Douglas
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in Douglas are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Douglas's population was approximately 8,371 as of Aug 2025. This figure reflects a growth of 503 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 7,868. The increase is inferred from ABS estimates showing a resident population of 8,371 by June 2024 and an additional 20 validated new addresses since the census date. This results in a population density of 106 persons per square kilometer. Douglas's growth rate of 6.4% since the census is close to the SA4 region's rate of 6.9%. Population growth was mainly driven by overseas migration, contributing around 80% of overall gains.

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, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. These state projections lack age category splits, so AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings from ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 using 2022 data. By 2041, Douglas is predicted to grow by 5,964 persons, a gain of 71.2% over the 17-year period.

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

Douglas has averaged approximately 8 new dwelling approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis, with 40 dwellings approved between the years ended June 2021 and June 2025 inclusive. No dwelling approvals have been recorded so far in the year ending June 2026. Over these past five financial years, an average of 4.6 people moved to the area for each dwelling built.

This has resulted in demand outstripping new supply, leading to price growth and increased buyer competition. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $533,000. In the current financial year, commercial approvals totalling $187.9 million have been registered, indicating robust local business investment. Compared to the Rest of Queensland, Douglas shows significantly reduced construction activity, with 77.0% below the regional average per person. This limited new supply supports stronger demand and values for established properties in the area.

When measured against national averages, this activity is similarly under the national average, suggesting the area's established nature and potential planning limitations. Recent building activity consists entirely of standalone homes, preserving the area's low density nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. Developers are constructing more detached housing than the existing pattern implies (85.0% at Census), reflecting persistent strong demand for family homes. The estimated population count of 1634 people in the area per dwelling approval reflects its quiet, low activity development environment. Population forecasts indicate Douglas will gain approximately 5964 residents by the year 2041. Should current construction levels persist, housing supply could lag population growth, likely intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Douglas has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 39thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 39 projects likely impacting the region. Key initiatives include the Townsville University Hospital Expansion, TropiQ Health and Innovation Precinct, Stage One: James Cook University Residential Development Program. The following list details those most relevant.

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

Employment conditions in Douglas demonstrate exceptional strength compared to most Australian markets

Douglas has an educated workforce with key services sectors well represented, and its unemployment rate is 2.3% as of June 2025. In this period, 4842 residents are employed, with the unemployment rate at 1.6% below Rest of Qld's rate of 3.9%.

Workforce participation in Douglas is 67.0%, compared to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. The dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and education & training. Notably, health care & social assistance has an employment concentration 1.7 times the regional average. Conversely, construction is under-represented in Douglas with only 3.7% of its workforce compared to Rest of Qld's 10.1%.

The resident-to-worker ratio at the Census indicates substantial local employment opportunities. Between June 2024 and June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 1.7%, while employment declined by 2.0%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.4 percentage points in Douglas. In contrast, Rest of Qld saw employment rise by 1.8% and a labour force growth of 2.0%, with an unemployment rate increase of 0.2 percentage points. State-level data from Sep-25 shows Queensland's employment contracted by 0.23% (losing 8070 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%. Nationally, the unemployment rate is 4.5%, and national employment growth is 0.26%. Job and Skills Australia forecasts national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Douglas's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.2% over five years and 15.0% over ten years, although these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localized population projections.

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

Douglas's income level is above the national average according to ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. His median income among taxpayers was $55,632 and the average income stood at $65,755. This compares with 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 would be approximately $62,147 (median) and $73,455 (average) as of March 2025. According to Census 2021 income data, Douglas's household income ranks at the 67th percentile ($2,025 weekly), while his personal income sits at the 45th percentile. The earnings profile shows that 39.0% of the population (3,264 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, similar to the surrounding region where 31.7% occupy this bracket. After housing expenses, 85.2% of income remains for other expenses and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

In Douglas, as assessed in the latest Census, 84.6% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 15.4% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types of residences. In contrast, Non-Metro Qld had 81.3% houses and 18.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Douglas stood at 18.1%, with mortgaged properties at 29.7% and rented ones at 52.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,633, exceeding Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,517. The median weekly rent in Douglas was $360, higher than Non-Metro Qld's figure of $305. Nationally, Douglas's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,633 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were also lower at $360 versus the national figure of $375.

Douglas features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 65.2% of all households, including 28.9% couples with children, 25.7% couples without children, and 8.7% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 34.8%, with lone person households at 21.5% and group households making up 13.2%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is larger than the Rest of Qld average of 2.5.

Educational outcomes in Douglas fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

Douglas has a higher percentage of university graduates among its residents aged 15 and above compared to broader benchmarks. Specifically, 35.4% of Douglas' residents hold university qualifications, while the SA4 region stands at 20.1%, and the Rest of Qld at 20.6%. Bachelor degrees are the most common, with 24.4% of residents holding them, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.9%) and graduate diplomas (3.1%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 25.7% of residents aged 15 and above having them, including advanced diplomas (8.2%) and certificates (17.5%).

Educational participation is high in Douglas, with 47.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 28.5% in tertiary education, 7.5% in primary education, and 6.6% pursuing secondary education. The area has educational provision through Enkindle Village School and Tec-NQ, serving a total of 429 students. Douglas' schools demonstrate typical Australian school conditions with an ICSEA score of 963, indicating balanced educational opportunities. There is one secondary and one K-12 school in the area. However, there are fewer school places available per resident compared to regional averages (5.1 vs 16.7), leading many families to travel for schooling.

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

Douglas has 28 active public transport stops operating, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by five different routes that together offer 679 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of the transport system is rated as good, with residents on average located 309 meters from their nearest stop.

Each route offers an average of 97 trips per day, equating to about 24 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Health outcomes data shows excellent results throughout Douglas, with younger age groups experiencing particularly low prevalence of common health conditions.

The rate of private health cover in Douglas is approximately 52%, which is higher than the average SA2 area's rate. The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues and asthma, affecting 9.1% and 7.1% of residents respectively. 74.5% of residents report having no medical ailments, compared to 67.8% in the Rest of Qld. As of 2021, 8.7% of Douglas' population is aged 65 and over (724 people), which is lower than the 14.9% figure for the Rest of Qld.

Douglas was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Douglas has a higher cultural diversity than most local markets, with 26.4% of its population born overseas and 21.2% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Douglas, making up 48.3% of people there. Notably, the 'Other' religious category comprises 1.7% of Douglas's population, higher than the Rest of Qld average of 0.7%.

In terms of ancestry, Australians make up 24.5%, English 23.9%, and Other 11.5%. Some ethnic groups are notably overrepresented in Douglas compared to regional averages: Indian at 5.3% (vs 0.9%), Sri Lankan at 0.6% (vs 0.1%), and Italian at 3.8% (vs 3.6%).

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

Douglas has a median age of 25, which is significantly younger than the Rest of Qld figure of 41 and substantially under the Australian median of 38. Compared to Rest of Qld, Douglas has a higher concentration of 15-24 residents (33.2%), but fewer 55-64 year-olds (6.6%). This concentration of 15-24 residents is well above the national figure of 12.5%. Between 2021 and present, the median age has decreased by 1.1 years from 26 to 25, indicating a shift towards a younger demographic. Notably, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 30.9% to 33.2%, while the 25 to 34 cohort increased from 16.4% to 18.6%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort has declined from 10.1% to 8.5%, and the 45 to 54 group dropped from 10.0% to 8.6%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes for Douglas. The 25 to 34 cohort is projected to grow strongly at 115%, adding 1,795 residents to reach a total of 3,351.