Mount Sheridan

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, as of February 2026, is approximately 9,059. This figure represents an increase of 381 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 8,678. The growth was inferred from ABS estimates; the resident population was around 9,024 in June 2024 and there were additional 82 validated new addresses post-Census. This results in a density ratio of 1,344 persons per square kilometer, higher than national averages assessed by AreaSearch. Natural growth contributed about 58.4% of recent population gains.

For projections, AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for each SA2 area. For areas not covered and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections from 2023 are used, applying proportional growth weightings based on ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023. Future population projections indicate an above median growth rate for regional areas by 2041, with the area expected to expand by 1,317 persons, reflecting a total increase of 14.2% over the 17 years.

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, 9 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, indicating significant demand exceeding new supply. The average construction cost value for new dwellings is $376,000.

In FY-26, $980,000 in commercial development approvals have been recorded, suggesting a predominantly residential focus. Mount Sheridan has 54.0% less development activity per person compared to the rest of Queensland and is below national average levels, reflecting its maturity and possible planning constraints. All new construction since FY-21 has been standalone homes, maintaining the area's traditional suburban character with a focus on family homes. With around 861 people per approval, Mount Sheridan shows a mature, established area. Population forecasts indicate it will gain 1,282 residents by 2041.

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 very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Five projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the area significantly, influencing its performance alongside other changes in local infrastructure. These key projects include the Cairns Southern Access Cycleway (Luke Azzopardi Cycleway), Cairns Water Security Stage 1 Project (CWSS1), Riverstone Road North Mixed Use Development, and Cairns Community and Multicultural Centre.

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The employment environment in Mount Sheridan shows above-average strength when compared nationally

Mount Sheridan has a skilled workforce with an unemployment rate of 3.2% as of September 2025. It has 5,034 residents in work, which is 0.9% below the Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%. The workforce participation rate is 71.9%, higher than Rest of Qld's 65.7%.

According to Census responses, 13.2% of residents work from home. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and education & training. Public administration & safety has notable concentration with employment levels at 1.4 times the regional average. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing shows lower representation at 0.9%.

The area offers limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census data. Over the 12 months to September 2025, labour force levels decreased by 1.9% and employment declined by 3.2%, causing unemployment to rise by 1.2 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of Qld where employment grew by 1.7%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Mount Sheridan's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years.

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released for financial year 2023, Mount Sheridan SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $61,381 and an average level of $70,776. These figures are above the national average and compare to levels of $53,146 and $66,593 across Rest of Qld respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $67,464 (median) and $77,790 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Mount Sheridan cluster around the 57th percentile nationally. Income analysis reveals that 38.7% of the population, consisting of 3,505 individuals, fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, mirroring the region where 31.7% occupy this bracket. After housing, 85.6% of income remains for other expenses and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Mount Sheridan is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Mount Sheridan's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 98.7% houses and 1.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This contrasts with Non-Metro Qld's structure of 76.4% houses and 23.6% 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, lower than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,655. Median weekly rent in Mount Sheridan was $390, higher than Non-Metro Qld's figure of $345. Nationally, Mount Sheridan's median monthly mortgage repayment is lower at $1,542 compared to Australia's average of $1,863. However, median weekly rent exceeds the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 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 account for 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, which is larger than the Rest of Qld average of 2.5.

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

Mount Sheridan's residents aged 15+ have educational qualifications that differ from national benchmarks. Specifically, 20.9% hold university degrees compared to Australia's 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 15.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.2%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 41.6% of residents holding them.

This includes advanced diplomas (12.3%) and certificates (29.3%). Educational participation is high, with 31.1% currently enrolled in formal education. This comprises primary education (11.7%), secondary education (9.5%), and tertiary education (3.8%).

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

Mount Sheridan has 20 operational public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by seven different routes that collectively facilitate 730 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is deemed good, with residents on average residing 357 meters from the nearest transport stop. Primarily residential, Mount Sheridan sees most residents commuting outward. Cars remain the dominant mode of transportation, used by 94% of residents. On average, there are 1.6 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 13.2% of residents work from home, a figure that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Across all routes, service frequency averages 104 trips per day, translating to approximately 36 weekly trips per individual stop.

Mount Sheridan's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Mount Sheridan's health outcomes show exceptional results based on AreaSearch's assessment.

Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are notably low, particularly among younger cohorts who have a very low prevalence of common health conditions. Approximately 54% (~4,900 people) of Mount Sheridan's total population has private health cover. Mental health issues and arthritis are the most prevalent medical conditions in the area, affecting 7.2 and 6.1% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 73.8%, report being completely clear of medical ailments compared to 67.6% across Rest of Qld. Working-age residents exhibit low chronic condition prevalence, indicating overall good health. Mount Sheridan has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 13.8% (1,250 people) compared to the state average of 20.4%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in Mount Sheridan are above average but rank slightly lower nationally than those of the broader population.

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

Mount Sheridan has a higher than average cultural diversity, with 22.5% of its population born overseas and 17.9% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Mount Sheridan, making up 53.9% of its population. The most notable overrepresentation is in the 'Other' category, which comprises 2.1% of Mount Sheridan's population compared to 0.8% across the rest of Queensland.

Regarding ancestry, the top three groups are English at 24.6%, Australian at 22.3%, and Other at 14.6%. Notably, these figures differ from regional averages: English is lower (29.6%), Australian is similar, and Other is higher (6.9%). There are also significant differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Australian Aboriginal is overrepresented at 5.0% compared to 3.9%, Italian is overrepresented at 4.5% compared to 2.4%, and Samoan is overrepresented at 0.4% compared to 0.2%.

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

Mount Sheridan's median age is 37 years, which is significantly lower than the Rest of Qld average of 41 years and closely aligns with Australia's median age of 38 years. The 35-44 age cohort is notably over-represented in Mount Sheridan at 14.6%, compared to the Rest of Qld average, while the 75-84 year-olds are under-represented at 4.3%. According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 25 to 34 years has increased from 13.0% to 14.2%, while the 5 to 14 age group has decreased from 15.3% to 13.5% and the 45 to 54 age group has dropped from 15.0% to 13.6%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Mount Sheridan's age profile. The 25 to 34 cohort is projected to grow by 29%, adding 370 residents to reach a total of 1,655. Conversely, the 15 to 24 age group is projected to decrease by 77 residents.