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This analysis uses ABS Statistical Areas Level 2 (SA2) boundaries, which can materially differ from Suburbs and Localities (SAL) even when sharing similar names.
SA2 boundaries are defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and are designed to represent communities for statistical reporting (e.g., census and ERP).
Suburbs and Localities (SAL) represent commonly-used suburb/locality names (postal-style areas) and may use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
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ABS ERP | -- people | --
2021 Census | -- people
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Atherton has an estimated 12,681 residents, up from 11,625 at the 2021 Census — a change of 1,056 people, or 9.1%. Growth has averaged 1.3% a year over five years. 484 new addresses have been validated here since Census night. Interstate and internal migration accounts for 55.7% of that increase. Density is about 54 people per square kilometre. Population is estimated from ABS Estimated Resident Population releases and GNAF address data, re-based from the 2021 Census and updated annually.
Detail
According to research by AreaSearch, the resident count in Atherton stands at roughly 12,681 as of Aug 2026. This represents an addition of 1,056 people (9.1%) compared to the 11,625 people documented in the 2021 Census. Such growth is calculated using the ABS estimated resident population figure of 12,472 recorded as of June 2025 alongside 484 validated new addresses added post-Census. With this total, the locality records a population density of 53 persons per square kilometer, ensuring considerable room per resident. Expanding by 9.1% from the 2021 census, Atherton outperformed both the broader SA3 area (7.6%) and the SA4 region, positioning it at the forefront of regional expansion.
Inward interstate migration served as the primary growth catalyst, generating roughly 55.7% of all net population additions over recent timeframes. SA2 geographic projections produced by ABS/Geoscience Australia (issued in 2024 with a 2022 baseline) form the foundation of AreaSearch's modeling. Wherever local SA2 data is unavailable, or for years beyond 2032, Queensland State Government projections published in 2023 (utilising 2021 numbers) are implemented instead. Because state-level datasets lack detailed age distribution breakdowns, AreaSearch applies proportional adjustments matching the ABS Greater Capital Region age projections (published in 2023 from 2022 figures). Looking forward, the locality is forecast to experience expansion exceeding the median across regional non-metropolitan Australia, gaining 1,521 persons by 2041 relative to latest annual ERP statistics, which translates to a cumulative increase of 10.3% across the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
339 new dwellings have been approved in Atherton over the past five years, an average of 67 a year. That places the area in the 74th percentile for residential development activity nationally, about 5 approvals per 1,000 residents a year. Of the 68 dwellings approved in the latest reporting year, 85% were detached houses and the rest townhouses or apartments. Figures come from ABS building approvals aggregated to this SA2 boundary and are updated monthly as the ABS releases them.
Detail
Residential building authorisations in Atherton have run at approximately 67 dwellings per year, culminating in 339 homes throughout the last 5 financial years. The local market added an average of 2.4 new residents per year for each dwelling over the past 5 financial years (between FY-22 and FY-26), underscoring steady structural demand that underwrites real estate values. The average anticipated construction cost per dwelling stands at $334,000, sitting below regional benchmarks and pointing to accessible price points for incoming construction. Alongside residential works, commercial permits have reached $88.6 million in the current financial year, highlighting substantial commercial development underway locally.
Relative to Rest of Qld, building activity in Atherton runs at a moderately elevated pace (tracking 10.0% above regional average per person over the 5 year period), which supports property pricing while ensuring ongoing housing variety. Detached houses account for 85.0% of this recent building activity, while medium and high-density housing represents 15.0%, preserving the traditional low-density residential feel while prioritizing standalone family residences suited to lifestyle seekers. With an average of roughly 209 people per approval, Atherton exhibits characteristics typical of an evolving property market. Projections indicate that Atherton's headcount will rise by 1,312 residents through to 2041, based on the latest quarterly figures from AreaSearch. If building activity maintains its trajectory, local housing additions appear well placed to meet incoming demand, supporting favorable market conditions for purchasers and potentially facilitating expansion beyond baseline expectations.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Atherton
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| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
|---|
SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks 5 current infrastructure and development projects inside Atherton, worth an estimated $144 million. A further 58 sit in the immediately surrounding suburbs, taking the tracked pipeline within reach of the area to $7.7 billion. 22 are already under construction and 27 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans residential development, transport & logistics and environmental & disaster management. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
Capital works, town planning, and public infrastructure upgrades play a central role in shaping local area performance. AreaSearch has pinpointed 5 key projects positioned to influence the district, highlighted by the Atherton Large Format Retail Precinct, Tolga Main Street Shopping Centre, Priors Creek Development, and Atherton Hospital Redevelopment.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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.
Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Atherton Large Format Retail Precinct
A major retail development spanning 16,400sqm designed to revitalize the Tablelands economy. The precinct features a new Bunnings Warehouse as the anchor tenant, alongside a Harvey Norman and other national large-format retailers. The project includes specialized showrooms, hardware supplies, and garden centers with over 400 parking spaces. It is situated adjacent to the John Cole Toyota dealership and is expected to create over 160 permanent jobs while significantly reducing retail leakage to Cairns.
Priors Creek Parklands
Priors Creek Parklands is a major Atherton CBD precinct revitalisation led by Tablelands Regional Council. The project is transforming a former rail corridor into a family-focused parklands and mixed-use destination with an open-air amphitheatre and main stage, nature walk trail, public amenities, fitness and leisure areas, shared paths, event spaces, and future opportunities for commercial development, hotel accommodation, retail, and food and beverage uses. Main parkland works are mostly complete, with surrounding road, parking, traffic flow, and staged opening works continuing ahead of the official opening events on 10-11 July 2026.
Tolga Main Street Shopping Centre
A small-scale neighbourhood shopping centre proposed by Tom Hedley's HEDZ Constructions Pty Ltd, comprising two single-storey buildings with four retail tenancies delivered across two stages. Stage 1 will see three tenancies built at the front of the site, with a fourth tenancy at the rear forming Stage 2. The development includes 12 on-site car parking spaces. As the site sits within 100 metres of the Kennedy Highway, the Department of Transport and Main Roads is providing assessment input on the impact at the highway intersection with Main Street.The application is being assessed by Tablelands Regional Council.
Atherton Hospital Redevelopment
The $86.4 million redevelopment of Atherton Hospital delivered modern healthcare infrastructure for the Tablelands region. Key components include a new four-storey Clinical Services Building housing a state-of-the-art emergency department, medical imaging, maternity services with birth suites, operating and endoscopy theatres, and a sterilising unit. The project also delivered a Community, Allied and Mental Health Building, a new helipad, and an engineering services building. A final $12.9 million stage involving the refurbishment of the existing South Ward was initiated in late 2025 to further boost oncology services and inpatient capacity.
Vernon Apartments
A three-storey mixed-use development providing 27 affordable rental units (12 one-bedroom and 15 two-bedroom) with ground-floor commercial premises for potential food outlets, offices, shops, or healthcare services, complementing the adjacent Priors Creek Development.
Mareeba Solar Farm
A 72MW ground-mounted solar photovoltaic facility spanning 110 hectares on the Atherton Tablelands. The project utilizes approximately 196,000 solar modules to generate 147GWh of clean energy annually, enough to power over 18,000 homes. Developed by ACE Power in partnership with Osaka Gas Energy Oceania, it connects to the grid via the nearby Turkinje Substation.
Haren Street Residential Aged Care Facility
The Haren Street Residential Aged Care Facility is an approved 120-bed single-level aged care development designed across a 2.89-hectare site in Mareeba, North Queensland. Proposed by Croft Developments Pty Ltd, the facility comprises four distinct 30-bed residential wings, specialized memory and dementia support units, nurse stations, dining hubs, and landscaped courtyards. The development application was approved by Mareeba Shire Council and stands shovel-ready.
