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 18,585 as of February 2026, according to AreaSearch's analysis. This figure represents a growth of 3,920 people, or 26.7%, since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 14,665. The increase is inferred from the estimated resident population of 17,592 in June 2024 and an additional 1,281 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 333 persons per square kilometer. Hope Island's growth rate exceeded that of the Rest of Qld (9.1%) and the national average, making it a growth leader in the region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 69.5% 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 by this data and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections are adopted, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits, so AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort, released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Future population trends indicate 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 35.6% over the 17 years.

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 seen approximately 418 dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling 2,091 homes. As of FY-26246 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.9 people move to the area annually 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 of new homes is $478,000, higher than regional norms due to quality-focused development.

In FY-26, $15.0 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, showing moderate levels of commercial development. 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 recently. This level is significantly above the national average, demonstrating robust developer interest in the area. New building activity comprises 14.0% standalone homes and 86.0% medium to high-density housing, creating affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This shift from the existing 60.0% houses indicates decreasing availability of developable sites and changing lifestyles. With around 53 people per dwelling approval, Hope Island exhibits growth area characteristics.

Future projections estimate an addition of 6,626 residents by 2041. Current construction levels should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth exceeding current forecasts.

Hope Island has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 117 projects that could impact the region. Notable initiatives include Hope Island Railway Station (part of Cross River Rail), Marina Point Apartments, Esperance Hope Island, and Coomera Urban Village Stage 3. The following list details those most likely to be 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, an unemployment rate of 2.4% as of September 2025, and an estimated employment growth of 2.7% over the past year. It has 9,152 residents in work, with an unemployment rate of 1.7% below Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation is lower at 60.6%, compared to Rest of Qld's 65.7%.

A high proportion of residents, 25.8%, work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Key industries for employment include health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade, with a strong specialization in professional & technical services at 1.8 times the regional level. Conversely, health care & social assistance shows lower representation at 12.1% compared to the regional average of 16.1%. The area may offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data.

Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 2.7%, while 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%, labour force grew by 2.1%, and unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, published in 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 local population projections.

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

AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released for financial year 2023 shows Hope Island SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $55,085 and an average income of $77,923. Nationally, these figures are high compared to the Rest of Qld's median of $53,146 and average of $66,593. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes for September 2025 would be approximately $60,544 (median) and $85,645 (average). Census 2021 data indicates Hope Island's household, family, and personal incomes are at the 61st percentile nationally. The largest income segment comprises 30.8% earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly, with 5,724 residents in this range. This pattern is similar to the surrounding region where 31.7% earn within this bracket. High housing costs consume 16.1% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 60th percentile nationally. 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

Dwelling structure in Hope Island, as evaluated at the latest Census (2016), comprised 60.4% houses and 39.6% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro Qld had 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Hope Island was 41.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 30.8% and rented ones at 27.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,200, higher than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,655. Median weekly rent in Hope Island was $550, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $345. Nationally, Hope Island's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,200 vs Australia's average of $1,863, and 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 2.5.

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%, exceeding both the Rest of Qld average (20.6%) and the SA3 area average (20.7%). Bachelor degrees are most common 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, including 7.8% in primary, 7.2% in secondary, and 5.2% in tertiary education.

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

Transport analysis indicates 14 active public transport stops within Hope Island. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with two individual routes operating collectively offering 250 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as limited, with residents typically located 830 meters from the nearest stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward, with car remaining the dominant mode at 93%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.6 per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, a high 25.8% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 35 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 17 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Hope Island is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Hope Island demonstrates above-average health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both young and old age cohorts show low prevalence of common health conditions.

The rate of private health cover is very high at approximately 58% of the total population (~10,779 people), compared to 52.5% across Rest of Qld. The most common medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, impacting 9.2 and 6.1% of residents respectively, while 68.3% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 67.6% across Rest of Qld. Working-age residents have notably healthy outcomes with low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 27.0% of residents aged 65 and over (5,025 people), higher than the 20.4% in Rest of Qld. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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 had a 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, making up 56.7%. Judaism, however, was overrepresented at 0.4%, compared to 0.1% in the rest of Queensland.

The top three ancestry groups were English (33.4%), Australian (20.0%), and Scottish (8.3%). Notably, South African (1.4%) and New Zealand (1.3%) ethnicities were overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.5% and 0.9%, respectively. Russian ethnicity was also higher at 0.6%.

Hope Island ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Hope Island's median age stands at 49 years, significantly higher than Queensland's average of 41 and exceeding Australia's national average of 38. The age profile indicates a prominent presence of individuals aged 65-74 (14.4%), while those aged 5-14 are comparatively smaller (8.4%) compared to the rest of Queensland. Between 2021 and present, the population share of those aged 25-34 has increased from 8.5% to 10.5%, while the 15-24 age group has risen from 9.6% to 11.3%. Conversely, the 45-54 age cohort has decreased from 14.5% to 12.8%, and the 65-74 age group has dropped from 16.1% to 14.4%. By the year 2041, Hope Island's population is expected to experience significant shifts in its age composition, with the 65-74 age group projected to grow by 39%, reaching a total of 3,716 individuals from the current figure of 2,679.