 homes. In FY26 so far, 10 approvals have been recorded. On average, 4.7 people moved to the area per dwelling built annually between FY21 and FY25. This indicates demand significantly exceeds new supply, potentially leading to price growth and increased buyer competition.

New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $409,000, slightly above the regional average. There have been $7.6 million in commercial approvals this financial year, suggesting limited commercial development focus compared to residential. In relation to Rest of NSW, Evans Head shows approximately half the construction activity per person and places among the 46th percentile nationally for assessed areas, indicating somewhat limited buyer options while strengthening demand for established properties. This activity is also under the national average, suggesting the area's established nature and potential planning limitations.

New development consists of 86.0% detached houses and 14.0% attached dwellings, preserving the area's low density nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. Notably, developers are constructing more detached housing than the existing pattern implies (71.0% at Census), reflecting persistent strong demand for family homes despite densification trends. The estimated count of 364 people in the area per dwelling approval reflects its quiet, low activity development environment. Population forecasts indicate Evans Head will gain 757 residents through to 2041 based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. 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 to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified two projects likely affecting the area: Woodburn Street Mixed-use Precinct at Evans Head (17 McDonald Place) and Iron Gates Residential Release at Evans Head. The Queensland Energy Roadmap 2025 is also mentioned, with details of most relevant projects below.

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

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While Evans Head retains a healthy unemployment rate of 2.9%, recent employment declines have impacted its national performance ranking

Evans Head has a skilled workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. As of September 2025, the unemployment rate is 2.9%. The town's unemployment rate is 0.9% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%, but workforce participation lags at 52.5% compared to Rest of NSW's 61.5%.

According to Census responses, only 13.4% of residents work from home. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction. Notably, education & training has a high concentration with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average. Conversely, public administration & safety is under-represented at 5.4% compared to Rest of NSW's 7.5%.

Local employment opportunities appear limited based on Census data. Over the year to September 2025, labour force levels decreased by 2.1%, and employment declined by 1.5%, causing unemployment to fall by 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment contract by 0.5% with a slight rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Evans Head's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 13.2% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

Evans Head SA2's income level is lower than average nationally according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Evans Head SA2 is $45,021 and the average income stands at $52,906. In comparison, Rest of NSW's figures are $52,390 and $65,215 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Evans Head SA2 would be approximately $49,010 (median) and $57,593 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes in Evans Head all fall between the 8th and 15th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile reveals that 27.9% of the population (1,695 individuals) earn within the $800 - $1,499 range, contrasting with the surrounding region where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket leads at 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Evans Head SA2, with only 83.0% of income remaining, ranking at the 9th percentile nationally.

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

Dwelling structure in Evans Head, as evaluated at the latest Census in 2016, comprised 70.7% houses and 29.3% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings, compared to Non-Metro NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. As of the Census in 2016, home ownership in Evans Head was at 43.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 26.9% and rented dwellings at 29.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,563 as of 2016, which is below the Non-Metro NSW average of $1,733. The median weekly rent figure in Evans Head was recorded at $320 in 2016, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $330. Nationally, Evans Head's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863 as of 2016, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375 in the same year.

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

Family households comprise 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 make up 34.8%, with lone person households at 31.0% and group households comprising 3.4%. The median household size is 2.2 people, 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's university qualification rate is 17.6%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 12.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.9%) and graduate diplomas (2.0%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 42.1% of residents aged 15+ holding them. This includes advanced diplomas (10.2%) and certificates (31.9%).

Educational participation is high, with 27.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This comprises primary education (10.5%), secondary education (8.8%), and tertiary education (2.6%).

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

Transport analysis indicates 183 active public transport stops in Evans Head, consisting of bus services. These stops are served by 19 individual routes, offering a total of 259 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 218 meters from the nearest stop. As a primarily residential area, most commuting is outward-bound. The dominant mode of transport is car at 90%, with 6% walking. Vehicle ownership averages 1.4 per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 13.4% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 37 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately one weekly trip per individual stop. The map provided shows the 100 nearest stops to the location centrepoint.

Evans Head's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Health data for Evans Head shows positive outcomes overall, with mortality rates and health conditions similar to national averages. Common health conditions are relatively low among the general population but higher among older, at-risk groups. Private health cover is low, with approximately 46% of residents (~2814 people) having it, compared to 51.9% in Rest of NSW and a national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent conditions are arthritis (12.1%) and mental health issues (9%). 59.6% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 63.3% in Rest of NSW. Working-age residents face significant chronic condition challenges. Evans Head has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 29.2% (1777 people), compared to 23.0% in Rest of NSW. Senior health outcomes present some challenges but rank lower nationally than the broader population.

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. The predominant religion in Evans Head is Christianity, which accounts for 53.6% of the population, compared to 55.9% across Rest of NSW. In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups are English (31.6%), Australian (31.4%), and Irish (10.0%).

Notably, Scottish ancestry is overrepresented at 9.4%, compared to 8.0% regionally; Australian Aboriginal ancestry stands at 4.1%, versus 4.6%; and New Zealand ancestry is present at 0.7%, compared to the regional average of 0.4%.

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

Evans Head has a median age of 49, which is higher than both the Rest of NSW figure at 43 and Australia's median age of 38. The 65-74 age group is notably over-represented in Evans Head at 16.5%, compared to the Rest of NSW average of 12.5%. This is also higher than the national average of 9.4%. Between 2021 and present, the 75-84 age group has increased from 7.8% to 9.6% of the population. Conversely, the 5-14 age group has decreased from 11.2% to 10.3%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Evans Head's age structure. The 75-84 age cohort is projected to grow by 213 people (37%), from 582 to 796. In contrast, population declines are projected for the 5-14 and 15-24 cohorts.