Mareeba Research Facility Upgrades
Upgrade of fruit handling laboratories at Mareeba research facility, enabling scientists to provide research services to expanding and new horticultural industries. Part of Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries infrastructure program.
5,616 residents of Atherton are employed, from a labour force of 5,940. Unemployment sits at 5.5%, with participation at 56.6%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 5.8% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Atherton features a capable workforce with pronounced representation across community and essential services, alongside an unemployment rate of 5.5%. As of March 2026, employed locals number 5,616, with joblessness tracking 1.5% higher than the Regional Qld benchmark of 3.9%. Furthermore, local labor force participation of 56.6% trails the 64.2% registered across Regional Qld. Census records show that only 8.8% of employed persons worked from home, though historical pandemic restrictions may have influenced these figures. Local employment is predominantly concentrated within health care & social assistance, agriculture, forestry & fishing, and retail trade.
Primary production is particularly prominent, with agriculture, forestry & fishing holding a concentration 3.0 times the regional average. Conversely, construction accounts for a smaller share of employment, engaging 7.7% of Atherton's workers compared to 10.1% across Regional Qld. Although internal employment options exist, Census comparisons between resident workers and local jobs suggest a substantial volume of residents travel outside the area for employment. Analysis of ABS and SALM records by AreaSearch indicates that over the 12 months to March 2026, the local workforce contracted by 2.0% as total jobs fell by 4.4%, pushing unemployment up by 2.4 percentage points. By contrast, Regional Qld saw jobs rise 0.1%, the workforce grow 0.3%, and unemployment increase by 0.1 percentage points. National employment modeling for Mar-26 from Jobs and Skills Australia provides broad guidance on anticipated workforce requirements. Across Australia, workforce numbers are projected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with performance varying widely across sectors. Applying these industry growth rates to the existing Atherton industry distribution suggests potential local employment increases of 5.8% over five years and 12.5% over ten years (noting this is a weighted baseline extrapolation that excludes localized demographic modeling).
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Atherton is $1,208 a week (about $63,000 a year), with median personal income at $668 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $46,089 a year against an average of $56,567. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
ATO taxation statistics released at postcode level for financial year 2023 show Atherton SA2 taxpayers generating a median income of $46,089 and an average of $56,567, trailing national figures as well as Regional Qld's median of $53,146 and average of $66,593. Factoring in Wage Price Index movement of 11.36% since financial year 2023 yields updated estimates of roughly $51,325 for median earnings and $62,993 on average as of March 2026. Across personal, family, and household levels, Census earnings in Atherton align between the 13th and 22nd percentiles nationwide. The single largest earnings bracket encompasses 29.1% of residents (3,690 people) within the $1,500 - 2,999 range, mirroring the wider regional proportion of 31.7%.
Residual income after meeting accommodation obligations stands at 85.3%, placing the district at the 16th percentile across the country.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Atherton had 4,499 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 87% detached houses and 5% apartments. 27% are owned with a mortgage, 31% rented and 42% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $280 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,460 a month. Rent absorbs 23.2% of household income here and mortgage repayments 27.9%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
The local housing stock at the most recent Census was composed of 86.7% houses and 13.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Regional Qld where detached dwellings represented 76.4% and alternate formats comprised 23.6%. Outright property ownership reached 42.2%, substantially exceeding regional levels, while remaining residences were either being purchased under a mortgage (27.1%) or rented (30.7%). Typical monthly home loan payments were $1,460, well below the Regional Qld norm of $1,655, while weekly median rental payments settled at $280 compared with $345 regionally. On a nationwide scale, local mortgage repayments sit considerably beneath the Australian benchmark of $1,863, and weekly rents are markedly lower than the national median of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Atherton counted 4,499 households at the 2021 Census, an estimated 4,908 today, averaging 2.3 people each. 22% are couples with children, fewer than in 82% of areas nationally, against 32% couples without children. 31% of households are people living alone, and families average 1.9 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Families constitute 65.8% of all households in the district, comprising couples without children (31.6%), couples with children (21.7%), and single parent families (11.6%). Non-family living arrangements account for the remaining 34.2%, with lone person households representing 30.8% and group households making up 3.2%. The typical household consists of 2.3 people, which is smaller than the 2.5 average across Regional Qld.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
17.3% of adults in Atherton hold a university qualification, including 12.6% with a bachelor degree and 2.5% with postgraduate qualifications. A further 31.1% hold a vocational qualification. 6 schools serve the area, with 2,499 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 986 against a national benchmark of 1,000. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census; school enrolments, ICSEA and results come from ACARA's current release.
