Mount Morgan

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

Mount Morgan's population is approximately 3,088 as of February 2026. This represents an increase of 143 people, a growth rate of 4.9%, since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 2,945. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 3,064 as of June 2024 and an additional 109 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 6.3 persons per square kilometer. Mount Morgan's growth rate of 4.9% since census is within 1.9 percentage points of the SA4 region's growth rate of 6.8%, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Interstate migration contributed approximately 97.8% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary population growth in the area.

AreaSearch adopts 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; therefore, 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. Looking ahead, lower quartile growth of regional areas nationally is anticipated, with Mount Morgan expected to grow by 99 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 2.4% in total over the 17 years.

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

Mount Morgan had 8 new dwelling approvals over the period from January 2017 to December 2021. This averages out to approximately one new dwelling approved annually, reflecting the rural nature of the area where development is typically driven by specific local housing needs rather than broad market demand. It should be noted that due to the small sample size, individual development projects can substantially influence annual growth and relativity statistics.

Mount Morgan shows significantly less construction activity compared to Rest of Qld and the national averages. All new constructions in Mount Morgan during this period were detached dwellings, focusing on family homes suited for those seeking a rural lifestyle and space. The estimated population per dwelling approval was 1139 people, reflecting its quiet, low activity development environment. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Mount Morgan is forecasted to gain 75 residents by the year 2041.

If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag behind population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Mount Morgan has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified seven projects likely impacting the area. Key projects include Mount Morgan Tailings Processing and Rehabilitation Project, Boulder Creek Wind Farm, Bouldercombe Battery Project, and Stanwell Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). Below is a list detailing 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 Mount Morgan face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Mount Morgan has a balanced workforce consisting of both white and blue collar jobs. Essential services sectors are well represented in the town. As of September 2025941 residents are employed while the unemployment rate stands at 17.9%.

This is 13.8% higher than Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%, indicating room for improvement. Workforce participation in Mount Morgan lags significantly at 43.3%, compared to Rest of Qld's 65.7%. According to Census responses, only 5.6% of residents work from home. Key industries of employment among residents are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and education & training.

Mount Morgan shows a strong specialization in health care & social assistance, with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level. Conversely, professional & technical services are under-represented, with only 1.2% of Mount Morgan's workforce compared to Rest of Qld's 5.1%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as seen in the count of Census working population versus resident population. In the 12-month period ending September 2025, labour force increased by 1.2%, while employment declined by 2.4%, causing unemployment to rise by 3.0 percentage points. By comparison, Rest of Qld recorded employment growth of 1.7% and labour force growth of 2.1%, with unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment is expected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Mount Morgan's employment mix, local employment is estimated to increase by 6.2% over five years and 13.3% over ten years.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows Mount Morgan SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $47,454 and an average of $58,349. Nationally, these figures are lower than the average. In comparison, Rest of Qld's median was $53,146 with an average of $66,593. Based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023, current estimates for Mount Morgan would be approximately $52,157 (median) and $64,131 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Mount Morgan fall between the 0th and 2nd percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that 36.8% of locals (1,136 people) earn between $400 - $799 per week, differing from regional levels where the $1,500 - $2,999 category is predominant at 31.7%. This indicates a prevalence of lower-income residents, with 49.3% earning under $800/week, suggesting constrained household budgets across much of the locality. While housing costs are modest with 88.4% of income retained, total disposable income ranks at just the 3rd percentile nationally.

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

Mount Morgan's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 97.2% houses and 2.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Non-Metro Qld had 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Mount Morgan was 52.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 24.9% and rented ones at 22.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $840, below Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,655 and the national figure of $1,863. The median weekly rent in Mount Morgan was $200, significantly lower than Non-Metro Qld's $345 and the national figure of $375.

Mount Morgan features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 55.4% of all households, including 14.7% couples with children, 25.5% couples without children, and 13.0% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 44.6%, with lone person households at 40.3% and group households comprising 4.6%. The median household size is 2.1 people, smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.5.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 7.3%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 5.8%, followed by graduate diplomas (0.9%) and postgraduate qualifications (0.6%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 42.5% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (7.5%) and certificates (35.0%). Educational participation is high, with 29.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 12.1% in primary, 9.5% in secondary, and 2.6% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 29.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.1% in primary education, 9.5% in secondary education, and 2.6% pursuing tertiary education.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Health performance in Mount Morgan is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Mount Morgan faces significant health challenges, as assessed by AreaSearch through mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Multiple health conditions affect both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low at approximately 48% of the total population (~1,488 people), compared to 52.5% in the rest of Queensland and the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 14.3% of residents) and asthma (12.6%), while 42.9% report having no medical ailments, compared to 67.6% in the rest of Queensland. Working-age individuals face notable health challenges due to high chronic condition rates. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 30.5% (940 people), compared to 20.4% in the rest of Queensland. Health outcomes among seniors are generally aligned with national rankings.

The latest Census data sees Mount Morgan placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Mount Morgan's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 83.3% of its population being citizens, 91.5% born in Australia, and 98.2% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the main religion in Mount Morgan, comprising 54.5% of the population, compared to 52.2% across Rest of Qld. The top three ancestry groups are Australian (31.8%, regional average: 26.5%), English (31.2%) and Australian Aboriginal (10.3%, regional average: 3.9%).

Notably, Welsh is overrepresented at 0.6% in Mount Morgan compared to the regional average of 0.5%. German representation stands at 3.9% versus the regional average of 4.7%, while Maori representation is at 0.4% against a regional average of 0.8%.

Mount Morgan ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Mount Morgan's median age is 53 years, which is significantly higher than the Rest of Qld average of 41 years and considerably older than the Australian median of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of Qld average, the 65-74 age cohort is notably over-represented in Mount Morgan at 17.9%, while the 35-44 age group is under-represented at 7.8%. This concentration of the 65-74 age group is well above the national average of 9.5%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 8.3% to 10.2%, while the 25 to 34 cohort increased from 7.3% to 8.6%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 age group has declined from 10.3% to 8.9% and the 45 to 54 age group dropped from 13.0% to 11.6%. By 2041, Mount Morgan is expected to see notable shifts in its age composition. Leading this demographic shift, the 85+ age group will grow by 80%, reaching 136 people from 75. The aging population dynamic is clear, with those aged 65 and above comprising 73% of projected growth. Conversely, both the 35 to 44 and 5 to 14 age groups will see reduced numbers.