Gladstone

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Gladstone's population is around 6,747 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 573 people (9.3%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,174 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 6,709 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 25 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 659 persons per square kilometer, providing significant space per person and potential room for further development. Gladstone's 9.3% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region (6.8%) and the SA3 area, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 61.3% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers, including natural growth and interstate migration, were positive factors.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and for years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections, released in 2023 and based on 2021 data, are adopted. It should be noted that these state projections do not provide age category splits; hence, where utilised, AreaSearch is applying proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data) for each age cohort. Considering the projected demographic shifts, an above-median population growth for Australian non-metropolitan areas is projected, with the area expected to grow by 932 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 13.2% in total over the 17 years.

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

Gladstone has averaged around 5 new dwelling approvals each year, totalling 25 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26, 2 approvals have been recorded. With an average of 21.6 people per year moving to the area for each dwelling built over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), supply is substantially lagging demand, which generally means heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures, while new properties are constructed at an average value of $372,000. There have also been $16.2 million in commercial approvals this financial year, indicating steady commercial investment activity.

Compared to the rest of Queensland, Gladstone has significantly less development activity (76.0% below the regional average per person). This constrained new construction usually reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings, though development activity has picked up in recent periods. This activity is also below average nationally, reflecting the area's maturity and pointing to possible planning constraints. New development consists of 40.0% detached houses and 60.0% medium and high-density housing. This focus on higher-density living creates more affordable entry points and suits downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This marks a significant departure from existing housing patterns (currently 58.0% houses), suggesting diminishing developable land availability and responding to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. The estimated count of 3482 people in the area per dwelling approval reflects its quiet, low-activity development environment.

Population forecasts indicate Gladstone will gain 894 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Should current construction levels persist, housing supply could lag population growth, likely intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

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

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 11 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include HPA First Project Stage 2, Hughes Road Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), Port of Gladstone Gatcombe and Golding Cutting Channel Duplication Project, and Gladstone Project, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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.

The labour market performance in Gladstone lags significantly behind most other regions nationally

Gladstone has a skilled workforce, with manufacturing and industrial sectors strongly represented, an unemployment rate of 10.2%, and 1.2% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 3,261 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 6.2% above Regional Qld's rate of 4.0%, showing room for improvement, and workforce participation is on par with Regional Qld's 65.4%. Based on Census responses, a low 4.6% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Leading employment industries among residents comprise manufacturing, health care & social assistance, and accommodation & food. The area demonstrates a particularly notable concentration in manufacturing, with employment levels at 2.1 times the regional average. Meanwhile, health care & social assistance has a limited presence with 11.6% employment compared to 16.1% regionally. With 1.2 workers for every resident, as at the Census, the area functions as an employment hub, hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, the 12-month period saw employment increasing by 1.2% alongside a labour force decreasing by 3.3%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 4.0 percentage points. This contrasts with Regional Qld, where employment rose by 0.7%, the labour force grew by 1.0%, and unemployment rose 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Gladstone. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Gladstone's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.6% over five years and 12.2% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

The Gladstone SA2's income level is in line with national averages according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for FY-23. The Gladstone SA2's median income among taxpayers is $54,133 and the average income stands at $67,049, which compares to figures for Regional Qld's of $53,146 and $66,593 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $59,498 (median) and $73,694 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes in Gladstone all fall between the 14th and 25th percentiles nationally. Looking at income distribution, the predominant cohort spans 26.0% of locals (1,754 people) in the $1,500 - 2,999 category, reflecting patterns seen in the broader area where 31.7% similarly occupy this range. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 83.6% of income remaining, ranking at the 15th percentile.

Gladstone displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure within Gladstone, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 58.0% houses and 42.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Regional Qld's 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Gladstone lagged that of Regional Qld, at 22.0%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (23.0%) or rented (55.1%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well below the Regional Qld average at $1,394, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $230, compared to Regional Qld's $1,655 and $345. Nationally, Gladstone's mortgage repayments are significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households dominate at 52.8% of all households, comprising 18.2% couples with children, 21.0% couples without children, and 12.1% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 47.2%, with lone person households at 42.7% and group households comprising 4.7% of the total. The median household size of 2.0 people is smaller than the Regional Qld average of 2.5.

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

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates (18.4%) substantially below the Australian average of 30.4%. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees lead at 13.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.2%) and graduate diplomas (1.7%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 41.4% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (7.4%) and certificates (34.0%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 28.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.0% in primary education, 8.8% in secondary education, and 3.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 30 active transport stops operating within Gladstone comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 3 individual routes, collectively providing 105 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 246 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward - the car remains the dominant mode at 87%, with 6% walking. Vehicle ownership averages 1.0 per dwelling, below the regional average. A relatively low 4.6% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 15 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 3 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Gladstone is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Gladstone faces significant health challenges, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions are somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts, and the rate of private health cover slightly lags that of the average SA2 area at approximately 52% of the total population (~3,515 people).

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and arthritis, impacting 11.3 and 8.7% of residents, respectively, while 64.1% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 67.6% across Regional Qld. The working-age population faces notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 15.4% of residents aged 65 and over (1,039 people), which is lower than the 20.4% in Regional Qld, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

In terms of cultural diversity, Gladstone records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Gladstone was found to be roughly in line with the wider region's average in terms of cultural diversity, with 81.6% of its population being citizens, 80.7% born in Australia, and 89.5% speaking English only at home. The main religion in Gladstone is Christianity, which makes up 46.2% of people. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Hinduism, which comprises 1.7% of the population, compared to 0.8% across Regional Qld.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Gladstone are English, comprising 29.7% of the population, Australian, comprising 26.9% of the population, and Irish, comprising 7.3% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Filipino is notably overrepresented at 2.9% of Gladstone (vs 0.9% regionally), Australian Aboriginal at 5.1% (vs 3.9%) and Maori at 0.9% (vs 0.8%).

Gladstone's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The 39-year median age in Gladstone is somewhat lower than Regional Qld's average of 41 though very close to the 38-year national average. The age profile shows 25 - 34 year-olds are particularly prominent (15.4%), while the 75 - 84 group is comparatively smaller (4.8%) than in Regional Qld. In the period since 2021, the 25 to 34 age group has grown from 13.5% to 15.4% of the population. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 14.8% to 12.9% and the 55 to 64 group dropped from 14.5% to 13.4%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections reveal significant shifts in Gladstone's age structure. The 25 to 34 age cohort is projected to increase solidly, expanding by 316 people (30%) from 1,042 to 1,359. Conversely, the 15 to 24 group will contract by 58 residents.