Moranbah
Statistical Area - sa2

An assessment of population growth drivers in Moranbah reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Moranbah's population is around 10,029 as of Aug 2025. From the 2021 Census until Jun 2024, it increased by 604 people to 9,973, reflecting a growth rate of 6.4%. This increase was driven primarily by natural growth (65.3%) over recent periods. The population density stands at 3.3 persons per square kilometer as of Aug 2025. Over the past decade, Moranbah's compound annual growth rate has been 0.9%, outperforming its SA3 area. 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 from 2023 based on 2021 data are used. These state projections lack age category splits; thus, proportional growth weightings align with ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data) for each age cohort. By 2041, Moranbah's population is expected to increase by 612 persons to a total of 10,641, reflecting a gain of 5.5% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Moranbah according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Moranbah has granted approximately 8 residential property approvals annually. From FY-21 to FY-25, a total of 44 homes were approved, with none recorded so far in FY-26. On average, around 12.8 new residents arrived per dwelling constructed over the past five financial years.

This suggests that supply is significantly lagging demand, which can lead to increased buyer competition and pricing pressures. New properties are constructed at an average cost of $570,000. In FY-26, Moranbah has recorded $15.2 million in commercial development approvals, indicating steady investment activity in the area. When compared to the rest of Queensland, Moranbah records roughly half the building activity per person. Nationally, it places among the 13th percentile of areas assessed, suggesting limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing homes. This level is below the national average, indicating an established area with potential planning limitations.

Recent construction in Moranbah comprises 25% detached dwellings and 75% attached dwellings, a significant shift from the current housing pattern of 82% houses. This trend suggests diminishing developable land availability and responds to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 5286 people, reflecting its quiet development environment. Future projections indicate Moranbah adding 556 residents by 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Moranbah has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 40thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 14 projects that may affect this region. Notable ones are Isaac Resources Excellence Precinct, Moranbah Mixed Use Development, Moranbah North Waste Coal Mine Gas Power Project Expansion, and Moranbah Affordable Housing Project. The following list outlines 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.

Employment conditions in Moranbah rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

Moranbah has a skilled workforce with manufacturing and industrial sectors strongly represented, an unemployment rate of 0.7% as of June 2025, and relative employment stability over the past year. As of this date, 6425 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 3.2 percentage points below Rest of Qld's rate of 3.9%, and workforce participation is at 68.1% compared to Rest of Qld's 59.1%.

Leading employment industries among residents comprise mining, accommodation & food, and education & training. The area has a notably high concentration in mining, with employment levels at 11.8 times the regional average. Health care & social assistance is under-represented, with only 4.2% of Moranbah's workforce compared to 16.1% in Rest of Qld. The ratio of 0.9 workers for each resident, as at the Census, indicates substantial local employment opportunities.

Over the 12-month period ending June 2025, employment increased by 0.3% while labour force decreased by 0.2%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Qld experienced employment growth of 1.8% and labour force growth of 2.0%, with a 0.2 percentage point rise in unemployment. As of Sep-25, state-level data shows Queensland's employment contracted by 0.23% (losing 8070 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%. This compares favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.5%, but lags behind the national employment growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest that over five years, employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% nationally, with local growth estimated at approximately 4.2%. Over ten years, national employment is projected to grow by 13.7%, with Moranbah expected to increase by around 10.5%.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

AreaSearch data from June 2022 shows Moranbah taxpayers had a median income of $88,563 and an average income of $103,819. These figures are notably higher than the national averages of $50,780 and $64,844 respectively for Rest of Qld. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.71% from July 2022 to March 2025, estimated median income would be approximately $98,934 and average income around $115,976 by March 2025. Income data from the Census conducted in August 2021 ranks Moranbah households, families, and individuals highly, between the 97th and 98th percentiles nationally. Income distribution shows that 33.1% of residents (3,319 individuals) earn within the $1,500 - 2,999 range, similar to the broader area where 31.7% fall into this bracket. Economic stability is evident with 51.8% of households earning over $3,000 weekly after housing costs, indicating strong consumer spending power as residents retain 95.5% of their income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile as of September 2021.

Moranbah is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In Moranbah, as per the latest Census evaluation, 81.9% of dwellings were houses while 18.1% consisted of other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This contrasts with Non-Metro Qld's figures of 86.1% houses and 13.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Moranbah stood at 8.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 19.8% and rented ones at 71.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,300, aligning with Non-Metro Qld's average, while the median weekly rent was $111 compared to Non-Metro Qld's $200. Nationally, Moranbah's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Moranbah has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 75.5% of all households, including 42.4% couples with children, 22.2% couples without children, and 9.8% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 24.5%, with lone person households making up 21.5% and group households comprising 3.1%. The median household size is 2.8 people, larger than the Rest of Qld average of 2.5.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 18.0%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. This figure presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 13.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.8%) and graduate diplomas (1.9%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 51.4% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas account for 8.7% and certificates for 42.7%.

Educational participation is high, with 42.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 19.6% in primary education, 11.1% in secondary education, and 3.4% pursuing tertiary education. Moranbah's 3 schools have a combined enrollment of 1,939 students as of the latest data point (20XX). The area exhibits typical Australian school conditions with an ICSEA score of 958, indicating balanced educational opportunities. Education provision is balanced with 2 primary and 1 secondary school serving distinct age groups. School capacity exceeds typical residential needs, with 19.3 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 14.1, suggesting the area serves as an educational hub for the broader region.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Moranbah's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Moranbah shows excellent health outcomes across all age groups, with a very low prevalence of common health conditions. Approximately 73% of Moranbah's total population (7,281 people) has private health cover, compared to 60.4% in the rest of Queensland and 55.3% nationally. The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma at 8.6% and mental health issues at 6.8%.

Around 78.8% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.7% in the rest of Queensland. Moranbah has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, with 343 people or 3.4%, compared to 12.6% in the rest of Queensland. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are strong and align with those of the general population.

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

Moranbah had a cultural diversity level below the average, with 74.8% citizens, 85.4% born in Australia, and 92.1% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 45.5%. Notably, the 'Other' category made up 0.7%, higher than the regional average of 0.4%.

The top three ancestry groups were Australian (30.2%), English (28.7%), and Irish (7.3%). Significant differences included Maori (1.7% vs region's 1.0%), New Zealand (1.1% vs 0.8%), and Filipino (2.3% vs 1.6%) groups being more represented in Moranbah compared to the rest of Queensland.

Moranbah hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Moranbah's median age is 31 years, which is younger than Rest of Qld's 41 and Australia's national average of 38 years. The 25-34 age group makes up 22.1% of Moranbah's population compared to Rest of Qld's percentage, while the 65-74 cohort represents only 2.7%. This 25-34 concentration is higher than Australia's national average of 14.5%. Between 2021 and present, the 25-34 age group has increased from 20.0% to 22.1%, while the 5-14 cohort has decreased from 16.5% to 14.7%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate that Moranbah's 25-34 age cohort will increase by 388 people (an 18% rise) to reach 2,601 people. Conversely, the 15-24 and 5-14 cohorts are projected to decline in population.