Detail
Attainment figures show that 17.3% of local residents hold higher education degrees, lagging behind the nationwide proportion of 30.4%. Within tertiary qualifications, bachelor degrees account for 12.6%, postgraduate credentials represent 2.5%, and graduate diplomas make up 2.2%. Vocational education is strongly represented, with 41.5% of residents aged 15+ holding technical qualifications, split between advanced diplomas (10.4%) and certificates (31.1%). A total of 28.9% of the local population is actively engaged in formal study. Primary schooling accounts for 11.4% of residents, secondary education involves 9.9%, and 2.6% are enrolled in higher education programs.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Getting around Atherton means driving: households keep an average of 1.4 vehicles, and no scheduled public transport appears in the current timetable feeds. Service data is built from operators' published GTFS timetables; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
66.3% of residents in Atherton report no long-term health condition. 6.6% need daily assistance with core activities, and 47.5% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 5.9 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
Community health indicators in Atherton align closely with broader Australian benchmarks regarding general disease incidence and mortality. Incidence rates for common ailments remain unremarkable across both younger and older cohorts, while private hospital cover is held by only approximately 48% of the total population (~6,023 people). This level is lower than the 52.5% documented for Regional Qld and the Australian benchmark of 55.7%. Arthritis and mental health conditions represent the most frequently reported diagnoses in the district, affecting 9.0 and 7.8% of residents, respectively, while 66.3% of the community reported having no diagnosed chronic medical conditions, compared to 67.6% across Regional Qld.
Working-age adults display standard health patterns. Residents aged 65 and over constitute 26.4% of the population (3,354 people), exceeding the 20.3% regional benchmark. Older residents demonstrate particularly strong health profiles, achieving national rankings that surpass those of the broader local community.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Atherton is largely Australian-born, at 84.8% of residents, with 6.9% speaking a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are English (27.7%) and Australian (27.6%). 4.9% of residents identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Atherton exhibits lower cultural diversity relative to broader standards, with 86.0% of residents holding Australian citizenship, 84.8% born within Australia, and 93.1% using solely English in domestic settings. Christianity is the predominant religious affiliation, encompassing 55.8% of the local population, compared to 52.2% across Regional Qld. Looking at parental heritage, English ancestry leads locally at 27.7%, followed closely by Australian at 27.6%, and Irish at 9.1%. Distinct local patterns also emerge among other cultural backgrounds, with Italian ancestry comprising 5.8% in Atherton (against 2.4% regionally), Australian Aboriginal ancestry representing 4.9% (versus 3.9%), and German background accounting for 4.2% (relative to 4.7%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Atherton is 45, older than 78% of areas nationally. 23.0% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
The demographic structure of Atherton is skewed older than that of Regional Qld. Older residents and retirees (65+) make up 26.4% of the community as at August 2026, relative to 20.4% across Regional Qld, while individuals aged 25 - 44 represent 22.6% compared to 25.5% regionally. The median age remains steady at an estimated 45, matching the 2021 Census outcome, which sits 4 years higher than the regional median of 41 and above the national figure of 38 at that Census. Since that time, the proportion of residents aged 45 - 64 has reduced from 25.1% to an estimated 23.5%.
Projections to 2041 show senior cohorts driving the largest share of population growth, rising by 831 (25%) to 4,185, while younger adult and child demographics are anticipated to contract.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Atherton
9 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Oct 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the SA2 boundary shown above, on a 2021 Census baseline. Only 3 sections — housing, households and cultural diversity — still wait on the 2026 Census.
