Mount Isa Surrounds

Population growth drivers in Mount Isa Surrounds are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

Mount Isa Surrounds' population is approximately 4,323 as of February 2026. From the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,044, there has been an increase of 279 people (6.9%). This growth is inferred from the estimated resident population of 4,309 in June 2024 and an additional 52 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density ratio is 0.10 persons per square kilometer. Mount Isa Surrounds' growth of 6.9% since the 2021 census exceeds that of its SA3 area (2.7%) and SA4 region, making it a growth leader in the region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 54.2% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including natural growth and overseas migration being positive factors.

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 released in 2023 based on 2021 data are adopted. These state projections do not provide age category splits; thus, AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 and based on 2022 data for each age cohort. Based on projected demographic shifts, a population increase just below Australia's regional areas median is expected by 2041, with an increase of 529 persons (11.9% total over the 17 years) anticipated.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Mount Isa Surrounds recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Mount Isa Surrounds has averaged approximately six new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 34 homes. As of FY26, zero approvals have been recorded. On average, 14.1 new residents arrive per year for each dwelling constructed between FY21 and FY25. This indicates substantial supply lagging demand, likely leading to heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures.

Developers focus on the premium market, with an average construction cost of $593,000 for new homes. In FY26, $2.7 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, suggesting the area's residential character. Compared to the rest of Queensland, Mount Isa Surrounds shows moderately higher building activity, being 48.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period. This balances buyer choice while supporting current property values, though it is still under the national average, indicating the area's established nature and potential planning limitations.

New development consists of 86.0% standalone homes and 14.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's traditional low density character focused on family homes. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 434 people, reflecting its quiet, low activity development environment. Future projections estimate Mount Isa Surrounds will add 515 residents by 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Mount Isa Surrounds has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified seven projects that may affect this region. Notable ones include Mount Isa Mines' Black Star Open Cut Project, Mount Isa Police Accommodation and Justice System Resourcing, Essential Pipeline Works for City Low and High Systems, and the Parks Improvement Program. The following list details those most likely to be 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 performance in Mount Isa Surrounds ranks among the strongest 15% of areas evaluated nationally

Mount Isa Surrounds has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. Manufacturing and industrial sectors are prominent, with an unemployment rate of 1.9% as of September 2025. There are 2,649 residents employed, with an unemployment rate 2.1% lower than Rest of Qld's 4.1%.

Workforce participation is high at 76.0%, compared to Rest of Qld's 65.7%. Only 9.7% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 impacts should be considered. Key employment industries include mining, agriculture, forestry & fishing, and transport, postal & warehousing. Mining is particularly notable, with employment levels at 6.9 times the regional average.

However, health care & social assistance is under-represented, with only 5.3% of Mount Isa Surrounds's workforce compared to Rest of Qld's 16.1%. There are 1.2 workers per resident, indicating an employment hub status. Between September 2024 and September 2025, the labour force decreased by 0.8%, while employment declined by 0.5%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Qld saw employment grow by 1.7% and labour force expand by 2.1%, with a rise in unemployment by 0.3 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Mount Isa Surrounds's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 4.3% over five years and 10.3% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

The Mount Isa Surrounds SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $68,266 and an average of $80,189 in the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is significantly higher than the national median income of $53,146 and average income of $66,593 in Queensland's Rest of Qld region. By September 2025, estimates suggest these figures would have increased to approximately $75,031 (median) and $88,136 (average), based on a Wage Price Index growth rate of 9.91% since financial year 2023. According to census data, individual earnings in Mount Isa Surrounds SA2 are at the 89th percentile nationally ($1,172 weekly), but household income ranks lower at the 56th percentile. The earnings profile shows that 35.4% of residents (1,530 people) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 weekly earnings bracket, which is similar to regional levels where 31.7% occupy this range. After accounting for housing costs, residents retain 91.0% of their income, indicating strong purchasing power in the area.

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

Dwelling structure in Mount Isa Surrounds, as per the latest Census, consisted of 81.5% houses and 18.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro Qld's 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Mount Isa Surrounds stood at 26.6%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (23.2%) or rented (50.2%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,200, below Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,655 and Australia's national figure of $1,863. Median weekly rent in the area was $206, substantially lower than Non-Metro Qld's $345 and Australia's national figure of $375.

Mount Isa Surrounds features high concentrations of lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 64.1% of all households, including 26.5% couples with children, 25.0% couples without children, and 11.1% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 35.9%, with lone person households at 32.1% and group households comprising 3.6% of the total. The median household size is 2.5 people, which matches the average for the Rest of Qld.

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

The area has lower university qualification rates at 16.2%, significantly below the Australian average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 12.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.2%) and graduate diplomas (1.3%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 43.8% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (8.0%) and certificates (35.8%).

Educational participation is high, with 33.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 15.4% in primary education, 8.2% in secondary education, and 2.9% pursuing tertiary education.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Mount Isa Surrounds's residents are relatively healthy in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Mount Isa Surrounds' health metrics closely align with national benchmarks. AreaSearch assessed mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence as fairly standard across both young and old age cohorts, with a notably high private health cover rate of approximately 60% (2,572 people), compared to 52.5% in the Rest of Qld.

The most prevalent medical conditions were asthma and diabetes, affecting 7.3 and 6.0% of residents respectively, while 75.6% reported being completely free from medical ailments, higher than the 67.6% across the Rest of Qld. Under-65 population health outcomes were better than average. The area had 10.9% of residents aged 65 and over (472 people), lower than the 20.4% in the Rest of Qld. Health outcomes among seniors were particularly strong, with national rankings even higher than those of the general population.

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

Mount Isa Surrounds had a cultural diversity index below the average, with 79.3% of its population being citizens, 89.9% born in Australia, and 94.7% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Mount Isa Surrounds, comprising 56.4% of the population. This figure is higher than the regional average of 52.2%.

The top three ancestry groups were Australian (28.5%), English (24.7%), and Australian Aboriginal (18.4%), with the latter being significantly higher than the regional average of 3.9%. Some ethnic groups showed notable differences in representation: Maori was overrepresented at 0.9% compared to the regional average of 0.8%, Samoan was similarly represented at 0.2%, and Irish was slightly underrepresented at 7.9% compared to the regional average of 8.2%.

Mount Isa Surrounds hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

Mount Isa Surrounds has a median age of 33, which is notably younger than the Rest of Qld figure of 41 and lower than Australia's median age of 38 years. The 25-34 age group comprises 20.4% of Mount Isa Surrounds' population, higher than Rest of Qld's percentage and significantly above the national average of 14.4%. Conversely, the 65-74 cohort makes up only 6.9% of the population in Mount Isa Surrounds. Between 2021 and the present day, the proportion of the population aged 25 to 34 has increased from 17.1% to 20.4%. During this period, the percentage of people aged 55 to 64 declined from 12.8% to 10.7%, and the share of those aged 15 to 24 decreased from 14.1% to 12.4%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Mount Isa Surrounds' age structure. The 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 23%, reaching a total of 1,091 people from the current figure of 884. Meanwhile, both the 5-14 and 15-24 age groups are expected to see reductions in their numbers.