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, as of August 2025, is approximately 11,388 people. This figure represents an increase of 46 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 11,342 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 11,376 in June 2024 and an additional 54 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,392 persons per square kilometer, placing Queanbeyan in the upper quartile relative to other locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 73.4% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is using ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. Based on demographic trends and latest population numbers, Queanbeyan is forecasted to experience significant population growth in the top quartile of Australian non-metropolitan areas, with an expected expansion of 3,295 persons by 2041, representing a total gain of 28.8% over the 17-year period.

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

Queanbeyan averaged approximately 14 new dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling 73 homes. As of FY26, 63 approvals have been recorded. The population has declined in recent years, yet housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice. New properties are constructed at an average expected 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 activity, 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 development activity is also under the national average, suggesting its established nature and potential planning limitations. New development consists of 50.0% detached houses and 50.0% attached dwellings, favouring compact living that offers affordable entry pathways and attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. The location has approximately 1400 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established market.

Population forecasts project Queanbeyan will gain 3,280 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and driving price growth.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified ten projects likely affecting the region. Notable ones 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. Below are those most relevant.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

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. Its unemployment rate was 2.7% as of June 2025.

The city had 6,825 residents employed at this time, with an unemployment rate 1.0% lower than the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation in Queanbeyan was high at 67.9%, compared to the Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Major employment sectors included public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and construction. Notably, public administration & safety had an employment share 3.2 times higher than the regional level.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing employed only 0.3% of local workers, significantly lower than Rest of NSW's 5.3%. Despite local job opportunities, many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data analysis. Between June 2024 and June 2025, Queanbeyan's labour force decreased by 3.6%, while employment declined by 4.3%, leading to an unemployment rate rise of 0.7 percentage points. This contrasted with the Rest of NSW, where employment contracted by 0.1%, the labour force grew by 0.3%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 indicate potential future demand within Queanbeyan. National employment is projected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates across industry sectors. Applying these projections to Queanbeyan's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.2% over five years and 12.8% over ten years.

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

AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Queanbeyan had a median income among taxpayers of $57,952 and an average level of $68,228. These figures are higher than the national averages of $49,459 and $62,998 for Rest of NSW respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, 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 with a weekly income of $996, while household income sits at the 47th percentile. Income distribution shows that 36.1% of individuals earn between $1,500 and $2,999 per week (4,111 individuals), which is consistent with broader regional trends where 29.9% fall into the same category. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 83.9% of income remaining after housing costs, 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 structures, as per the latest Census, comprised 41.8% houses and 58.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 74.5% houses and 25.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Queanbeyan stood 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 below the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially lower than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 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 comprise 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 university qualification rate is 31.2% among residents aged 15+, surpassing the Rest of NSW average of 21.3%. This rate also exceeds that of the SA4 region at 24.1%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent 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+, with advanced diplomas at 10.5% and certificates at 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 five schools have a combined enrollment of 1,385 students, with an ICSEA score of 1005 indicating balanced educational opportunities. The schools include three primary, one secondary, and one K-12 school. School capacity is high 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.

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 operating within its boundaries. These comprise a mix of train and bus services. There are 110 individual routes servicing these stops, collectively providing 3,894 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 160 meters from the nearest transport stop. 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 prevalent among its residents. Mental health issues affect 10.2% of residents, while arthritis impacts 8.5%.

Approximately 66.5% of residents report no medical ailments. The rate of private health cover is around 54%, compared to 61.0% in the Rest of NSW. This equates to approximately 6,115 people with private health cover in Queanbeyan. The area has 14.2% of residents aged 65 and over, totaling 1,614 people. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than those of 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 showed higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 28.3% born overseas and 24.4% speaking languages other than English at home. Christianity was the dominant religion in Queanbeyan, accounting for 47.1%. The 'Other' religious category had a higher representation in Queanbeyan (3.2%) compared to the rest of NSW (1.6%).

In terms of ancestry, Australian was the top group (23.8%), followed by English (23.2%), and Other (13.0%), which was significantly higher than the regional average of 7.9%. Some ethnic groups showed notable divergences: Macedonian at 2.0% vs 1.5%, 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 below Rest of NSW's average of 43 years and somewhat younger than Australia's median age of 38 years. The 25-34 age group represents 22.9% of the population in Queanbeyan, compared to Rest of NSW's percentage, while the 65-74 cohort is less prevalent at 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 increased from 14.5% to 15.9%. Conversely, the 5-14 age group has declined from 9.4% to 8.2%, and the 65-74 group dropped from 8.2% to 7.2%. Population forecasts for Queanbeyan indicate substantial demographic changes by 2041. 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.