Far Central West
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Far Central West's population was approximately 2,219 as of August 2025, reflecting an increase of 63 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 2,156. This change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 2,208 in June 2024 and an additional 121 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density was 0.00 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Far Central West had a compound annual growth rate of -0.7%, outperforming its SA3 area. Natural growth contributed approximately 72.7% of overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections for years post-2032, released in 2023 based on 2021 data.

Projections indicate an overall population decline of 370 persons by 2041, but growth is anticipated in the 85 and over age group with a projected increase of 36 people.

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

Far Central West has minimal residential development activity with 8 dwelling approvals annually over the past five years. This low level of development reflects the rural nature of the area, where housing needs are typically specific to local requirements rather than broader market demand. Note that due to the small number of approvals, individual projects can significantly impact annual growth and relativity statistics.

Compared to the Rest of Qld, Far Central West has much lower development activity, with levels also below national averages. Recent construction comprises 88.0% detached dwellings and 12.0% medium and high-density housing, maintaining the area's rural character focused on space. With approximately 154 people per approval, Far Central West indicates low population density. Given a stable or declining population projection, Far Central West is expected to have reduced pressure on housing, potentially presenting opportunities for buyers.

With population expected to remain stable or decline, Far Central West should see reduced pressure on housing, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

Far Central West has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 26thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 24 projects likely impacting the area. Key projects include Residential Activation Fund - Central Queensland Allocation, Affordable Housing Project for Workers, Longreach Recreational Precinct, and Longreach Solar Farm. The following list details those most relevant.

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

AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Far Central West performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Far Central West has a balanced workforce with white and blue collar jobs, prominent essential services sectors, an unemployment rate of 1.4%, and stable employment over the past year as of June 2025. There are 1,384 residents employed with an unemployment rate 2.5% lower than Rest of Qld's 3.9%.

Workforce participation is higher at 64.3% compared to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Key industries include agriculture, forestry & fishing, public administration & safety, and construction. Agriculture, forestry & fishing has a notable concentration with employment levels at 7.4 times the regional average. Health care & social assistance is under-represented, with only 5.0% of Far Central West's workforce compared to Rest of Qld's 16.1%.

The ratio of 0.6 workers per resident indicates local employment opportunities are above the norm. Between June 2024 and June 2025, labour force levels increased by 0.4%, while employment declined by 0.1%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Qld saw employment growth of 1.8% and labour force expansion of 2.0%, with an unemployment increase of 0.2 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 shows QLD employment contracted by 0.23% (losing 8,070 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%. Nationally, the unemployment rate is 4.5%, and employment growth is 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years for national employment. Applying these projections to Far Central West's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 4.5%% over five years and 10.1% over ten years.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

Far Central West's income level aligns with national averages according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. The median income among taxpayers in Far Central West is $56,452 and the average income stands at $64,563. In comparison, Rest of Qld's median income is $50,780 with an average of $64,844. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.71% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Far Central West would be approximately $63,063 (median) and $72,123 (average) as of March 2025. According to Census 2021 income data, personal income ranks at the 73rd percentile ($947 weekly), while household income sits at the 32nd percentile. Distribution data shows that 31.4% of individuals earn between $1,500 and $2,999, mirroring the region where this earnings band captures 31.7%. Housing costs are manageable with 93.6% retained, but disposable income sits below average at the 42nd percentile.

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

In Far Central West, as per the latest Census evaluation, 89.3% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 10.7% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other dwelling types. This compares to Non-Metro Qld's figures of 92.7% houses and 7.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Far Central West stood at 41.9%, similar to Non-Metro Qld, with mortgaged dwellings at 17.8% and rented ones at 40.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $884, lower than Non-Metro Qld's average of $910. Weekly rent in Far Central West was recorded at $140, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $160. Nationally, Far Central West's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Far Central West features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 60.0% of all households, including 21.3% couples with children, 29.1% couples without children, and 8.4% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 40.0%, with lone person households at 37.0% and group households comprising 2.7%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.3.

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

The area has university qualification rates at 14.9%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 11.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.9%) and graduate diplomas (1.0%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 39.6% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (8.8%) and certificates (30.8%).

Educational participation is high at 29.6%, including primary education (16.4%), secondary education (5.2%), and tertiary education (1.7%). There are nine schools operating in Far Central West, educating approximately 211 students. The school network includes eight primary schools and one K-12 school. School places per 100 residents stand at 9.5, below the regional average of 14.7, with some students likely attending schools in adjacent areas.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Far Central West's residents are relatively healthy in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Far Central West's health metrics are close to national benchmarks, with common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts at a fairly standard level. Approximately 52% (~1,151 people) of Far Central West's total population has private health cover, leading the average SA2 area rate of 49.5% in Rest of Qld.

The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma (8.6%) and arthritis (6.9%), while 71.1% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 67.5% across Rest of Qld. Far Central West has 18.9% (418 people) of residents aged 65 and over, lower than the 20.1% in Rest of Qld. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing better than the general population's health metrics.

The latest Census data sees Far Central West placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Far Central West showed lower cultural diversity, with 83.4% being citizens, 93.3% born in Australia, and 96.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, at 61.5%, compared to 66.5% across Rest of Qld. Top ancestral groups were Australian (32.1%), English (31.2%), and Australian Aboriginal (9.6%).

Notable differences existed in German representation (4.2% vs regional 4.6%), Samoan (0.2% vs 0.1%), and Irish (9.0% vs 8.9%).

Far Central West's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Far Central West is 41 years, matching Rest of Qld's average and being somewhat older than Australia's 38 years. Compared to Rest of Qld, Far Central West has a higher proportion of residents aged 55-64 (15.5%) but fewer residents aged 15-24 (9.7%). As per the 2021 Census, the age group of 25 to 34 has increased from 12.9% to 14.4%, while the 75 to 84 cohort has risen from 5.5% to 6.8%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has decreased from 13.4% to 11.9%, and the 15 to 24 group has dropped from 11.1% to 9.7%. By 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts in Far Central West's age structure. Notably, the 85+ group is projected to grow by 99%, reaching 63 people from 31. The combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 99% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, both the 0 to 4 and 35 to 44 age groups are projected to decrease in numbers.