Mount Sheridan
Statistical Area - sa2

Mount Sheridan has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Mount Sheridan's population, according to AreaSearch's analysis, was around 9,024 as of Aug 2025. This reflected an increase of 346 people from the 2021 Census figure of 8,678 people, indicating a growth rate of 4.0%. The change was inferred from ABS' estimated resident population of 9,024 in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 1,338 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Natural growth contributed approximately 58.4% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopted 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 were used, released in 2023 and based on 2021 data. However, these state projections lacked age category splits; hence AreaSearch applied proportional growth weightings aligning with ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort. Population projections indicated an above median growth for regional areas nationally, with the area expected to expand by 1,317 persons to 2041 based on latest population numbers. This projected a total increase of 14.6% over the 17-year period.

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

Mount Sheridan has seen approximately 14 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling 73 homes. As of FY-26, 7 approvals have been recorded. On average, 4.7 people move to the area each year for each dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25. This demand exceeds new supply, typically leading to price growth and increased buyer competition.

The average expected construction cost value of new dwellings is $451,000, which is below regional levels, indicating more affordable housing choices for buyers. In FY-26, there have been $980,000 in commercial approvals, suggesting a predominantly residential focus. Mount Sheridan shows substantially reduced construction activity compared to the rest of Queensland, with 54.0% fewer dwellings approved per person. This scarcity can strengthen demand and prices for existing properties. The area's building activity is also below national averages, reflecting its maturity and possible planning constraints.

Recent building activity consists solely of detached houses, preserving Mount Sheridan's suburban nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. There are approximately 861 people per dwelling approval in the location, indicating an established market. By 2041, Mount Sheridan is projected to grow by 1,317 residents. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting stronger price growth.

Mount Sheridan has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 22ndth percentile nationally

Five projects have been identified by AreaSearch as likely to impact the area, with key projects including the Cairns Southern Access Cycleway (Luke Azzopardi Cycleway), the Cairns Water Security Stage 1 (CWSS1) Project, the Riverstone Road North Mixed Use Development, and the Cairns Community and Multicultural Centre.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Employment conditions in Mount Sheridan demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally

Mount Sheridan's workforce comprises skilled individuals with prominent representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate stood at 2.5% as of June 2025.

A total of 5,117 residents were employed during this period, with an unemployment rate 1.4% lower than Rest of Qld's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation was notably higher at 69.4%, compared to the regional average of 59.1%. Key employment sectors include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and education & training. Notably, public administration & safety exhibited high concentration with employment levels at 1.4 times the regional average.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing showed lower representation at 0.9% versus the regional average of 4.5%. Over the year to June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 1.6%, accompanied by a 2.3% decline in employment, resulting in an unemployment rate increase of 0.8 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of Qld, where employment grew by 1.8% and unemployment rose by 0.2 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 shows Queensland's employment contracted by 0.23%, with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%. National comparisons indicate a lower unemployment rate of 4.5%, but lagging national employment growth of 0.26%. Job and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Mount Sheridan's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, though these estimates are illustrative and do not account for localized population projections.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch aggregated latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022. Mount Sheridan had a median taxpayer income of $57,448 and an average income of $66,279. These figures were above the national averages of $50,780 and $64,844 respectively in Rest of Qld. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.71% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes for Mount Sheridan as of March 2025 would be approximately $64,175 (median) and $74,040 (average). According to the 2021 Census, income in Mount Sheridan clustered around the 57th percentile nationally. Income analysis showed that 38.7% of the population, equating to 3,492 individuals, fell within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, similar to the regional average of 31.7%. After housing expenses, 85.6% of income remained for other expenses. Mount Sheridan's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 5th decile.

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

Mount Sheridan's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, comprised 98.7% houses and 1.4% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro Qld had 68.4% houses and 31.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Mount Sheridan was at 28.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 44.6% and rented ones at 26.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,542, higher than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,517. The median weekly rent figure was $390, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $315. Nationally, Mount Sheridan's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,863 and rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 79.1% of all households, including 34.7% couples with children, 28.8% couples without children, and 14.3% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 20.9%, with lone person households at 18.0% and group households comprising 2.9%. The median household size is 2.7 people, larger than the Rest of Qld average of 2.4.

The educational profile of Mount Sheridan exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Educational qualifications in Mount Sheridan trail regional benchmarks, with 20.9% of residents aged 15+ holding university degrees compared to the national average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 15.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.2%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 41.6% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas comprise 12.3% and certificates make up 29.3%. Educational participation is high, with 31.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 11.7% in primary education, 9.5% in secondary education, and 3.8% pursuing tertiary education. Schools appear to be located outside the immediate catchment boundaries, requiring families to access educational facilities in neighboring areas.

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

Mount Sheridan has 20 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 7 different routes that together facilitate 730 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of the transport system is considered good, with residents typically residing 357 meters away from their nearest stop.

On average, there are 104 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 36 weekly trips per individual stop.

Mount Sheridan's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Mount Sheridan. Both young and old age cohorts exhibit low prevalence of common health conditions.

The rate of private health cover is approximately 52% of the total population (~4,728 people), leading that of the average SA2 area. This compares to 50.1% across Rest of Qld. The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and arthritis, impacting 7.2 and 6.1% of residents respectively. 73.8% of residents declare themselves as completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 71.7% across Rest of Qld. The area has 13.7% of residents aged 65 and over (1,234 people), which is lower than the 15.7% in Rest of Qld. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Mount Sheridan was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Mount Sheridan's population exhibits cultural diversity, with 22.5% born overseas and 17.9% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion, making up 53.9%. The category 'Other' shows overrepresentation at 2.1%, compared to Rest of Qld's 1.5%.

Top ancestry groups are English (24.6%), Australian (22.3%), and Other (14.6%). Notable divergences include Australian Aboriginal at 5.0% (vs regional 6.7%), Samoan at 0.4% (vs 0.3%), and Italian at 4.5% (vs 3.8%).

Mount Sheridan's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Mount Sheridan has a median age of 37 years, which is significantly lower than the Rest of Qld average of 41 and essentially aligned with Australia's median age of 38. The 45-54 cohort is notably over-represented in Mount Sheridan at 14.1%, while the 75-84 year-olds are under-represented at 4.1%. According to the 2021 Census, the 25 to 34 age group has grown from 13.0% to 13.8% of the population. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort has declined from 15.3% to 13.8%. Demographic modeling suggests that Mount Sheridan's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 25 to 34 cohort is projected to grow by 33%, adding 414 residents to reach a total of 1,655. Meanwhile, the 15 to 24 group is expected to contract by 88 residents.