Emerald

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

Emerald's population, as of November 2025, is approximately 15,227. This figure reflects an increase of 1,138 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 14,089. The growth is inferred from ABS estimated resident population data and validated new addresses. Emerald's population density is around 390 persons per square kilometer. The area's 8.1% growth rate since the 2021 census exceeds both its SA3 area (6.2%) and SA4 region, indicating it as a growth leader. Natural growth contributed approximately 60.5% of overall population gains recently.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area until 2032, adopting Queensland State Government's projections thereafter for years not covered by ABS data. For state projections lacking age category splits, proportional growth weightings aligned with ABS Greater Capital Region projections are applied. Demographically, Emerald is expected to grow by around 1,492 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of approximately 9.5% over the 17-year period based on the latest annual ERP population numbers.

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

Emerald has received approximately 18 dwelling approvals per year. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 90 homes were approved, with an additional 26 approved so far in FY26. On average, each constructed dwelling attracted about 10.7 new residents annually during these years.

This supply has lagged demand, leading to heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures. New homes are being built at an average cost of $293,000, which is below regional levels, offering more affordable housing options. In terms of commercial development, Emerald has registered around $10.9 million in approvals this financial year, indicating balanced activity. Compared to the rest of Queensland and nationally, Emerald maintains similar construction rates per person, suggesting market stability.

However, recent activity has eased slightly. The majority of recent constructions, 91%, are detached dwellings, with townhouses or apartments making up the remaining 9%. This maintains the area's traditional low-density character, focusing on family homes. The estimated population per dwelling approval in Emerald is around 2370 people. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the population is forecasted to grow by 1447 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with this growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting stronger price growth in the future.

Emerald has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified seven projects that may affect the area. Notable projects include Codenwarra Road Mixed-Use Development Site, Nogoa Rise Estate Residential Development, 91 Gray Street Apartment Development, and Emerald Regional Botanic Gardens Upgrade. The following list details those 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.

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

Emerald has a skilled workforce with strong representation in manufacturing and industrial sectors. Its unemployment rate was 2.6% as of September 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 1.2% over the past year.

As of this date, 9,689 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 1.5% lower than Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation in Emerald was higher at 73.7%, compared to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Dominant employment sectors among residents included mining, retail trade, and education & training. Mining had a particularly notable concentration with employment levels at 5.4 times the regional average.

Health care & social assistance had limited presence with 8.1% employment compared to 16.1% regionally. Many residents appeared to commute elsewhere for work based on Census working population counts. In the 12-month period ending September 2025, employment increased by 1.2% alongside labour force increasing by 1.4%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.2 percentage points. Rest of Qld experienced employment growth of 1.7% and labour force growth of 2.1%, with a 0.3 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. State-level data as of 25-Nov-25 showed Queensland's employment contracted by 0.01% (losing 1,210 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia projected national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Emerald's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 5.2% over five years and 11.5% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022 shows Emerald SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $62,836 and an average of $78,859. Nationally, these figures are extremely high compared to the Rest of Qld's median of $50,780 and average of $64,844. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.99% since financial year 2022, estimates for September 2025 would be approximately $71,627 (median) and $89,891 (average). The 2021 Census data ranks household, family, and personal incomes in Emerald between the 77th and 81st percentiles nationally. The earnings profile shows that 37.4% of residents (5,694 people) fall into the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket, similar to the surrounding region where 31.7% occupy this bracket. Economic strength is evident with 31.0% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. After housing costs, residents retain 87.3% of income, indicating strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

Emerald is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Dwelling structure in Emerald, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 80.4% houses and 19.5% other dwellings. In Non-Metro Qld, this was 86.6% houses and 13.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Emerald was 15.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 37.9% and rented dwellings at 46.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,600, higher than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,500. Median weekly rent in Emerald was $300, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $250. Nationally, Emerald's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,600 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 73.1% of all households, including 36.7% couples with children, 25.3% couples without children, and 10.2% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 26.9%, with lone person households at 23.4% and group households at 3.4%. The median household size is 2.7 people, larger than the Rest of Qld average of 2.6.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 17.3%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 12.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.6%) and graduate diplomas (2.1%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 43.8% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 8.6% and certificates at 35.2%. Educational participation is high, with 35.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 14.8% in primary education, 10.7% in secondary education, and 2.9% pursuing tertiary education.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Emerald'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 across Emerald, with younger age groups experiencing particularly low prevalence of common health conditions.

Approximately 59% of the total population (9,044 people) has private health cover, which is exceptionally high. The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 8.0 and 7.6% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 75.7%, report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 74.5% across the rest of Queensland. Emerald has 8.8% of its population aged 65 and over (1,339 people), which is lower than the state average of 10.7%. However, health outcomes among seniors in Emerald are above average and require more attention than the broader population.

Emerald ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Emerald's population showed low cultural diversity, with 82.6% being citizens, 83.9% born in Australia, and 91.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 54.8%, compared to 56.8% across Rest of Qld. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (29.2%), English (28.1%), and Irish (8.3%).

Maori (1.7%) and New Zealand (1.2%) residents were overrepresented in Emerald, unlike the regional averages of 1.4% and 0.9%, respectively. South African residents also showed higher representation at 0.8% compared to the regional average of 0.5%.

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

Emerald's median age is 32 years, which is considerably lower than the Rest of Queensland average of 41 years and substantially under the Australian median of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of Queensland, Emerald has a higher concentration of residents aged 25-34 (16.8%) but fewer residents aged 75-84 (2.1%). Between the 2021 Census and the present day, the population aged 65-74 has grown from 4.6% to 6.1%, while the population aged 5-14 has declined from 17.6% to 15.6%. Demographic modeling suggests that Emerald's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041, with the strongest projected growth in the 25-34 cohort (25%), adding 646 residents to reach a total of 3,205 residents. In contrast, both the 55-64 and 15-24 age groups are projected to see reduced numbers by that year.