Carpentaria

Carpentaria has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Carpentaria's population was approximately 5,253 as of November 2025, showing an increase of 332 people since the 2021 Census which recorded a population of 4,921. This growth is inferred from the estimated resident population of 5,238 in June 2024 and five additional validated new addresses post-Census. The population density was approximately 0 persons per square kilometer. Carpentaria's growth rate of 6.7% since the 2021 Census exceeded its SA3 area (2.6%) and SA4 region, indicating it as a growth leader in the region. Natural growth contributed about 89.2% to overall population gains recently. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022.

For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections from 2023 based on 2021 data are adopted, applying proportional growth weightings from ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Future population dynamics anticipate lower quartile growth outside capital cities; the area is expected to increase by 23 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 0.1% over 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Carpentaria recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Carpentaria averaged approximately 12 new dwelling approvals per year. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, 60 homes were approved, with none yet in FY-26. Each dwelling built over these years resulted in an average of 2.3 new residents annually, indicating steady demand that supports property values.

The average construction value for new homes was $535,000, suggesting a focus on the premium market and high-end developments. This year, $1.6 million in commercial approvals have been registered, predominantly reflecting residential activity. Compared to the rest of Queensland, Carpentaria has 110% more construction activity per person. However, this is lower than national levels, indicating market maturity and possible development constraints. New building activity comprised 73% detached houses and 27% attached dwellings, maintaining the area's low-density nature and appealing to space-seeking buyers.

The estimated population density is 1371 people per dwelling approval. Population forecasts predict Carpentaria will gain 8 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Carpentaria has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified two projects likely affecting this region: CopperString 2032, Mount Isa-Townsville Rail Corridor Upgrade. The Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan - Northern Queensland SuperGrid includes both CopperString 2032 and Northern REZ initiatives.

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

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

Carpentaria has a diverse workforce with both white and blue collar jobs, prominent essential services sectors, an unemployment rate of 16.1%, and stable employment conditions over the past year. As of September 2025, there are 1,661 employed residents, with an unemployment rate of 12.0% above Queensland's average of 4.1%.

The workforce participation rate is lower at 44.5% compared to Queensland's 59.1%. Key employment sectors include agriculture, forestry & fishing, public administration & safety, and education & training. Agriculture, forestry & fishing has a particularly high concentration with employment levels four times the regional average. Health care & social assistance, however, is less prominent at 10.7% compared to the regional average of 16.1%.

Some residents commute outside Carpentaria for work opportunities. Over the year to September 2025, employment increased by 0.1%, while labour force decreased by 0.7%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Queensland as a whole saw employment growth of 1.7% and an unemployment rate rise of 0.3 percentage points to 4.2%. Job forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Carpentaria's current employment mix suggests local employment could increase by 5.3% over five years and 11.6% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

Carpentaria SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $43,451 and an average of $53,320 in financial year 2022. This was below the national average, contrasting with Rest of Qld's median income of $50,780 and average income of $64,844. Based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $49,530 (median) and $60,779 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household income ranks at the 18th percentile with a weekly income of $1,279, while personal income sits at the 2nd percentile. Income brackets indicate that the largest segment comprises 28.2% earning between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly (1,481 residents), mirroring the surrounding region where 31.7% occupy this bracket. Housing costs are modest with 91.7% of income retained, but total disposable income ranks at just the 28th percentile nationally.

Carpentaria is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Carpentaria's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census evaluation, consisted of 72.8% houses and 27.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro Qld had 77.3% houses and 22.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Carpentaria was at 19.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 5.7% and rented ones at 74.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,042, lower than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,500. The median weekly rent in Carpentaria was $125, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $220. Nationally, Carpentaria's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,863 and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households comprise 70.7% of all households, including 28.1% couples with children, 21.7% couples without children, and 17.7% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 29.3%, with lone person households at 26.2% and group households comprising 3.1%. The median household size is 3.0 people, larger than the Rest of Queensland average of 2.6.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 11.1%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This discrepancy presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common university qualifications, with 7.8% of residents holding one. Postgraduate qualifications follow at 1.7%, and graduate diplomas are held by 1.6% of residents.

Vocational credentials are prominent, with 30.3% of residents aged 15 and above possessing them. Advanced diplomas account for 5.4%, while certificates make up 24.9%. Educational participation is high, with 29.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 17.1% in primary education, 6.4% in secondary education, and 1.9% pursuing tertiary education.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Carpentaria's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Carpentaria's health outcomes data shows excellent results, with younger cohorts having a very low prevalence of common health conditions. The region has approximately 47% private health cover (~2,468 people), compared to Rest of Qld's 57.6% and Australia's average of 55.3%. Diabetes and asthma are the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 6.0% and 4.7% of residents respectively.

79.7% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to Rest of Qld's 76.2%. As of 18th June 2021, the area has 522 people aged 65 and over, comprising 9.9% of its population. While health outcomes among seniors are above average, they require more attention than the broader population.

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

Carpentaria's cultural diversity was found to be below average. As of a certain date, 89.1% of its population were citizens, 94.9% were born in Australia, and 88.7% spoke English only at home. Christianity was the main religion, comprising 43.2% of people in Carpentaria.

Notably, the 'Other' category made up 7.0%, substantially higher than the Rest of Qld average of 1.6%. In terms of ancestry, Australian Aboriginal comprised 54.7%, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 20.0%. Australian ancestry comprised 16.7%, notably lower than the regional average of 25.4%. English ancestry comprised 12.0%, also notably lower than the regional average of 21.6%. There were notable divergences in the representation of certain ethnic groups, with Samoan being notably overrepresented at 0.1% of Carpentaria's population compared to the regional average of 0.4%.

Carpentaria hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Carpentaria's median age is 30 years, which is considerably lower than the Rest of Qld average of 41 years and Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of Qld, Carpentaria has a higher concentration of residents aged 25-34 (17.9%) but fewer residents aged 75-84 (2.6%). Between the 2021 Census and the current time, the 25-34 age group has grown from 15.3% to 17.9%, while the 0-4 cohort increased from 7.8% to 9.1%. Conversely, the 15-24 cohort declined from 16.3% to 14.5%, and the 55-64 group dropped from 11.4% to 10.1%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Carpentaria. The 25-34 age cohort is projected to grow by 14%, adding 132 residents to reach a total of 1,071. In contrast, population declines are projected for the 5-14 and 55-64 cohorts.