Newtown (Qld)
Statistical Area - sa2

Newtown is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Newtown's population was around 10,720 as of Aug 2025. This reflected an increase from the 2021 Census figure of 10,039 people, representing a growth of 681 individuals (6.8%). The change was inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 10,650 in June 2024 and an additional 54 validated new addresses since the Census date. Newtown's population density was 1,935 persons per square kilometer, higher than the national average assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth rate of 6.8% since the census was competitive with non-metro areas (8.6%). Natural growth contributed approximately 54.2% to overall population gains during recent periods in Newtown.

Other drivers such as overseas migration and interstate migration also positively impacted growth. AreaSearch adopted 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 were used, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits, so AreaSearch applied proportional growth weightings in line with ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort. Between Aug 2025 and 2041, projections indicate a decline in overall population by 155 persons. Despite this, specific age cohorts are expected to grow, notably the 25 to 34 age group projected to expand by 357 people over this period.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Newtown when compared nationally

Newtown has averaged approximately 28 dwelling approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that between FY-21 and FY-25, around 141 dwellings were approved, with 187 approvals recorded so far in FY-26. Each year, about 5 people move to the area per dwelling built during these five financial years. This significant demand outpaces supply, typically leading to price growth and increased buyer competition.

The average construction cost of new homes is around $290,000, below the regional average, suggesting more affordable housing options. In FY-26, commercial approvals totaled approximately $23.8 million, indicating steady investment activity. Compared to Rest of Qld, Newtown has significantly less development activity, at 51.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity usually strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. Nationally, this figure is also below average, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. Recent construction comprises 25.0% detached dwellings and 75.0% townhouses or apartments, indicating a trend toward denser development to provide accessible entry options for downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. This shift from the existing housing composition (currently 71.0% houses) suggests decreasing availability of developable sites and reflects changing lifestyles requiring more diverse, affordable housing options.

Newtown's population density is around 364 people per approval, indicating a mature market. Given stable or declining population forecasts, Newtown may experience less housing pressure in the future, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

Newtown has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Thirty-three projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the area significantly, with local infrastructure changes being the most influential factor. Notable projects include Mission Australia's Social & Affordable Housing Development, Pinnacle of Kearneys, Hill Street Social and Affordable Housing, and New Toowoomba Hospital. The following list details those projected to have the greatest relevance.

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

AreaSearch analysis indicates Newtown maintains employment conditions that align with national benchmarks

Newtown in Queensland has a skilled workforce with well-represented essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 4.8% as of June 2025.

The area experienced an estimated employment growth of 15.2% over the past year. As of June 2025, there were 5,496 residents employed with an unemployment rate of 4.7%, which is 0.8% higher than Rest of Qld's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation was on par with Rest of Qld at 59.1%. The leading employment industries among residents were health care & social assistance, retail trade, and education & training.

Health care & social assistance had an employment share of 1.3 times the regional level. Mining showed lower representation at 1.0% compared to the regional average of 3.6%. Employment opportunities in Newtown appear limited locally based on Census data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 15.2% while labour force grew by 13.1%, reducing the unemployment rate by 1.7 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of Qld had employment growth of 1.8% with a slight increase in unemployment to 4.1%. State-level data from Sep-25 showed Queensland's employment contracted by 0.23%, losing 8,070 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.2%. Nationally, the unemployment rate was 4.5% with employment growth of 0.26%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Newtown's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.5% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022 shows Newtown's median income among taxpayers is $47,913, with an average of $58,872. This is lower than national averages. The Rest of Qld has a median income of $50,780 and an average of $64,844. By March 2025, estimates based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.71% would be approximately $53,524 (median) and $65,766 (average). According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Newtown fall between the 13th and 26th percentiles nationally for households, families, and individuals. The largest earnings segment comprises 30.9% earning $800 - $1,499 weekly, compared to metropolitan trends where 31.7% earn $1,500 - $2,999 weekly. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Newtown, with only 81.8% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 12th percentile nationally.

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

Dwelling structure in Newtown, as evaluated at the Census conducted on 28 August 2016, comprised 70.9% houses and 29.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This is compared to Non-Metro Qld's dwelling structure of 81.4% houses and 18.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Newtown was at 24.3%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (27.3%) or rented (48.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area, as of 2016 data, was $1,254, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $289. Nationally, Newtown's mortgage repayments are significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially below the national figure of $375, according to data from 2016.

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

Family households constitute 57.3% of all households, including 17.7% couples with children, 23.2% couples without children, and 15.0% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 42.7%, with lone person households at 38.0% and group households making up 4.8%. The median household size is 2.2 people, smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.5.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 18.3%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 12.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.5%) and graduate diplomas (2.4%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 36.8% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas (9.0%) and certificates (27.8%).

Educational participation is high at 30.1%, including 9.2% in primary, 9.2% in secondary, and 4.3% in tertiary education. Newtown has a robust network of 8 schools educating approximately 3,072 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 996) and balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes 3 primary, 3 secondary, and 2 K-12 schools. Newtown functions as an education hub with 28.7 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 17.2, attracting students from surrounding communities. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to parent campus.

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

Newtown has 57 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by five different routes that combined provide 822 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of the transport system is rated as excellent, with residents on average located 192 meters from their nearest stop.

On average, there are 117 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 14 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Newtown is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data shows significant hurdles for Newtown, with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover stands at approximately 49% of the total population (~5,263 people), lower than the national average of 55.3%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions in the area, affecting 11.3% and 9.5% of residents respectively. 62.7% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 65.3% across Rest of Qld. The area has 16.8% of residents aged 65 and over (1,795 people), lower than the 18.8% in Rest of Qld. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, broadly mirroring those of the general population.

In terms of cultural diversity, Newtown records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Newtown's cultural diversity was found to align with the broader regional average, with 84.6% of its residents being citizens, 82.7% born in Australia, and 86.5% speaking English only at home. Christianity was identified as the predominant religion in Newtown, accounting for 51.6% of the population. Notably, the category 'Other' was overrepresented in Newtown, comprising 5.4% compared to 2.2% across the rest of Queensland.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English at 26.8%, Australian at 26.7%, and Irish at 9.8%. There were also significant variations in the representation of certain ethnic groups: German was overrepresented at 7.1% (versus 8.0% regionally), Australian Aboriginal at 5.2% (versus 3.3%), and Korean at 0.2% (versus 0.2%).

Newtown's population is younger than the national pattern

The median age in Newtown is 35 years, which is lower than the Rest of Queensland's average of 41 years and also lower than the national average of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of Queensland average, the 25-34 age cohort is notably higher in Newtown at 18.1%, while the 45-54 age group is lower at 10.2%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 25 to 34 age group has increased from 16.0% to 18.1% of Newtown's population, while the 5 to 14 age group has decreased from 12.5% to 10.7%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Newtown. The 25 to 34 age group is projected to grow by 15%, reaching 2,230 people from the current figure of 1,945. Conversely, both the 45 to 54 and 65 to 74 age groups are expected to decrease in number.