Kirwan - West
Statistical Area - sa2

Kirwan - West has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Kirwan - West's population, as per AreaSearch's analysis, is 15,204 as of November 2025. This figure reflects a rise of 260 people (1.7%) since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 14,944. The increase is inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 15,209 in June 2024 and an additional 27 validated new addresses post-Census. This results in a density ratio of 1,627 persons per square kilometer, above the national average assessed by AreaSearch. Natural growth contributed approximately 61.0% to overall population gains recently.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections from 2023 (based on 2021 data) are adopted. Note that these state projections lack age category splits; thus, proportional growth weightings aligned with ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data) are applied where utilized. Projected demographic shifts indicate an overall population decline of 659 persons by 2041. However, specific age cohorts like the 25 to 34 group are expected to grow, with a projected increase of 422 people.

The level of residential development activity in Kirwan - West is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Kirwan-West averaged approximately five new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 26 homes. As of FY-26, one approval has been recorded so far. The area's population decline suggests that new supply is likely meeting demand, providing good options for buyers with an average construction cost value of $366,000 per property. This year, $22.7 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating steady investment activity.

Compared to the rest of Queensland, Kirwan-West has significantly lower building activity, 92.0% below the regional average per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established dwellings. Nationally, building activity is also lower, reflecting market maturity and possible development constraints. Recent building activity consists entirely of detached houses, maintaining the area's suburban character with a focus on family homes. With around 2782 people per dwelling approval, Kirwan-West reflects a highly mature market.

Given stable or declining population forecasts, housing pressure may be less intense in Kirwan-West, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

Kirwan - West has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 28thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 13 projects that could impact the region. Notable ones include Kirwan Health Campus Expansion, Willowbank Estate, Townsville Connection Road (Stuart Drive) Upgrade, and Garbutt-Upper Ross Road Safety Improvements. The following list details those most relevant.

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 in Kirwan - West demonstrates typical performance when compared to similar areas across Australia

Kirwan-West has an unemployment rate of 3.5% as of June 2025. It employs 8,149 residents with a participation rate of 68.3%, exceeding Rest of Qld's rates of 3.9% and 59.1%.

Key employment sectors are health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, retail trade. Public administration & safety is strongly represented at 2.1 times the regional level, while agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented at 0.3%. Labour force decreased by 1.8% and employment declined by 3.0% in Kirwan-West between June 2024 and June 2025, causing unemployment to rise by 1.2 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, May 2025, project growth of approximately 6.5% over five years and 13.5% over ten years for Kirwan-West, based on its current employment mix.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, during the year to June 2025, the labour force decreased by 1.8% while employment declined by 3.0%, causing unemployment to rise by 1.2 percentage points. This compares to Rest of Qld, where employment grew by 1.8%, labour force expanded by 2.0%, and unemployment rose 0.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Kirwan - West. 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 Kirwan - West's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately increase by 6.5%% over five years and 13.5% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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

AreaSearch released postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 on unknown date. Kirwan - West's median income among taxpayers was $62,946 with an average of $71,397. This is above national averages, compared to Rest of Qld's median of $50,780 and average of $64,844. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.99% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $71,752 (median) and $81,385 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes in Kirwan - West cluster around the 62nd percentile nationally. Income brackets indicate the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 40.1% of residents (6,096 people). After housing, 86.4% of income remains for other expenses and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in Kirwan-West, as evaluated at the latest Census, consisted of 92.7% houses and 7.3% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro Qld had 81.3% houses and 18.7% other dwellings. The level of home ownership in Kirwan-West was 26.3%, with the remainder being mortgaged (40.3%) or rented (33.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,517, aligning with Non-Metro Qld's average. The median weekly rent figure was $350, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $305. Nationally, Kirwan-West's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were less than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 78.1% of all households, including 32.9% couples with children, 29.0% couples without children, and 15.1% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 21.9%, with lone person households at 18.5% and group households comprising 3.4%. The median household size is 2.7 people, which is larger than the Rest of Qld average of 2.5.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 18.3%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This presents both challenges and opportunities for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 13.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.5%) and graduate diplomas (2.2%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 40.4% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 11.0% and certificates at 29.4%.

Educational participation is high, with 31.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.9% in primary, 10.5% in secondary, and 4.9% in tertiary education. Kirwan - West has 4 schools with a combined enrollment of 3,611 students, operating under typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 970) with balanced educational opportunities. The area's school mix includes 2 primary, 1 secondary, and 1 K-12 school. School capacity exceeds residential needs (23.8 places per 100 residents vs regional average of 16.7), indicating the area serves as an educational hub for the broader region. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to parent campus.

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

The analysis of public transportation in the area of Kirwan - West shows that there are currently 28 active transport stops operating. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with a total of 6 individual routes providing service to the area. The collective weekly passenger trips facilitated by these routes amount to 1,296.

The accessibility of public transportation in this region is rated as good, with residents typically located approximately 330 meters from their nearest transport stop. On average, there are 185 trips per day across all routes, which equates to roughly 46 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Kirwan - West are marginally below the national average with the level of common health conditions among the general population somewhat typical, though higher than the nation's average among older cohorts

Health indicators for Kirwan - West suggest below-average health outcomes compared to national averages.

Common health conditions are somewhat typical but higher among older cohorts. Private health cover is very high at approximately 55% of the total population, which amounts to around 8,362 people. The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and arthritis, affecting 9.5% and 8.4% of residents respectively. A majority of residents, 67.4%, report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 67.8% across the rest of Queensland. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 15.1% (2,292 people). Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than those in the broader population.

Kirwan - West ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Kirwan-West, surveyed in 2016, had low cultural diversity with 86.7% born in Australia, 90.3% being citizens, and 92.5% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion at 58.2%, compared to 52.7% regionally. Top ancestry groups were Australian (28.5%), English (27.5%), and Irish (8.3%).

Notable differences included higher representation of Australian Aboriginal (5.4% vs 5.0%), Maori (0.6% vs 0.5%), and German (3.9% vs 4.0%) groups in Kirwan-West compared to the regional average.

Kirwan - West's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Kirwan-West's median age is 37 years, which is significantly lower than the Rest of Qld average of 41 years and closely aligned with Australia's median age of 38 years. In comparison to the Rest of Qld average, individuals aged 15-24 are notably over-represented at 14.8% locally, while those aged 75-84 are under-represented at 4.7%. According to the 2021 Census, the age group of 75-84 years has increased from 3.4% to 4.7% of the population. Conversely, the age group of 5-14 years has decreased from 14.7% to 12.8%, and the age group of 45-54 years has dropped from 14.7% to 13.5%. Demographic modeling indicates that Kirwan-West's age profile is expected to change significantly by 2041. The age group of 25-34 years is projected to grow the strongest at 17%, adding 333 residents to reach a total of 2,316. Residents aged 65 and older will represent 51% of the anticipated population growth, while demographic aging continues. Conversely, population declines are projected for the age groups of 65-74 years and 35-44 years.