Gladstone Hinterland

Gladstone Hinterland has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Gladstone Hinterland's population was around 12,369 as of May 2026. This reflected an increase of 840 people (7.3%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 11,529 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 12,274 from the ABS as of June 2025 and an additional 107 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equated to a density ratio of 1.9 persons per square kilometer. Gladstone Hinterland's 7.3% growth since census positioned it within 0.1 percentage points of the SA4 region (7.4%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by natural growth, contributing approximately 48.5% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopted 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 were adopted, released in 2023 and based on 2021 data. It should be noted that these state projections did not provide age category splits; hence where utilised, AreaSearch applied proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort, released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Moving forward with demographic trends, an above median population growth of locations outside of capital cities was projected. The area was expected to grow by 2,580 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 20.1% in total over the 16 years.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Gladstone Hinterland when compared nationally

Gladstone Hinterland has seen approximately 28 dwelling approvals per year. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25144 homes were approved, with a further 14 approved in FY-26 so far. On average, over these five years, around 3.9 new residents arrived annually for each dwelling constructed.

This suggests demand is outstripping supply, leading to increased buyer competition and pricing pressures. The average construction cost of new homes is $275,000, which is below regional levels, indicating more affordable housing options. In FY-26, commercial approvals totaling $11.4 million have been registered, suggesting balanced commercial development activity in the area. Compared to the rest of Queensland, Gladstone Hinterland has about three-quarters the building activity per person.

Nationally, it ranks at the 38th percentile for areas assessed, indicating limited buyer options but strong demand for established homes. This level is below the national average, suggesting the area's established nature and potential planning limitations. All recent development in Gladstone Hinterland has been standalone homes, maintaining its traditional low-density character with a focus on family homes. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 446 people, reflecting its quiet, low-activity development environment. Population forecasts indicate the area will gain 2,485 residents by 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to meet population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 53 projects that could impact this area. Major ones include Calliope Residential Growth Area, Hughes Road Battery Energy Storage System, Clinton Industrial Estate, and Brookview Estate. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

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The employment environment in Gladstone Hinterland shows above-average strength when compared nationally

Gladstone Hinterland's workforce is balanced across white and blue-collar jobs, with the construction sector prominent. As of December 2025, unemployment stood at 2.9%. In this month, 6,390 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.1% below Regional Queensland's 4.0%.

Workforce participation was 69.0%, slightly higher than Regional Queensland's 64.5%. According to Census data, only 7.2% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Dominant employment sectors include manufacturing, construction, and transport, postal & warehousing. Manufacturing stands out with employment levels at 2.6 times the regional average.

Conversely, health care & social assistance employed only 8.7% of local workers, below Regional Queensland's 16.1%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the working population versus resident population count. Between May 2024 and April 2025, labour force decreased by 3.3%, while employment declined by 2.5%, leading to a 0.8 percentage point drop in unemployment rate. This contrasts with Regional Queensland, where employment rose by 0.7%, labour force grew by 1.0%, and unemployment increased by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project total employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Gladstone Hinterland's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.2% over five years and 11.5% over ten years, using a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ending June 2023, Gladstone Hinterland SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $63,013 and an average income level of $77,619. These figures are high compared to national levels of $53,146 and $66,593 for Regional Qld respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% since financial year ending June 2023, current estimates suggest a median income of approximately $70,171 and an average income of $86,437 as of March 2026. Census data from 2021 shows that incomes in Gladstone Hinterland cluster around the 56th percentile nationally. Income distribution data indicates that 34.0% of the population (4,205 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, similar to the region where 31.7% occupy this bracket. After housing costs, residents retain 86.7% of their income, indicating strong purchasing power.

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

The dwelling structure in Gladstone Hinterland, as per the latest Census, consisted of 93.9% houses and 6.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Regional Qld's 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Gladstone Hinterland was at 32.6%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (47.5%) or rented (19.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,885, higher than Regional Qld's average of $1,655. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $290, compared to Regional Qld's $345. Nationally, Gladstone Hinterland's mortgage repayments were above the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Gladstone Hinterland features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 81.5% of all households, including 38.4% couples with children, 33.1% couples without children, and 9.6% single parent families. Non-family households account for 18.5%, comprising 16.7% lone person households and 1.7% group households. The median household size is 2.8 people, larger than the Regional Queensland average of 2.5.

Gladstone Hinterland faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 10.8%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 8.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.2%) and graduate diplomas (1.2%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 47.0% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (8.3%) and certificates (38.7%).

Educational participation is high, with 31.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 14.2% in primary education, 10.5% in secondary education, and 2.3% pursuing tertiary education.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

The level of general health in Gladstone Hinterland is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions quite low across both younger and older age cohorts

Gladstone Hinterland shows superior health outcomes, as assessed by AreaSearch through mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is notably low across both younger and older age groups.

Private health cover is high, at approximately 58% of the total population (~7,174 people), compared to 52.5% in Regional Queensland. Mental health issues and arthritis are the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 7.6 and 7.5% of residents respectively. Notably, 71.9% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 67.6% across Regional Queensland. Health outcomes among working-age individuals are generally typical. The area has 16.0% of residents aged 65 and over (1,976 people), lower than the 20.4% in Regional Queensland. Senior health outcomes are above average, aligning with national rankings for the general population.

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

Gladstone Hinterland's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 89.4% of its population being citizens, 91.0% born in Australia, and 97.3% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Gladstone Hinterland, comprising 50.6%, compared to 52.2% across Regional Qld. The top three ancestry groups are Australian (35.3%), English (30.5%), and Scottish (7.8%).

Notably, German ancestry is overrepresented at 5.3%, South Australian at 0.6%, and Australian Aboriginal at 3.8%.

Gladstone Hinterland's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Gladstone Hinterland is 38 years, slightly below Regional Queensland's average of 41 but in line with Australia's median age of 38. The 5-14 age group comprises 15.5%, higher than the regional average, while the 25-34 cohort makes up 10.4%. Post-2021 Census data indicates that the 75 to 84 age group has increased from 3.5% to 5.1%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 age group has decreased from 17.2% to 15.5%, and the 45 to 54 age group has dropped from 14.4% to 13.3%. Population forecasts for 2041 suggest significant demographic changes in Gladstone Hinterland. Notably, the 25 to 34 age group is projected to grow by 33%, adding 422 people and reaching a total of 1,714 from the current 1,291. In contrast, the 15 to 24 age group shows minimal growth of just 1%, increasing by only 9 people.