Central Highlands - West
Statistical Area - sa2

Central Highlands - West has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Central Highlands - West's population is around 7,788 as of November 2025. This reflects an increase of 172 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7,616. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 7,668 in June 2024 and an additional 201 validated new addresses since the Census date. This equates to a density ratio of 0.20 persons per square kilometer. Population growth was primarily driven by natural growth contributing approximately 60.3% 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 and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections are adopted, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. These state projections do not provide age category splits; hence proportional growth weightings from ABS Greater Capital Region projections, released in 2023 based on 2022 data, are applied for each age cohort. Population projections indicate a decline of 505 persons by 2041, with the 25 to 34 age group projected to increase by 254 people.

The level of residential development activity in Central Highlands - West is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Central Highlands - West has seen approximately 10 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling around 50 homes. As of FY-26, three approvals have been recorded so far. The area has experienced population decline, yet development activity has remained adequate relative to its size, which is beneficial for buyers. New properties are constructed at an average expected construction cost value of $351,000.

This financial year has seen $6.7 million in commercial approvals, indicating limited focus on commercial development. Compared to the rest of Queensland, Central Highlands - West maintains similar construction rates per person, preserving market equilibrium with surrounding areas. However, development activity has moderated recently, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. All recent development has been standalone homes, maintaining the area's traditional low density character and appealing to those seeking family homes and space.

The estimated population per dwelling approval is 1245 people, indicating a quiet, low activity development environment. With stable or declining population forecasts, Central Highlands - West may experience less housing pressure in the future, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

Central Highlands - West has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 6thth percentile nationally

Twenty-seven infrastructure projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area's performance. Key projects include Codenwarra Road Mixed-Use Development Site, Emerald Regional Botanic Gardens Upgrade, Gregory-Capricorn Highway Intersection Upgrade, and 91 Gray Street Apartment Development. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

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.

AreaSearch analysis indicates Central Highlands - West maintains employment conditions that align with national benchmarks

Central Highlands - West has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. Manufacturing and industrial sectors are prominent.

Unemployment rate is 3.7%, lower than the rest of Queensland's 3.9%. Employment growth over the past year is estimated at 3.8%. As of June 2025, there are 4,496 residents employed with an unemployment rate of 0.2% below the regional average. Workforce participation is similar to Rest of Qld's 59.1%.

Leading employment industries include agriculture, forestry & fishing, mining, and construction. The area has a strong specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with an employment share 6.8 times higher than the regional level. Health care & social assistance, however, is under-represented at 5.5% compared to Rest of Qld's 16.1%. The ratio of 0.8 workers per resident indicates a high level of local employment opportunities. Over the year to June 2025, employment increased by 3.8%, while labour force grew by 4.7%, leading to an unemployment rate rise of 0.8 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Qld saw employment rise by 1.8% and unemployment increase by 0.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project a 6.6% growth over five years and 13.7% over ten years nationally. Applying these projections to Central Highlands - West's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 4.2% over five years and 10.1% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Central Highlands - West's income level is above the national average according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. Central Highlands - West's median income among taxpayers is $57,967 and the average income stands at $70,572. This compares to figures for Rest of Qld's of $50,780 and $64,844 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.99% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $66,077 (median) and $80,445 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows personal income ranks at the 64th percentile ($882 weekly), while household income sits at the 42nd percentile. Income analysis reveals 27.5% of the population (2,141 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range. This pattern is similar to the broader area where 31.7% occupy this range. After housing costs, residents retain 93.3% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

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

In Central Highlands - West, as per the latest Census evaluation, 93.4% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 6.6% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other dwelling types. This is in contrast to Non-Metro Qld's composition of 86.6% houses and 13.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Central Highlands - West stood at 45.5%, with mortgaged properties making up 24.2% and rented dwellings accounting for 30.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,300, lower than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,500. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $120, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $250. Nationally, Central Highlands - West's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Central Highlands - West has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 68.5% of all households, including 30.0% couples with children, 31.3% couples without children, and 6.6% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 31.5%, with lone person households at 29.2% and group households comprising 2.3% of the total. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.6.

Educational outcomes in Central Highlands - West fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 13.0%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 10.4%, followed by graduate diplomas (1.5%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.1%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 43.4% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (9.1%) and certificates (34.3%). Educational participation is high at 32.5%, with 15.5% in primary, 9.4% in secondary, and 2.2% in tertiary education.

There are 13 schools serving 767 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 971) and balanced educational opportunities. The schools include 11 primary, 1 secondary, and 1 K-12 school. Local school capacity is limited at 9.9 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 33.0, leading many families to travel for schooling. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Central Highlands - West's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data shows Central Highlands - West residents have relatively positive health outcomes. The prevalence of common health conditions is quite low across both younger and older age groups.

Approximately 55% (~4,283 people) have private health cover, which is lower than the 58.4% in the rest of Queensland. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (7.6%) and asthma (7.1%). About 72.1% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 74.5% in the rest of Queensland. Around 18.0% (~1,400 people) of residents are aged 65 and over, higher than the 10.7% in the rest of Queensland. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, even better than those of the general population.

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

Central Highlands-West had a cultural diversity below average, with 81.7% citizens, 90.1% born in Australia, and 96.3% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion, at 63.7%, compared to 56.8% across Rest of Qld. Ancestry showed Australian at 34.9%, English at 31.1%, and Irish at 8.8%.

Notable differences included German at 5.4% (vs regional 4.7%), Maltese at 0.5% (vs 0.3%), and Australian Aboriginal at 3.0% (vs 6.6%).

Central Highlands - West's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Central Highlands - West is 39 years, which is lower than the Rest of Qld's average of 41 but close to the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that individuals aged 25-34 are prominent at 14.2%, while those aged 45-54 are less common at 10.2% compared to Rest of Qld. Between 2021 and the present, the percentage of 25-34 year-olds has increased from 12.1% to 14.2%, while the 35-44 age group has risen from 12.7% to 13.8%. Conversely, the 45-54 age group has decreased from 12.9% to 10.2%, and the 55-64 group has dropped from 15.4% to 13.7%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate that the 25-34 age cohort is expected to increase by 170 people (16%), rising from 1,102 to 1,273. Conversely, both the 65-74 and 35-44 age groups are projected to decrease in numbers.