Queanbeyan
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Queanbeyan's population was 11,342 people as of Aug 2021. By Aug 2025, the population is around 11,388, an increase of 46 people (0.4%). This change is inferred from ABS estimated resident population of 11,376 in June 2024 and 54 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density ratio is 2,392 persons per square kilometer, placing Queanbeyan in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 73.4% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections are used, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Queanbeyan's population is forecasted to increase by 3,295 persons, recording a gain of 28.8% in total over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Queanbeyan is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Queanbeyan has averaged approximately 14 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 73 homes. As of FY26, 63 approvals have been recorded. The population decline in recent years has maintained adequate housing supply relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice. New properties are constructed at an average cost of $427,000, aligning with regional trends.

In the current financial year, there have been $30.7 million in commercial approvals, indicating robust local business investment. Compared to Rest of NSW, Queanbeyan shows significantly reduced construction levels, 84.0% below the regional average per person, which generally supports stronger demand and values for established properties. This activity is also below the national average, suggesting an established market with potential planning limitations. New development consists of 50.0% detached houses and 50.0% attached dwellings, offering affordable entry pathways and attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. The location has approximately 1400 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established market. Population forecasts project Queanbeyan to gain 3,280 residents by 2041.

If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

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

Ten projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area's performance. Key projects include Spotlight Queanbeyan Retail Redevelopment, Yass Road upgrade, Bungendore Road and Ellerton Drive intersection upgrade, Queanbeyan East Public Preschool construction, and 202 Crawford Street Apartments development. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

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Employment performance in Queanbeyan exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Queanbeyan has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in essential services sectors. As of June 2025, the unemployment rate is 2.7%.

In comparison to Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%, Queanbeyan's unemployment rate is 1.0% lower. The workforce participation rate in Queanbeyan is 67.9%, significantly higher than Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Employment among residents is concentrated in public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and construction sectors. Notably, the area has a high specialization in public administration & safety, with an employment share 3.2 times the regional level.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing employs only 0.3% of local workers, significantly lower than Rest of NSW's 5.3%. Despite local employment opportunities, many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census working population to local population data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, Queanbeyan's labour force decreased by 3.6% while employment declined by 4.3%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate of 0.7 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW experienced an employment contraction of 0.1%, labour force growth of 0.3%, and an unemployment increase of 0.4 percentage points during the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project a 6.6% expansion in national employment over five years and 13.7% over ten years. However, growth rates vary significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Queanbeyan's employment mix suggests potential local growth of approximately 6.2% over five years and 12.8% over ten years, though these are simple weighted extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localized population projections.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch reports median taxpayer income in Queanbeyan was $57,952 and average income was $68,228 based on latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022. These figures exceed national averages of $49,459 and $62,998 respectively for Rest of NSW. Applying a 12.61% increase from the Wage Price Index since FY2022, estimated median income in September 2025 is approximately $65,260 and average income is around $76,832. Census data indicates personal income ranks at the 78th percentile ($996 weekly) and household income at the 47th percentile. Income distribution shows 36.1% of individuals earning between $1,500 - 2,999 (4,111 people), consistent with broader regional trends of 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 83.9% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 48th percentile. Queanbeyan's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Queanbeyan displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Queanbeyan's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, comprised 41.8% houses and 58.2% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 74.5% houses and 25.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Queanbeyan was 23.3%, with the rest being mortgaged (32.4%) or rented (44.3%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,700, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $2,167 and the national average of $1,863. The median weekly rent in Queanbeyan was $330, below Non-Metro NSW's $355 and the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 54.7% of all households, including 21.0% couples with children, 22.2% couples without children, and 10.1% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 45.3%, with lone person households at 41.9% and group households comprising 3.4%. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.6.

Educational attainment in Queanbeyan aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

The area's educational profile is notable regionally with university qualification rates at 31.2% for residents aged 15+, exceeding the Rest of NSW average of 21.3%. This rate also surpasses that of the SA4 region at 24.1%, indicating a strong emphasis on higher education in the community. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 17.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 10.5% and graduate diplomas at 2.8%.

Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 31.9% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (10.5%) and certificates (21.4%). Educational participation is high, with 26.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.0% in primary education, 5.4% in tertiary education, and 5.1% pursuing secondary education. Queanbeyan's 5 schools have a combined enrollment reaching 1,385 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1005) offering balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes 3 primary, 1 secondary, and 1 K-12 school. School capacity exceeds residential needs at 12.2 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 10.1, suggesting the area serves as an educational center for the broader region. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Queanbeyan has 56 active public transport stops, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 110 individual routes, collectively facilitating 3,894 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 160 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 556 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 69 weekly trips per stop.

Health performance in Queanbeyan is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across the board, though to a considerably higher degree among older age cohorts

Queanbeyan faces significant health challenges, with common health conditions being somewhat prevalent throughout all age groups but particularly higher among older cohorts. Approximately 54% (~6,115 people) of Queanbeyan's total population has private health cover, compared to 61.0% across the Rest of NSW.

Mental health issues and arthritis are the most common medical conditions in Queanbeyan, affecting 10.2 and 8.5% of residents respectively. About 66.5% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 68.7% across the Rest of NSW. As of 2016, 14.2% (1,614 people) of Queanbeyan's residents are aged 65 and over. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than those in the broader population.

Queanbeyan was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Queanbeyan's population was found to be more culturally diverse compared to most local markets, with 28.3% born overseas and 24.4% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Queanbeyan, accounting for 47.1% of its population. Notably, the 'Other' religious category comprised 3.2% of Queanbeyan's population, higher than the Rest of NSW average of 1.6%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were Australian (23.8%), English (23.2%), and Other (13.0%), with the latter being substantially higher than the regional average of 7.9%. Certain ethnic groups showed notable differences: Macedonian was overrepresented at 2.0% in Queanbeyan compared to 1.5% regionally, Serbian at 0.7% vs 0.6%, and Croatian at 0.9% vs 0.9%.

Queanbeyan's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Queanbeyan is 36 years, which is significantly lower than Rest of NSW's average of 43 years and somewhat younger than Australia's median age of 38 years. The 25-34 age group comprises 22.9% of the population in Queanbeyan, compared to Rest of NSW, while the 65-74 cohort makes up 7.2%. This concentration of the 25-34 age group is well above the national average of 14.5%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 25-34 age group has grown from 20.9% to 22.9%, and the 35-44 cohort has increased from 14.5% to 15.9%. Conversely, the 5-14 cohort has declined from 9.4% to 8.2%, and the 65-74 group has dropped from 8.2% to 7.2%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Queanbeyan. Leading this shift, the 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 42%, adding 1,086 people and reaching a total of 3,694 from the current figure of 2,607. In contrast, the 55-64 cohort shows minimal growth of just 1%, with an increase of only 11 people.