Queanbeyan

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

Queanbeyan's population is around 11,385 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 43 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 11,342 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 11,373 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 54 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2,391 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 73.4% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, as released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. A significant population increase in the top quartile of Australian non-metropolitan areas is forecast, with the area expected to expand by 3,295 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting 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, 65 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.

This financial year has seen $30.7 million in commercial approvals, indicating robust local business investment. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Queanbeyan shows significantly reduced construction levels, with 84.0% below the regional average per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established properties. The area's activity is also below the national average, suggesting its established nature and 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. With approximately 1400 people per dwelling approval, Queanbeyan demonstrates an established market.

According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the population is forecasted to grow by 3,283 residents through to 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag behind population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price growth.

Queanbeyan has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 41stth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified ten projects expected to influence the region. Notable initiatives include Spotlight Queanbeyan Retail Redevelopment, Yass Road upgrade, Bungendore Road and Ellerton Drive intersection improvement, Queanbeyan East Public Preschool construction, and 202 Crawford Street Apartments development. The following list details those 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 well-educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 2.7% as of June 2025.

In that month, 6,825 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate 1.0% lower than the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation was higher at 67.9%, compared to the Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Employment is concentrated in public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and construction. The area has a particular specialization in public administration & safety, with an employment share 3.2 times the regional level.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing employs only 0.3% of local workers, below the Rest of NSW's 5.3%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, the labour force decreased by 3.6%, while employment declined by 4.3%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.7 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment contract by 0.1%, with a labour force growth of 0.3% and an unemployment rate increase of 0.4 percentage points. State-level data from Nov-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%, compared to the national rate of 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's forecasts from May-25 estimate national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Queanbeyan's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.2% over five years and 12.8% over ten years, assuming constant population projections for illustrative purposes.

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

In Queanbeyan SA2, based on AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022, the median income among taxpayers was $57,952 and the average was $68,228. These figures exceed national averages of $49,459 and $62,998 respectively in Rest of NSW. Considering a 12.61% increase since financial year 2022 via Wage Price Index growth, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $65,260 (median) and $76,832 (average). Census data indicates personal income ranks at the 78th percentile ($996 weekly), while household income is at the 47th percentile. Income distribution shows that 36.1% of individuals (4,109 people) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band, aligning with broader regional trends of 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 83.9% of income remaining, ranking at the 48th percentile. The area'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 structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 41.8% houses and 58.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro NSW's 74.5% houses and 25.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Queanbeyan was at 23.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 32.4% and rented ones at 44.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,700, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $2,167. The median weekly rent in Queanbeyan was $330, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $355. Nationally, Queanbeyan's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,700 against Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households comprise 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, 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 university qualification rate is 31.2%, exceeding the Rest of NSW average of 21.3% and the SA4 region average of 24.1%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 17.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (10.5%) and graduate diplomas (2.8%). Vocational credentials are held by 31.9% of residents aged 15+, 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.

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, serving a mix of train and bus routes. These stops are serviced by 110 individual routes, providing a total of 3,894 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from residents to the nearest transport stop is 160 meters, indicating excellent accessibility.

Service frequency averages 556 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 69 weekly trips per individual 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 somewhat prevalent across all age groups, but notably higher among older cohorts. Approximately 54% of Queanbeyan's total population (~6,113 people) has private health cover, compared to 61.0% in 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 claim to be completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 68.7% in the rest of NSW. As of 2016, 14.2% of Queanbeyan's residents are aged 65 and over (1,614 people). Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than those for the broader population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Queanbeyan was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Queanbeyan, as per the findings, exhibited greater cultural diversity than most local areas, with 28.3% of its residents born overseas and 24.4% using a language other than English at home. Christianity emerged as the predominant religion in Queanbeyan, composing 47.1% of its population. Notably, the 'Other' religious category comprised 3.2% of Queanbeyan's population, outpacing 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 significantly higher than the regional average of 7.9%. Specifically, Macedonian (2.0% vs 1.5%), Serbian (0.7% vs 0.6%), and Croatian (0.9% vs 0.9%) groups showed notable representation in Queanbeyan compared to regional averages.

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 and somewhat younger than Australia's median age of 38. The age group of 25-34 years shows strong representation at 22.9% compared to Rest of NSW, while the 65-74 cohort is less prevalent at 7.2%. This 25-34 concentration is well above the national average of 14.5%. Post-2021 Census data indicates that the 25 to 34 age group has grown from 20.9% to 22.9%, while the 35 to 44 cohort increased from 14.5% to 15.9%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort has declined from 9.4% to 8.2% and the 65 to 74 group dropped from 8.2% to 7.2%. Population forecasts for Queanbeyan indicate substantial demographic changes by 2041. Leading this shift, the 25 to 34 age group is projected to grow by 42%, reaching 3,694 people from 2,607. In contrast, the 55 to 64 cohort shows minimal growth of just 1%, increasing by only 12 people.