Garbutt - West End
Statistical Area - sa2

Garbutt - West End has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Garbutt - West End's population is approximately 6,633 as of November 2025. From the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,273 people, there has been an increase of 360 individuals (5.7%). This growth can be inferred from the estimated resident population of 6,603 in June 2024 and the addition of 100 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density is around 389 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration contributed approximately 53.5% 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.

For areas not covered and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections are adopted, based on 2021 data and released in 2023. These state projections do not provide age category splits, so AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings from the ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort, released in 2023 using 2022 data. According to these projections, Garbutt - West End's population is expected to decline by 506 persons by 2041. However, specific age cohorts are anticipated to grow, notably the 85 and over age group, projected to expand by 125 people.

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

Garbutt - West End has seen approximately 25 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 127 homes. As of FY-26, four approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.6 new residents per year per dwelling were constructed between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating balanced supply and demand. However, this figure has increased to 5.5 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, suggesting growing popularity in the area. New properties are constructed at an average cost of $208,000, below regional norms, offering more affordable housing options.

This year, $38.5 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating strong commercial development momentum. Compared to the rest of Queensland, Garbutt - West End has similar development levels per person, maintaining market equilibrium with surrounding areas. New building activity consists of 89% detached houses and 11% medium and high-density housing, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers.

This is higher than current patterns (54% at Census), demonstrating ongoing demand for family homes despite increasing density pressures. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 348 people, reflecting its quiet development environment. With a stable or declining population expected, Garbutt - West End may experience reduced housing pressure, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

Garbutt - West End has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 24thth percentile nationally

The performance of a region is significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified 24 projects that are expected to impact this area. Notable projects include Weststate Private Hospital, Army Aviation Program of Works - RAAF Base Townsville, Francis Street Roadworks, West End, and Queensland Rail Support Facilities, Bolam Street. The following list details those projects 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.

Employment conditions in Garbutt - West End face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Garbutt - West End has a skilled workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 10.6% as of June 2025.

At that time, 3179 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 6.6 percentage points higher than Rest of Qld's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation was similar to Rest of Qld at 59.1%. Key industries for employment among residents are health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and education & training. Notably, public administration & safety has a high concentration with employment levels at 2.1 times the regional average.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented with only 0.3% of Garbutt - West End's workforce compared to 4.5% in Rest of Qld. The area functions as an employment hub with a ratio of 2.0 workers per resident at the Census. Over the 12 months to June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 2.0%, while employment declined by 5.7%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 3.5 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of Qld where employment grew by 1.8% and unemployment rose by only 0.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest potential future demand within Garbutt - West End. These projections estimate local growth of approximately 6.6%% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation using the local employment profile.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that Garbutt - West End has one of the highest incomes in Australia. The median income is $59,414 and the average income is $77,092. In comparison, Rest of Qld has a median income of $50,780 and an average income of $64,844. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.99% since financial year 2022, the current estimated median income is approximately $67,726 and the average income is around $87,877 as of September 2025. Census data indicates that household incomes are at the 19th percentile while personal income is at the 53rd percentile. Income analysis reveals that the majority of residents, 29.2%, fall into the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket (1,936 people). Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 82.9% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 19th percentile.

Garbutt - West End displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure in Garbutt - West End, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 54.3% houses and 45.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro Qld's 81.3% houses and 18.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Garbutt - West End was at 18.7%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (26.8%) or rented (54.6%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,354, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $250. Nationally, Garbutt - West End's mortgage repayments are significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially below the national figure of $375.

Garbutt - West End features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 49.8% of all households, including 14.7% couples with children, 21.1% couples without children, and 12.5% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 50.2%, with lone person households at 44.8% and group households comprising 5.5%. The median household size is 1.9 people, smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.5.

Garbutt - West End faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

Educational qualifications in Garbutt-West End trail regional benchmarks, with 24.5% of residents aged 15+ holding university degrees compared to the national average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 16.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.5%) and graduate diplomas (2.2%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 37.7% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 9.4% and certificates at 28.3%. Educational participation is high, with 28.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 8.6% in primary education, 7.2% in tertiary education, and 6.6% pursuing secondary education. Garbutt-West End has four schools with a combined enrollment of 404 students. Educational provision is conventional, split between two primary and two secondary institutions. Local school capacity is limited at 6.1 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 16.7, leading many families to travel for schooling. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

The analysis of public transportation in Garbutt - West End shows that there are currently 53 active transport stops operating within the area. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with a total of 6 individual routes providing service to these locations. Together, these routes facilitate 702 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of transport is considered good in this region, with residents typically residing approximately 211 meters away from their nearest transport stop. On average, across all routes, there are about 100 trips per day, which translates to roughly 13 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Garbutt - West End is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data indicates significant health challenges in Garbutt - West End, with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups. The rate of private health cover is notably high at approximately 58% of the total population (3,833 people), compared to 53.3% across the rest of Queensland.

Mental health issues and arthritis are the most common medical conditions in the area, affecting 11.1 and 8.2% of residents respectively. However, 64.5% of residents report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 67.8% across the rest of Queensland. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 18.6% (1,237 people), compared to 14.9% in the rest of Queensland. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, broadly aligning with the general population's health profile.

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

Garbutt-West End's cultural diversity was below average, with 83.9% of its population being Australian citizens, born in Australia (82.7%), speaking English only at home (91.0%). Christianity was the predominant religion (49.8%). The most notable overrepresentation was in the 'Other' category, comprising 0.9% compared to Rest of Qld's 0.7%.

For ancestry, the top groups were English (27.5%), Australian (24.1%), and Irish (9.2%). Significant divergences included Australian Aboriginal at 6.1% (vs regional 5.0%), Maori at 0.8% (vs 0.5%), and German at 4.3% (vs 4.0%).

Garbutt - West End's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Garbutt-West End is 39 years, which is lower than Rest of Qld's average of 41 but close to the national average of 38. The age profile shows that those aged 25-34 are prominent at 17.2%, while those aged 5-14 are smaller at 7.9% compared to Rest of Qld. Between 2021 and present, the 25-34 age group has grown from 15.4% to 17.2%, and the 15-24 cohort increased from 12.7% to 14.2%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort declined from 14.5% to 10.9%, and the 5-14 group dropped from 9.3% to 7.9%. By 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts in Garbutt-West End's age structure. The 85+ age cohort is projected to rise substantially, increasing by 110 people (78%) from 141 to 252. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 80% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Meanwhile, the 0-4 and 65-74 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.