North Stradbroke Island

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

North Stradbroke Island's population was 2,156 as of May 2021. By June 2025, it had increased to 2,276, a rise of 120 people (5.6%). This growth is inferred from ABS data and includes an additional 44 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density was 8.2 persons per square kilometer as of May 2026. North Stradbroke Island's population grew by 5.6% between the 2021 Census and June 2025, compared to an 8.3% growth in the SA4 region during the same period. Overseas migration contributed approximately 79.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

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 from ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data for each age cohort. Between May 2026 and 2041, population projections indicate a decline of 63 persons overall. However, specific age cohorts are expected to grow, notably the 75 to 84 age group projected to expand by 133 people.

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

North Stradbroke Island has seen approximately 15 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years. This totals 76 homes from FY-21 to FY-25. As of FY-26, 9 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.5 new residents per year per dwelling constructed were noted between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating balanced supply and demand dynamics.

The average construction cost value for new properties is $285,000. In FY-26, $67,000 in commercial development approvals have been recorded, suggesting a primarily residential focus. Compared to Greater Brisbane, North Stradbroke Island shows around 75% of the construction activity per person and ranks among the 59th percentile nationally when considering areas assessed.

New developments consist of 86.0% standalone homes and 14.0% medium and high-density housing, maintaining the area's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes. At around 262 people per approval, North Stradbroke Island reflects a low density area. Given stable or declining population forecasts, it may experience less housing pressure in the future, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

North Stradbroke Island has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 20thth percentile nationally

AreaSearch has identified four projects that could significantly impact the area due to changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. These key projects are Moreton Bay Research Station, Southern Moreton Bay Islands Ferry Terminals Upgrade, Redlands Coast Smart and Connected City Strategy, and Cleveland Line Duplication (Park Road to Cleveland). The following list details those expected to be 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.

AreaSearch assessment indicates North Stradbroke Island faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

North Stradbroke Island has a skilled workforce with prominent tourism and hospitality sectors. Its unemployment rate is 6.7%, and it experienced an estimated 4.6% employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 1,076 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 2.5% higher than Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.1%.

Workforce participation on the island lags behind Greater Brisbane at 58.3%, compared to 69.6%. According to Census responses, 19.7% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Key industries for employment among residents are accommodation & food services, health care & social assistance, and construction. The island has a notable concentration in accommodation & food services with employment levels at 2.9 times the regional average.

However, health care & social assistance is under-represented, with only 10.2% of North Stradbroke Island's workforce compared to 16.1% in Greater Brisbane. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data. Over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 4.6%, while labour force increased by 5.6%, resulting in a rise of unemployment by 0.9 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Brisbane saw employment grow by 3.2% and unemployment fall by 0.1 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest potential future demand within North Stradbroke Island. These projections estimate that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to North Stradbroke Island's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.0% over five years and 12.6% over ten years. However, note that this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections.

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 North Stradbroke Island SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $40,983 and an average of $55,919. This is below the national average. In comparison, Greater Brisbane had a median income of $58,236 and an average of $72,799. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% since financial year 2023, estimated current incomes as of March 2026 would be approximately $45,639 (median) and $62,271 (average). Census data indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in North Stradbroke Island all fall between the 9th and 18th percentiles nationally. Income brackets show that 26.5% of locals (603 people) predominantly earn within the $1,500 - 2,999 category, which is consistent with broader trends across the broader area showing 33.3% in the same category. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 84.6% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 12th percentile nationally.

North Stradbroke Island is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

North Stradbroke Island's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 83.9% houses and 16.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Brisbane metro's 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Home ownership on the island was 49.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 23.1% and rented ones at 27.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,733, lower than Brisbane metro's $1,863. Median weekly rent on North Stradbroke Island was $300, compared to Brisbane metro's $380. Nationally, mortgage repayments were lower at $1,733 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

North Stradbroke Island features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 63.4% of all households, including 18.5% couples with children, 34.6% couples without children, and 10.1% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 36.6%, with lone person households at 32.8% and group households comprising 3.7% of the total. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.

North Stradbroke Island faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

North Stradbroke Island's educational qualifications trail regional benchmarks; 24.8% of residents aged 15+ hold university degrees compared to Greater Brisbane's 30.5%. This gap indicates potential for educational development and skills enhancement. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 16.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.0%) and graduate diplomas (2.8%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 41.5% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (10.9%) and certificates (30.6%).

A substantial 24.0% of the population actively pursues formal education; this includes 10.1% in primary education, 8.2% in secondary education, and 2.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

North Stradbroke Island has 44 operational public transport stops, serving a mix of bus routes. These routes provide a total of 259 weekly passenger trips. Residents have good access to these stops, with an average distance of 309 meters to the nearest one. The majority of residents commute outside the island. Car is the primary mode of transport, used by 76% of residents, while walking and cycling account for 16% and 2% respectively. On average, there are 1.3 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 19.7% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 37 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately 5 weekly trips per stop.

Health outcomes in North Stradbroke Island are marginally below the national average with common health conditions slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts

North Stradbroke Island's health indicators show below-average outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions are slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is very low at approximately 48% of the total population (1,081 people), compared to 55.8% in Greater Brisbane and the national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis (impacting 10.0%) and mental health issues (affecting 8.3%), while 62.1% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.2% in Greater Brisbane. Working-age residents have an above-average prevalence of chronic health conditions. The area has 34.9% of residents aged 65 and over (795 people), higher than the 15.1% in Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, ranking even higher than the general population nationally.

North Stradbroke Island is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

North Stradbroke Island's cultural diversity is below average, with 85.2% of its population being citizens born in Australia speaking English only at home (86.1%, 96.1% respectively). Christianity is the main religion, comprising 45.0%. Buddhism is overrepresented compared to Greater Brisbane (1.9% vs 2.0%).

The top three ancestry groups are English (29.0%), Australian (22.6%), and Australian Aboriginal (11.0%), substantially higher than the regional average of 2.1%. Scottish (10.4%) and Irish (10.3%) are notably overrepresented compared to regional averages of 7.4% and 8.2%, respectively, while French is slightly overrepresented at 0.7% (vs 0.5%).

North Stradbroke Island ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

North Stradbroke Island has a median age of 52 years, which is higher than Greater Brisbane's median age of 36 years and also older than the national norm of 38 years. The 65-74 age cohort is significantly overrepresented on the island at 19.7%, compared to the Greater Brisbane average, while the 25-34 age group is underrepresented at 7%. This concentration of the 65-74 age group is well above the national average of 9.4%. Between 2021 and present, the 75-84 age group has grown from 8.6% to 12.1%, and the 85+ cohort has increased from 1.8% to 3.1%. Conversely, the 55-64 age group has declined from 17.3% to 14.3%, and the 5-14 age group has dropped from 10.5% to 8.8%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests that North Stradbroke Island's age profile will change significantly. The 75-84 age cohort is projected to increase by 115 people (42%), from 275 to 391. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 100% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, population declines are projected for the 45-54 and 55-64 age cohorts.