Bouldercombe
Statistical Area - sa2

Bouldercombe is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Bouldercombe's population, as of Aug 2025, is approximately 1,993, reflecting a 45-person increase since the 2021 Census. The population in 2021 was 1,948. This increase is inferred from ABS' estimated resident population of 1,980 as of June 2024 and an additional 36 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density ratio is around 1.5 persons per square kilometer. Natural growth contributed approximately 88.9% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections are adopted, based on 2021 data released in 2023. These state projections do not provide age category splits; therefore, AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings based on ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort, released in 2023 using 2022 data. Future population trends anticipate lower quartile growth nationally for regional areas by 2041, with Bouldercombe expected to expand by 54 persons from the latest population numbers, reflecting a total increase of approximately 2.1% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Bouldercombe according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Bouldercombe had 10 dwelling approvals over five years, an average of two annually. This low activity is typical in rural areas due to modest housing needs and limited construction by local demand and infrastructure capacity. Individual projects can notably impact annual growth statistics given the small number of approvals.

Bouldercombe's activity is significantly lower than Rest of Qld and national averages. Recent building activity consists solely of standalone homes, reflecting the area's rural character with larger properties. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 824 people. Future projections indicate Bouldercombe adding 41 residents by 2041.

Current development patterns suggest new housing supply should meet demand, potentially facilitating further population growth beyond current projections.

Bouldercombe has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 13thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 25 projects that could affect this area. Notable ones include Capricorn BESS Project, The Central BESS, Bouldercombe Battery Project, and Mount Morgan Tailings Processing and Rehabilitation Project. Below is a list of those most likely to be relevant.

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

The employment environment in Bouldercombe shows above-average strength when compared nationally

Bouldercombe has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. Manufacturing and industrial sectors are prominent.

The unemployment rate is 3.4%, with an estimated employment growth of 4.4% in the past year. As of June 2025, 1,055 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 3.9% compared to Rest of Qld's 3.4%. Workforce participation is lower at 53.5%, versus Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Key industries include health care & social assistance, construction, and mining, with mining employing 2.7 times the regional average.

However, accommodation & food services employ only 4.7% of local workers, below Rest of Qld's 8.3%. Over the year to June 2025, employment increased by 4.4%, while labour force grew by 5.3%, raising unemployment by 0.9 percentage points. By comparison, Rest of Qld saw employment grow by 1.8% and unemployment rise by 0.2%. Statewide in Queensland to Sep-25, employment contracted by 0.23%, with an unemployment rate of 4.2%, compared to the national rate of 4.5%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 project growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Bouldercombe's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.7% over five years and 12.3% over ten years.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

Bouldercombe's median income among taxpayers was $53,465 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $65,488 during the same period. This compares to figures for Rest of Qld which were $50,780 and $64,844 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.71% since financial year 2022, current estimates suggest median income would be approximately $59,726 and average income around $73,157 as of March 2025. According to Census 2021 data, household, family and personal incomes in Bouldercombe ranked modestly, between the 18th and 32nd percentiles. Income brackets showed that 28.4% of the community earned between $1,500 and $2,999 annually (566 individuals), which was consistent with broader trends across the metropolitan region at 31.7%. Housing costs in Bouldercombe were manageable with 87.6% retained, but disposable income ranked below average at the 36th percentile.

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

Bouldercombe's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 98.1% houses and 1.9% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro Qld had 88.5% houses and 11.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Bouldercombe was 46.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 41.0% and rented ones at 12.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,550, higher than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,517. Median weekly rent in Bouldercombe was $250, lower than Non-Metro Qld's figure of $300. Nationally, Bouldercombe's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Bouldercombe has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 75.8% of all households, including 30.0% couples with children, 36.4% couples without children, and 9.9% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 24.2%, with lone person households at 21.6% and group households making up 1.3% of the total. The median household size is 2.6 people, larger than the Rest of Qld average of 2.5.

Bouldercombe faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates at 10.1%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common, at 8.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 1.2% and graduate diplomas at 0.9%. Trade and technical skills are prevalent, with 42.4% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas at 8.2% and certificates at 34.2%.

Educational participation is high, with 31.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 12.5% in primary education, 12.5% in secondary education, and 2.2% pursuing tertiary education. Bouldercombe's three schools have a combined enrollment of 107 students and demonstrate typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 953) with balanced educational opportunities. The three schools focus exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in surrounding areas. Limited local school capacity (5.4 places per 100 residents vs 17.6 regionally) means many families travel to nearby areas for schooling.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Health performance in Bouldercombe is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Bouldercombe faces significant health challenges.

Common health conditions are prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is approximately 52%, which is higher than the average SA2 area (~1,044 people). The most common medical conditions are arthritis (10.3%) and asthma (8.1%). 63.4% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 64.7% in Rest of Qld. Bouldercombe has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 23.3% (463 people), compared to 18.5% in Rest of Qld. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, outperforming the general population in health metrics.

The latest Census data sees Bouldercombe placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Bouldercombe had a cultural diversity level below average, with 86.3% of its population being citizens, 94.4% born in Australia, and 99.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Bouldercombe, comprising 60.2%, compared to 56.3% across Rest of Qld. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (37.0%), English (32.7%), and Scottish (7.7%).

Notably, German ancestry was overrepresented at 4.7% in Bouldercombe versus the regional average of 4.9%. Similarly, Australian Aboriginal ancestry was overrepresented at 4.4%, compared to the regional average of 5.1%. Spanish ancestry, however, was underrepresented at 0.4% versus the regional average of 0.2%.

Bouldercombe hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Bouldercombe's median age is 46 years, which is significantly higher than Rest of Qld's 41 years and the national average of 38 years. Compared to Rest of Qld, Bouldercombe has a higher proportion of residents aged 55-64 (17.2%), but fewer residents aged 25-34 (7.4%). This concentration of residents aged 55-64 is well above the national average of 11.2%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the proportion of residents aged 65 to 74 has increased from 13.7% to 15.5%, while the proportion of residents aged 5 to 14 has declined from 13.4% to 11.9%. By 2041, Bouldercombe is expected to experience notable shifts in its age composition. The demographic shift will be led by the 75 to 84 age group, which is projected to grow by 56%, reaching 191 people from 122. This growth will be predominantly driven by residents aged 65 and older, who are expected to represent 72% of the anticipated population growth. Conversely, both the 5 to 14 and 45 to 54 age groups are projected to see a reduction in numbers.