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 approximately 2,355 as of November 2025, according to AreaSearch's analysis. This figure represents a growth of 199 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,156. The increase is inferred from the estimated resident population of 2,261 in June 2024 and an additional 46 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 8.5 persons per square kilometer. North Stradbroke Island's growth rate of 9.2% since the 2021 census surpassed the SA4 region's 7.7% and the national average, indicating it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 94.6% of overall population gains during recent periods.

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 used, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits; thus, 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, population projections indicate a decline of 57 persons by 2041. However, specific age cohorts are expected to grow, notably the 75 to 84 age group, projected to expand by 162 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 saw approximately 15 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling 76 homes. As of FY26, 6 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.5 new residents per year were associated with each dwelling constructed between FY21 and FY25. The average construction value of new properties was $285,000.

In FY26, $67,000 in commercial development approvals have been recorded. Compared to Greater Brisbane, North Stradbroke Island shows about 75% of the construction activity per person and ranks among the 59th percentile nationally. New development consists of 86.0% standalone homes and 14.0% medium and high-density housing.

The island has around 262 people per approval, reflecting a transitioning market with stable or declining population forecasts, potentially easing housing pressure for buyers.

North Stradbroke Island has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 29thth percentile nationally

The performance of an area can significantly be influenced by changes to its local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 4 projects that are likely to impact this particular area. Notable among these 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 provides details on those projects deemed most relevant.

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

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AreaSearch analysis reveals North Stradbroke Island recording weaker employment conditions than most comparable areas nationwide

North Stradbroke Island's workforce is skilled with prominent tourism and hospitality sectors. The unemployment rate was 5.7% in September 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 6.4% over the past year.

There were 1,079 residents employed while the unemployment rate was 1.7% higher than Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.0%. Workforce participation was significantly lower at 48.5%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 64.5%. Key industries for employment among residents were accommodation & food, health care & social assistance, and construction. The island had a notable concentration in accommodation & food, with employment levels at 2.9 times the regional average.

Health care & social assistance was under-represented, with only 10.2% of North Stradbroke Island's workforce compared to 16.1% in Greater Brisbane. Employment opportunities appeared limited locally based on Census data analysis. Over the 12 months to September 2025, employment increased by 6.4%, while labour force increased by 6.1%, resulting in a unemployment fall of 0.3 percentage points compared to Greater Brisbane's growth and unemployment rate changes. State-level data as of 25-Nov showed Queensland employment contracted by 0.01% with an unemployment rate of 4.2%. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these 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, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

In AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022, North Stradbroke Island SA2's median income among taxpayers is $39,868. The average income is $55,485. This is below the national average. Greater Brisbane has a median income of $55,645 and an average of $70,520. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.99% since financial year 2022, current estimates for North Stradbroke Island are approximately $45,446 (median) and $63,247 (average) as of September 2025. Census data shows household, family and personal incomes in North Stradbroke Island fall between the 9th and 18th percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate that 26.5% of locals (624 people) predominantly earn within the $1,500 - 2,999 category. This is consistent with broader trends across the 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). Brisbane metro also had 83.9% houses and 16.1% other dwellings. Home ownership on North Stradbroke 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 $2,000. Median weekly rent on North Stradbroke Island was $300, compared to Brisbane metro's $425. Nationally, mortgage repayments were lower at $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 comprise 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 make up the remaining 36.6%, with lone person households at 32.8% and group households comprising 3.7%. 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 residents aged 15+ have 24.8% with university degrees, compared to Greater Brisbane's 30.5%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 16.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.0%) and graduate diplomas (2.8%). Vocational credentials are held by 41.5%, including advanced diplomas (10.9%) and certificates (30.6%). A total of 24.0% are actively pursuing education, with 10.1% in primary, 8.2% in secondary, and 2.2% in tertiary education.

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 39 active public transport stops. These stops serve a mix of bus routes. There are 2 individual routes operating, providing 259 weekly passenger trips in total.

Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 325 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 37 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 6 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

North Stradbroke Island faces significant health challenges, with high prevalence of common conditions across both younger and older age groups. Only approximately 48% (~1,120 people) have private health cover, compared to Greater Brisbane's 54.2% and the national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent conditions are arthritis (10.0%) and mental health issues (8.3%), while 62.1% report no medical ailments, slightly lower than Greater Brisbane's 64.6%.

The island has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 33.8% (795 people), compared to Greater Brisbane's 25.3%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are notably strong, outperforming the general population in key health metrics.

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 was found to be below average, with 85.2% of its population being citizens and 86.1% born in Australia. The majority, 96.1%, spoke English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 45.0% of the population.

Buddhism, however, was overrepresented at 1.9% compared to Greater Brisbane's 1.0%. In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (29.0%), Australian (22.6%), and Australian Aboriginal (11.0%), which was significantly higher than the regional average of 2.0%. Notably, Scottish (10.4% vs 8.9%) and Irish (10.3% vs 8.6%) were overrepresented, while French showed a slight increase at 0.7% compared to the region's 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 notably higher than Greater Brisbane's median age of 36 years. This figure is also considerably older than the national norm of 38 years. Compared to the Greater Brisbane average, the 65-74 age cohort is notably over-represented on North Stradbroke Island at 19.8%, while the 25-34 year-olds are under-represented at 6.8%. This concentration of the 65-74 age group is well above the national average of 9.4%. Between 2021 and the present, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 8.6% to 11.9% of the population, while the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 8.1% to 9.6%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 17.3% to 14.4%, and the 5 to 14 age group dropped from 10.5% to 9.5%. Demographic modeling suggests that North Stradbroke Island's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 75 to 84 age cohort is projected to expand notably, increasing by 128 people (46%) from 280 to 409. 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 to 54 and 55 to 64 cohorts.