Cape York
Statistical Area - sa2

An assessment of population growth drivers in Cape York reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Cape York's population is around 8,401 as of Aug 2025. This reflects an increase of 598 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7,803 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 8,391 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 68 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 0.10 persons per square kilometer. Cape York's 7.7% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region (3.7%) and the SA3 area, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by natural growth that contributed approximately 63.6% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting 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 adopted, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. Considering projected demographic shifts, a population increase just below the median of non-metropolitan areas nationally is expected, with the area expected to grow by 793 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, resulting in an increase of 9.3% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Cape York among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Cape York has averaged approximately 50 new dwelling approvals annually. Development approval data from the ABS covers financial years FY-21 to FY-26, totalling 253 approvals in the past five financial years and two so far in FY-26. Each year, on average, 1.8 people have moved to Cape York for each dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25. This indicates a balanced supply and demand market with stable conditions.

New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $418,000, which is below the regional average, suggesting more affordable housing options for buyers. In FY-26 alone, $30.9 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating robust local business investment. Compared to the Rest of Qld, Cape York records 98.0% more construction activity per person. This should provide buyers with ample choice.

New building activity consists of 81.0% standalone homes and 19.0% townhouses or apartments, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. With around 268 people moving in for each dwelling approval, Cape York shows a developing market. Population forecasts indicate Cape York will gain 783 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Cape York has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 37thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified six projects likely impacting the region. Key initiatives include Cooktown Hospital Redevelopment, Gigers Residential Subdivision, Daintree Ferry Landside Infrastructure Project, and Daintree River Ferry Infrastructure & Replacement Project. Details on those of most relevance are provided below.

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

Employment conditions in Cape York face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Cape York's workforce is balanced across white and blue-collar jobs, with well-represented essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 10.5% as of June 2025.

There were 3,264 residents employed, an increase of 0.3% over the previous year. However, the unemployment rate was higher than Rest of Qld's rate by 6.6%, indicating room for improvement. Workforce participation lagged significantly at 46.4%. The dominant employment sectors were public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and agriculture, forestry & fishing.

Public administration & safety had employment levels at 3.2 times the regional average. Manufacturing was under-represented with only 0.7% of Cape York's workforce compared to Rest of Qld's 5.6%. Many residents commuted elsewhere for work based on Census data. Over the year, labour force levels increased by 0.3%, but employment declined by 1.2%, causing unemployment to rise by 1.3 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of Qld recorded employment growth of 1.8% and labour force growth of 2.0%. State-level data to Sep-25 showed QLD employment contracted by 0.23%, with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%. Nationally, employment grew by 0.26% with an unemployment rate of 4.5%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project a five-year growth of 6.6% and ten-year growth of 13.7%. Applying these projections to Cape York's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.8% over five years and 12.5% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

Cape York's median taxpayer income in financial year 2022 was $50,782, with an average of $58,159 according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is lower than the national average. In comparison, Rest of Qld had a median income of $50,780 and an average income of $64,844 in the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.71% since financial year 2022, estimated median income for Cape York as of March 2025 is approximately $56,729, and average income is $64,969. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Cape York fall between the 5th and 6th percentiles nationally for households, families, and individuals. Income brackets show that 26.4% of Cape York's community earns between $400 and $799 (2,217 individuals), unlike regional patterns where earnings of $1,500 to $2,999 dominate at 31.7%. Despite modest housing costs allowing for 88.9% income retention, Cape York's total disposable income ranks at the 10th percentile nationally.

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

Cape York's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 86.5% houses and 13.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In contrast, Non-Metro Qld had 82.5% houses and 17.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Cape York was at 27.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 14.1% and rented ones at 58.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,286, lower than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,517. The median weekly rent in Cape York was $130, compared to $140 in Non-Metro Qld. Nationally, Cape York's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,286 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 66.4% of all households, including 24.9% couples with children, 21.9% couples without children, and 16.7% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 33.6%, with lone person households at 30.9% and group households making up 2.9% of the total. The median household size is 2.7 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.9.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 14.0%, 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 10.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.0%) and graduate diplomas (1.9%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 44.2% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 8.6% and certificates at 35.6%.

Educational participation is high, with 33.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 17.6% in primary, 8.6% in secondary, and 1.7% in tertiary education. There are 13 schools serving 1,062 students across Cape York, with varied educational conditions. The educational mix includes 9 primary, 1 secondary, and 3 K-12 schools. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Cape York's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Health outcomes data shows excellent results across Cape York with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is relatively low at approximately 49% of the total population (~4,108 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are diabetes and arthritis, affecting 6.4 and 5.0% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 76.7%, declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, slightly lower than the 79.2% across Rest of Qld. Cape York has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 14.4% (1,208 people) compared to the 11.5% in Rest of Qld. Health outcomes among seniors are notably strong, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Cape York was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Cape York's cultural diversity was found to be above average, with 10.8% of its population born overseas and 28.3% speaking a language other than English at home. The predominant religion in Cape York is Christianity, which accounts for 57.6% of the population, compared to 64.7% across the rest of Queensland. In terms of ancestry, the top three groups represented in Cape York are Australian Aboriginal (38.3%), Australian (16.0%), and English (15.8%).

Notably, Samoan representation is higher at 0.3% compared to the regional average of 0.2%, while Other is lower at 12.7% versus 28.1%, and Maori representation is slightly higher at 0.5%.

Cape York's population is younger than the national pattern

The median age in Cape York is 35 years, which is lower than the average for the Rest of Queensland at 41 years, and also lower than the national average of 38 years. The proportion of individuals aged 5-14 in Cape York is notably higher at 15.1% compared to the Rest of Queensland's average. Conversely, those aged 75-84 are under-represented at 4.6%. Post-2021 Census data shows an increase in the 75-84 age group from 3.5% to 4.6%, while the 45-54 cohort has declined from 12.9% to 11.0%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Cape York, with the 25-34 age group projected to grow by 22% (280 people) reaching 1,539 from 1,258. Meanwhile, both the 55-64 and 5-14 age groups are expected to decrease in number.