Queanbeyan Surrounds

Queanbeyan Surrounds lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Queanbeyan Surrounds's population is around 17,874 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,335 people (8.1%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 16,539 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 17,664 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 913 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 5.9 persons per square kilometer, providing ample space per person. Queanbeyan Surrounds's 8.1% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region (5.2%) and the Rest of NSW, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by interstate migration, which contributed approximately 46.5% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers, including natural growth and overseas migration, were positive factors.

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. As we examine future population trends, a significant population increase in the top quartile of regional areas across the nation is forecast, with the area expected to expand by 7,469 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 40.6% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Queanbeyan Surrounds among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Queanbeyan Surrounds has experienced around 189 dwellings receiving development approval each year, with 946 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 75 so far in FY-26. With an average of 1.7 people per year moving to the area for each dwelling built over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), the market shows a good balance between supply and demand, supporting stable conditions, while new properties are constructed at an average value of $454,000, demonstrating a developer focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. Additionally, $580,000 in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, indicating minimal commercial development activity.

Compared to the Rest of NSW, Queanbeyan Surrounds records somewhat elevated construction (43.0% above regional average per person over the 5 year period), maintaining good buyer choice while supporting existing property values. This is well above average nationally, reflecting strong developer confidence in the area. New development consists of 91.0% detached houses and 9.0% attached dwellings, maintaining the area's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. The location has approximately 81 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market.

Future projections show Queanbeyan Surrounds adding 7,259 residents by 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

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

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 341 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include South Jerrabomberra (Tralee) Estate, Kings Highway Upgrades, Googong Hotel, and Googong Public High School, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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.

The exceptional employment performance in Queanbeyan Surrounds places it among Australia's strongest labour markets

Queanbeyan Surrounds features a well-educated workforce, with essential services sectors well represented, and an unemployment rate of just 0.7%. As of December 2025, 10,218 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 3.2% below Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%, and workforce participation is well beyond standard (72.4% compared to Regional NSW's 61.3%). Based on Census responses, a moderate 15.3% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Employment among residents is concentrated in public administration & safety, construction, and professional & technical services. The area shows particularly strong specialization in public administration & safety, with an employment share of 3.5 times the regional level. Meanwhile, health care & social assistance has a limited presence with 8.4% employment compared to 16.9% regionally. The area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of the Census working population versus the resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 4.4% combined with employment decreasing by 4.4%, with unemployment remaining essentially unchanged. This compares to Regional NSW, where employment fell by 1.2%, labour force contracted by 0.8%, and unemployment rose 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Queanbeyan Surrounds. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Queanbeyan Surrounds's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.1% over five years and 12.5% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for FY-23, the Queanbeyan Surrounds SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $71,777 with the average level standing at $84,254. This is among the highest in Australia and compares to levels of $52,390 and $65,215 across Regional NSW respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $78,136 (median) and $91,719 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Queanbeyan Surrounds, between the 93rd and 96th percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate the $4000+ bracket dominates with 32.4% of residents (5,791 people), differing from patterns across the metropolitan region where $1,500 - 2,999 dominates with 29.9%. Economic strength emerges through 48.8% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. After housing costs, residents retain 88.1% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Queanbeyan Surrounds is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Dwelling structure within Queanbeyan Surrounds, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 98.1% houses and 1.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Queanbeyan Surrounds was slightly lagging that of Regional NSW, at 35.8%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (54.2%) or rented (9.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well above the Regional NSW average at $2,417, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $465, compared to Regional NSW's $1,733 and $330. Nationally, Queanbeyan Surrounds's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially above the national figure of $375.

Queanbeyan Surrounds features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households dominate at 84.8% of all households, comprising 42.0% couples with children, 34.7% couples without children, and 7.3% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 15.2%, with lone person households at 14.2% and group households comprising 1.2% of the total. The median household size of 2.9 people is larger than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

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

Educational attainment in Queanbeyan Surrounds significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 33.3% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 21.3% in Rest of NSW and 24.1% in the SA4 region. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 19.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (9.8%) and graduate diplomas (4.2%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 35.9% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (12.3%) and certificates (23.6%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 30.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.9% in primary education, 9.2% in secondary education, and 4.5% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 334 active transport stops operating within Queanbeyan Surrounds, comprising a mix of trains and buses. These stops are serviced by 73 individual routes, collectively providing 953 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 368 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward, and the car remains the dominant mode at 96%. Vehicle ownership averages 2.3 per dwelling, which is above the regional average. Some 15.3% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 136 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 2 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map shows the 100 nearest stops to the location centrepoint.

Queanbeyan Surrounds's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Queanbeyan Surrounds, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both young and old age cohorts show low prevalence of common health conditions, and the rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 62% of the total population (11,010 people). This compares to 51.9% across Regional NSW, while the national average is 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, impacting 8.9% and 8.2% of residents, respectively, while 68.3% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. Working-age residents show an above average prevalence of chronic health conditions. The area has 16.4% of residents aged 65 and over (2,925 people), which is lower than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Queanbeyan Surrounds is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Queanbeyan Surrounds was found to be below average in terms of cultural diversity, with 86.5% of its population born in Australia, 92.5% being citizens, and 94.9% speaking English only at home. The main religion in Queanbeyan Surrounds is Christianity, which makes up 51.7% of the population. This compares to 55.9% across Regional NSW.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Queanbeyan Surrounds are Australian, comprising 30.4% of the population, English, comprising 29.3% of the population, and Irish, comprising 9.8% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Macedonian is notably overrepresented at 0.3% of Queanbeyan Surrounds (vs 0.4% regionally), Scottish at 8.6% (vs 8.0%) and Dutch at 1.5% (vs 1.0%).

Queanbeyan Surrounds's median age exceeds the national pattern

At 41 years, Queanbeyan Surrounds's median age is somewhat lower than the Regional NSW average of 43 yet modestly exceeds the 38-year national average. The 45 - 54 age group shows strong representation at 13.9% compared to Regional NSW, whereas the 75 - 84 cohort is less prevalent at 5.1%. Post-2021 Census data shows the 35 to 44 age group has grown from 12.6% to 13.7% of the population, while the 75 to 84 cohort increased from 4.0% to 5.1%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 16.3% to 13.9% and the 55 to 64 group dropped from 15.5% to 13.8%. Demographic modeling suggests Queanbeyan Surrounds's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 35 to 44 cohort shows the strongest projected growth at 55%, adding 1,350 residents to reach 3,801.