Ingham
Statistical Area - sa2

Ingham has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Ingham's population is around 4,544 as of Aug 2025. This reflects an increase of 89 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,455 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 4,507 in June 2024 and an additional 30 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 109 persons per square kilometer. Ingham's growth rate of 2.0% since census positions it within 1.7 percentage points of the SA3 area (3.7%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration, contributing approximately 77.3% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting 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, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. These state projections do not provide age category splits; hence proportional growth weightings aligned with ABS Greater Capital Region projections are applied where utilised. Looking at population projections moving forward, the area's population is expected to contract by 321 persons by 2041 according to this methodology. However, specific age cohorts are anticipated to grow, led by the 65 to 74 age group, projected to increase by 51 people.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Ingham, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Ingham has recorded approximately six residential properties granted approval each year. Development approval data is produced by the ABS on a financial year basis, totalling 33 approvals across the past five financial years from FY21 to FY25, with one approval so far in FY26. On average, one new resident per year arrives per new home over the past five financial years, suggesting balanced supply and demand conditions. However, recent data shows this has moderated to -0.3 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, indicating improved supply-demand balance. New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost value of $369,000, which is below the regional average, offering more affordable housing options for buyers.

Additionally, $9.2 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded this financial year, reflecting steady commercial investment activity. Compared to the Rest of Qld and nationally, Ingham records about three-quarters the building activity per person and places among the 33rd percentile of areas assessed, suggesting limited housing choices for buyers but supporting demand for existing properties. Recent construction comprises 40% detached dwellings and 60% medium and high-density housing, marking a significant shift from the current housing pattern of 86% houses, likely due to diminishing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 2389 people, reflecting Ingham's quiet development environment. Given stable or declining population forecasts, it may experience less housing pressure in the future, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

Given stable or declining population forecasts, Ingham may experience less housing pressure, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

Ingham has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 28thth percentile nationally

The performance of an area can significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified nine projects that may impact this particular area. Notable projects include North Queensland Bio-Energy Facility (Ingham), Moduline Ingham Expansion - Factory and Showroom, Atlantic North Ingham, and Residential Activation Fund - Hinchinbrook Housing. 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.

Employment conditions in Ingham face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Ingham's workforce comprises both white and blue-collar jobs with prominent essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate stands at 10.1%.

As of June 2025, 1,807 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 6.2% higher than Rest of Qld's 3.9%, indicating room for improvement. Workforce participation in Ingham lags significantly at 49.5% compared to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Leading employment industries among residents include health care & social assistance, manufacturing, and retail trade. Manufacturing is particularly specialized with an employment share 2.2 times the regional level.

Conversely, construction has limited presence with 5.2% employment compared to 10.1% regionally. The ratio of 0.7 workers per resident indicates a level of local employment opportunities above average. Between June 2024 and June 2025, Ingham's labour force decreased by 2.2%, with employment declining by 5.1%, leading to an unemployment increase of 2.8 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of Qld where employment grew by 1.8% and unemployment rose by only 0.2 percentage points. State-level data from Sep-25 shows QLD's employment contracted by 0.23% (losing 8,070 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%, favourably comparing to the national unemployment rate of 4.5%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 project growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Ingham's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.4% over five years and 12.2% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

Ingham's median income among taxpayers was $47,011 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $55,615 during the same period. This compares to figures for Rest of Qld which were $50,780 and $64,844 respectively. By March 2025, current estimates project Ingham's median income to be approximately $52,516 and average income at around $62,128, based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.71% since financial year 2022. Census data indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in Ingham all fall within the 4th to 13th percentiles nationally. The income bracket of $400 - $799 dominates with 29.2% of residents (1,326 people), unlike regional patterns where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket is dominant at 31.7%. Ingham has modest housing costs, retaining 88.1% of income, but its total disposable income ranks at just the 8th percentile nationally.

Ingham is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Ingham's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 86.5% houses and 13.6% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro Qld had 89.5% houses and 10.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Ingham was 45.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 19.8% and rented ones at 34.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,083, lower than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,213. The median weekly rent in Ingham was $210, slightly higher than Non-Metro Qld's figure of $202. Nationally, Ingham's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,083 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially lower at $210 compared to the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 60.9% of all households, consisting of 18.5% couples with children, 30.0% couples without children, and 11.5% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 39.1%, with lone person households at 36.7% and group households comprising 2.4%. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.3.

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

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates at 9.7%, substantially below the Australian average of 30.4%. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees lead at 7.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.2%) and graduate diplomas (0.8%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 40.1% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (6.9%) and certificates (33.2%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 26.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.8% in primary education, 9.3% in secondary education, and 2.1% pursuing tertiary education. Ingham's 5 schools have a combined enrollment reaching 1,380 students while Ingham demonstrates typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 957) with balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes 2 primary, 2 secondary, and 1 K-12 school. School capacity exceeds typical residential needs (30.4 places per 100 residents vs 21.1 regionally), indicating the area serves as an educational center for the broader region.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

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

Ingham faces significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups. Approximately 48% (~2,162 people) have private health cover, lower than the Rest of Qld's 49.9% and the national average of 55.3%. The most common conditions are arthritis (11.3%) and mental health issues (8.3%), with 60.9% reporting no medical ailments, compared to 66.2% in Rest of Qld.

Ingham has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 27.4% (1,246 people), versus Rest of Qld's 24.3%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are challenging but perform better than the general population in health metrics.

Ingham is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Ingham's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 89.6% of its population being citizens born in Australia who spoke English only at home. The predominant religion in Ingham was Christianity, comprising 74.6% of the population, compared to 70.7% across the rest of Queensland. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (24.2%), English (23.8%), and Italian (21.1%), with Italians being significantly higher than the regional average of 11.3%.

Notably, Spanish was overrepresented at 0.9%, Australian Aboriginal at 6.2% compared to regional averages of 0.6% and 8.1% respectively, and Filipino at 1.2% compared to 0.6%.

Ingham hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Ingham's median age is 48, which is higher than Rest of Qld's figure of 41 and significantly above the national norm of 38. The 75-84 age group constitutes 10.1% in Ingham compared to Rest of Qld. Meanwhile, the 35-44 cohort makes up 9.0%. Post-2021 Census data indicates that the 25 to 34 age group has increased from 10.1% to 11.7%, while the 45 to 54 cohort has decreased from 11.7% to 10.4%. By 2041, Ingham's age composition is expected to shift notably. The 65 to 74 group is projected to grow by 6 people (from 575 to 609), comprising 75% of the total growth. Conversely, population declines are forecast for the 75 to 84 and 5 to 14 cohorts.