Hope Island

Hope Island lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

Hope Island's population was approximately 18,383 as of November 2025, according to AreaSearch's analysis. This represented a growth of 3,718 people, equating to a 25.4% increase since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 14,665. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 17,592 in June 2024 and an additional 1,157 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a population density ratio of 329 persons per square kilometer. Hope Island's growth exceeded the non-metro area (8.8%) and the national average, making it a regional growth leader. Interstate migration contributed approximately 69.5% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopted ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections were used, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. However, these state projections did not provide age category splits, so AreaSearch applied proportional growth weightings from the ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data) for each age cohort where utilized. Future population trends indicated a significant increase in the top quartile of national regional areas, with Hope Island expected to increase by 7,619 persons to 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 37.1% over the 17 years based on the latest annual ERP population numbers.

The level of residential development activity in Hope Island was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

Hope Island has received approximately 418 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 2,091 homes. As of FY-26240 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.9 people move to the area per year for each dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating a balanced supply and demand market with stable conditions. The average construction cost value for new homes is $478,000, which is higher than regional norms due to quality-focused development.

In FY-26, commercial development approvals totalled $15.0 million, reflecting moderate levels of commercial activity. Compared to the Rest of Qld, Hope Island has 190.0% more new home approvals per person, offering buyers greater choice. However, building activity has slowed in recent years. The area's new building activity comprises 14.0% standalone homes and 86.0% medium and high-density housing, creating affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This shift from the existing housing stock (currently 60.0% houses) suggests decreasing developable sites and changing lifestyles. With around 53 people per dwelling approval, Hope Island exhibits growth area characteristics. Future projections estimate an addition of 6,828 residents by 2041.

Given current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling population growth that exceeds forecasts.

Hope Island has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 116 projects likely to impact the region. Notable projects include Hope Island Railway Station (Cross River Rail), Marina Point Apartments, Esperance Hope Island, and Coomera Urban Village Stage 3. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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AreaSearch analysis places Hope Island well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Hope Island has a skilled workforce with diverse sector representation. Its unemployment rate is 2.4%, lower than the national average of 5%.

Over the past year, employment grew by an estimated 2.7%. As of September 2025, there are 9,152 residents in work. The unemployment rate is 1.7% below that of the rest of Queensland (Rest of Qld), which stands at 4.1%. However, workforce participation on Hope Island is lower than the Rest of Qld average, at 55.1% compared to 59.1%.

The key industries for employment among residents are health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. Notably, professional & technical services show strong specialization with an employment share 1.8 times the regional level. Conversely, health care & social assistance has lower representation at 12.1% compared to the regional average of 16.1%. Analysis based on AreaSearch data indicates that during the year to September 2025, employment levels increased by 2.7%, while the labour force grew by 3.1%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.4 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of Qld where employment rose by 1.7% and unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points. State-level data from Queensland as of 25-Nov shows employment contracted by 0.01%, losing 1,210 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%. Nationally, the unemployment rate stands at 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Hope Island's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.4% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

AreaSearch aggregated latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022. Hope Island SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $52,572 and an average income of $76,057. These figures are high compared to national levels of $50,780 and $64,844 in Rest of Qld respectively. Since financial year 2022, the Wage Price Index has grown by 13.99%. As of September 2025, estimated median income is approximately $59,927 and average income is around $86,697. Census 2021 income data shows Hope Island incomes cluster around the 61st percentile nationally. The largest income segment comprises 30.8% earning between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly (5,661 residents). This pattern is similar to surrounding regions where 31.7% fall within this range. High housing costs consume 16.1% of income in Hope Island. Despite this, disposable income ranks at the 60th percentile nationally, and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Hope Island displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

The dwelling structure in Hope Island, as per the latest Census, consisted of 60.4% houses and 39.6% other dwellings such as semi-detached properties, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This is compared to Non-Metro Qld's 80.5% houses and 19.4% other dwellings. The home ownership level in Hope Island was 41.4%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (30.8%) or rented (27.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,200, exceeding Non-Metro Qld's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent figure in Hope Island was recorded at $550, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $450. Nationally, Hope Island's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Hope Island features high concentrations of family households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 77.7% of all households, including 25.9% couples with children, 42.5% couples without children, and 8.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 22.3%, with lone person households at 19.1% and group households comprising 3.2%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.9.

Educational attainment in Hope Island aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

The area's educational profile is notable regionally with university qualification rates at 27.0%, surpassing the Rest of Qld average of 20.6% and the SA3 area rate of 20.7%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 18.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.4%) and graduate diplomas (2.2%). Vocational credentials are held by 37.2% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 14.2% and certificates at 23.0%.

Educational participation is high, with 25.0% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 7.8% in primary education, 7.2% in secondary education, and 5.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

The analysis of public transport in Hope Island shows that there are currently 14 active transport stops operating. These stops cater to a mix of bus routes. There are two individual routes serving these stops collectively providing 250 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of transport is rated as limited, with residents typically located 830 meters from the nearest transport stop. On average, service frequency is 35 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 17 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Hope Island are marginally below the national average with common health conditions slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts

Health indicators suggest below-average outcomes in Hope Island. Common health conditions are slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts.

The rate of private health cover is very high at approximately 57% of the total population (~10,496 people), compared to 52.3% across Rest of Qld. The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, impacting 9.2 and 6.1% of residents respectively, while 68.3% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 71.6% across Rest of Qld. As of June 2021, the area has 27.1% of residents aged 65 and over (4,974 people), which is higher than the 12.0% in Rest of Qld. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Hope Island was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Hope Island's population showed higher cultural diversity than most local markets, with 12.6% speaking a language other than English at home and 37.6% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 56.7% of Hope Island's population. Notably, Judaism was overrepresented at 0.4%, compared to 0.1% in the rest of Queensland.

Regarding ancestry, the top three groups were English (33.4%), Australian (20.0%), and Scottish (8.3%). Significant differences existed for South African (1.4% vs regional 1.0%), New Zealand (1.3% vs 1.9%), and Russian (0.6% vs 0.3%) ethnic groups.

Hope Island ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Hope Island's median age is 49 years, which is significantly higher than the Rest of Qld average of 41 and substantially exceeds the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 65-74 are particularly prominent, making up 14.5% of the population, while those aged 5-14 are comparatively smaller at 8.7%. This concentration of 65-74 year-olds is well above the national average of 9.4%. Between 2021 and present, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 9.6% to 11.3%, and the 25 to 34 cohort has increased from 8.5% to 10.1%. Conversely, the 65 to 74 cohort has declined from 16.1% to 14.5%, and the 45 to 54 group has dropped from 14.5% to 13.2%. By 2041, Hope Island is expected to see notable shifts in its age composition, with the 25 to 34 group growing by 60% (1,115 people), reaching a total of 2,978 from 1,862.