The ledger — source, cycle and currency by section
| Section | Source & update cycle | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Updated within the last 12 months 9 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release) and updated with new dwellings from GNAF address data. Current to Aug 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to Aug 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · Jul 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Oct 2026 this month headline measures · Sep 2026 baseline |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Oct 2026. | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, State agencies, Local governments Daily | May 2026 5 months ago all 5 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated May 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 7 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Sep 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Sep 2026 last month all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 2 sections | ||
| Income | ABS, ATO Annual (ATO) | FY 2023 3 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| ATO taxable income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index. Census household income provides the distribution detail. | ||
| Health | ABS, ATO Annual | 2024 2 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Census-measured — next update: 2026 Census 3 sections No more current small-area source exists for these, so they are labelled as Census-measured rather than implied to be current. | ||
| Housing | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 30 measures |
| Households | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 18 measures |
| Cultural diversity | ABS, Geoscience Australia 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 44 measures |
"Currency" is the most recent release feeding that section. Where the Census supplies the structural baseline underneath a current headline figure, the row says so.
How the numbers are built
Population
The Census provides the small-area baseline, aggregated from mesh blocks to this boundary. It is then re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release), and new dwellings built since Census night are counted from address data — 484 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for Aug 2026, not a 2021 count (11,625 at the 2021 Census → 12,681 now). Annual growth rates are compound (CAGR), not simple averages.
Age profile
Cohort shares are not raw Census counts. Every cohort is held as a pair — the Census baseline and a current estimate — and the split is re-based using ERP and state population projections, current to Aug 2026. Median age is the Census median plus modelled change since. Charts that show both are labelled "2021 Census vs Current Estimate".
Property sales
Sourced from the state valuation authority's sales register — current, not Census, and refreshed weekly. Medians are calculated from settled transactions in the period shown; periods with very low transaction counts are flagged or suppressed, because a handful of sales can move a median substantially.
Rents
Derived from state rental bond lodgement data, by dwelling type and bedroom count. Bonds are lodged at the start of a new tenancy, so this reflects new lettings, not the whole rented stock.
Development & infrastructure
Building approvals come from current ABS releases; development applications are collected from council and state planning portals; the infrastructure pipeline is compiled from Infrastructure Australia and local government sources. Applications are matched to this boundary by address or coordinates, so very recent lodgements may not yet appear.
Employment & income
Industry and occupation structure comes from the Census, but the headline labour-market indicators do not. Unemployment and labour force are derived from ABS Small Area Labour Markets (quarterly). The employment outlook applies Department of Employment forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to this area's own industry mix (the agency is now Jobs and Skills Australia), as does the Internet Vacancy Index used for job demand. Because it is weighted on industry composition alone, that outlook carries no allowance for local population growth — in fast-growing areas the real rise in local jobs will typically be higher. Income combines Census household income with ATO taxable-income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index.
Education, transport & amenities
School enrolments, ICSEA and performance come from ACARA's current release, not the Census. Public transport stops and service frequency are derived from GTFS timetable feeds published by state transport departments. Services and amenities are proximity and count scores built from provider directories, refreshed on their own cycle. The Census contributes only the travel-to-work and qualification measures.
Rankings and benchmarks. Where we rank this area, the comparison set is every area of the same boundary type — suburbs against suburbs, SA2s against SA2s. Benchmarks compare this area against its greater capital city region and the national figure for the same measure and period.
Limits worth knowing. Small areas carry larger error margins, and the ABS introduces small random adjustments to Census counts to protect confidentiality — so totals may not sum exactly. Estimates re-based from regional data describe the area's expected trajectory, not a direct count of it. Figures are indicative for research and are not financial, planning or valuation advice.
Cross-check us. The Census baseline for this boundary is at ABS 2021 Census QuickStats (306051166). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.