Bargara - Burnett Heads

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

AreaSearch's analysis shows Bargara - Burnett Heads' population is approximately 22,060 as of Feb 2026. This represents an increase of 3,052 people (16.1%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 19,008. The change is inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 21,242 as of June 2024 and an additional 1,110 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 152 persons per square kilometer, offering significant space per person and potential for further development. Bargara - Burnett Heads' growth of 16.1% since the 2021 census exceeded Rest of Qld's (9.1%) and its SA3 area, positioning it as a growth leader in the region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 83.2% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections are used, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. These state projections do not provide age category splits; thus, AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort, released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Demographic trends project an above median population growth for national regional areas, with the area expected to expand by 4,085 persons to 2041 based on latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total increase of 14.8% over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Bargara - Burnett Heads was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

Bargara-Burnett Heads recorded approximately 283 residential property approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 1,418 homes. As of FY-26435 approvals have been recorded. Each dwelling built attracted an average of 2.1 new residents per year between FY-21 and FY-25. The average construction cost value for new homes was $369,000.

This financial year saw $41.5 million in commercial approvals, indicating strong local business investment. Compared to the rest of Queensland, Bargara-Burnett Heads had 126.0% more development activity per person as of FY-25. New building activity comprised 91.0% standalone homes and 9.0% medium and high-density housing. With around 75 people per dwelling approval, the area shows growth characteristics. By 2041, Bargara-Burnett Heads is projected to add 3,267 residents (AreaSearch Q2 estimate).

Current construction levels should meet demand adequately, favouring buyers and potentially exceeding current forecasted growth.

Bargara - Burnett Heads has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Local infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 38 projects likely impacting this region. Notable ones are Bargara Emerging Communities Infrastructure Planning, MIRA Living, Club Bargara Resort Development, and Bargara Headlands Estate. 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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The labour market in Bargara - Burnett Heads shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

Bargara-Burnett Heads has a skilled workforce with well-represented essential services sectors. As of September 2025, its unemployment rate is 2.7%. There was an estimated employment growth of 10.1% in the past year.

In September 2025, there were 10,442 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.4% below Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation is lower at 58.5%, compared to Rest of Qld's 65.7%. Only 8.2% of residents work from home. Leading industries include health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction.

The area has a strong specialization in health care & social assistance (1.4 times the regional level) but lower representation in transport, postal & warehousing (2.5% vs 4.3%). Employment opportunities locally may be limited, as indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 10.1%, while the labour force grew by 10.3%, resulting in a slight unemployment rise of 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Qld saw employment grow by 1.7% and the labour force by 2.1%, with unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Bargara-Burnett Heads' employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 14.0% over ten years.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023, Bargara - Burnett Heads SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $49,137. The average income stood at $61,568. This is below the national average of $53,146 and $66,593 for Rest of Qld respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $54,006 (median) and $67,669 (average) as of September 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes in Bargara - Burnett Heads all fall between the 18th and 20th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals the largest segment comprises 27.9% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (6,154 residents), reflecting patterns seen in the broader area where 31.7% similarly occupy this range. After housing, 86.2% of income remains, ranking at only the 24th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

Bargara - Burnett Heads is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

The dwelling structure in Bargara-Burnett Heads, as per the latest Census, consisted of 87.2% houses and 12.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro Qld's 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. The home ownership level in Bargara-Burnett Heads was 46.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 30.3% and rented ones at 23.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,500, below Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,655. The median weekly rent figure was $320, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $345. Nationally, Bargara-Burnett Heads' mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Bargara - Burnett Heads has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 73.0% of all households, including 22.9% couples with children, 40.2% couples without children, and 9.3% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 27.0%, with lone person households at 24.2% and group households comprising 2.8%. The median household size is 2.3 people, smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.5.

Educational outcomes in Bargara - Burnett Heads fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

Educational qualifications in Bargara-Burnett Heads trail Australian benchmarks. As of 2016, 20.5% of residents aged 15+ held university degrees, compared to Australia's 30.4%. Bachelor degrees were the most common at 14.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.5%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%). Vocational credentials were prominent with 38.5% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 10.3% and certificates at 28.2%.

In total, 23.9% of the population was actively pursuing formal education in 2016. This included 8.9% in primary education, 8.2% in secondary education, and 2.9% in tertiary education.

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

The transport analysis indicates 89 active stops operating within Bargara - Burnett Heads, offering mixed bus services. These are covered by three routes, collectively facilitating 137 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is deemed good, with residents typically situated 334 meters from the nearest stop. As primarily residential, outward commuting prevails, with cars being the dominant mode at 94%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.4 per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, a relatively low 8.2% of residents work from home, possibly due to COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 19 trips daily across all routes, translating to roughly one weekly trip per stop.

Health performance in Bargara - Burnett Heads is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Bargara-Burnett Heads faces significant health challenges based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions are somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is relatively low at approximately 50% of the total population (~10,985 people), compared to 52.5% across Rest of Qld and the national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis (12.4%) and mental health issues (8.7%). While 59.6% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, this is lower than the 67.6% across Rest of Qld. The working-age population faces notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 32.4% of residents aged 65 and over (7,145 people), higher than the 20.4% in Rest of Qld. National rankings for this age group are even higher than the general population.

Bargara - Burnett Heads ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Bargara-Burnett Heads, surveyed in June 2016, had a population where 82.9% were born in Australia, 90.2% were citizens, and 94.8% spoke English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, with 56.3%. This compares to 52.2% across the rest of Queensland.

The top three ancestry groups were English (32.3%), Australian (27.8%), and Scottish (9.0%). Notably, German ancestry was higher than average at 6.3%, Dutch at 1.5%, and New Zealand at 0.8%.

Bargara - Burnett Heads ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in Bargara - Burnett Heads is 51 years, which exceeds the Rest of Qld figure of 41 years and is higher than Australia's median age of 38 years. The 65-74 age cohort is notably over-represented at 17.6% locally compared to the Rest of Qld average, while the 25-34 year-olds are under-represented at 8.8%. This concentration of individuals aged 65-74 is well above the national figure of 9.5%. Between 2021 and present, the percentage of the population aged 75 to 84 has grown from 9.9% to 11.5%, while the percentage of those aged 5 to 14 has declined from 11.6% to 9.2% and the percentage of individuals aged 45 to 54 has dropped from 12.3% to 11.0%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate that the number of individuals aged 85+ is expected to more than double, increasing by 863 people (120%) from 721 to 1,585. Individuals aged 65 and above are projected to drive 63% of population growth in Bargara - Burnett Heads, reflecting demographic aging trends. Conversely, population declines are projected for the age cohorts of 5-14 years and 15-24 years.