North Toowoomba - Harlaxton
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in North Toowoomba - Harlaxton are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

North Toowoomba - Harlaxton's population is 6,639 as of Aug 2025. This reflects an increase from the 2021 Census figure of 6,426 people, a rise of 213 individuals (3.3%). The change is inferred from ABS estimated resident population figures of 6,607 in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since then. This results in a density ratio of 643 persons per square kilometer. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 65.3% of gains.

AreaSearch uses 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 from 2023 using 2021 data are adopted, applying proportional growth weightings based on ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 using 2022 data for age cohorts. National non-metropolitan areas are projected to have above median population growth, with the area expected to grow by 1,268 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 18.6% over the 17 years.

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

North Toowoomba - Harlaxton has averaged approximately 15 new dwelling approvals per year. Development approval data is produced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on a financial year basis, with 77 homes approved over the past five financial years between FY-21 and FY-25, including 13 approvals so far in FY-26. On average, for every home built over these five years, approximately 3.5 new residents have been added to the area's population. This supply has lagged demand, suggesting heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures, with new homes being constructed at an average expected cost of $411,000, which is below the regional average, indicating more affordable housing options for buyers.

In this financial year, there have been $12.1 million in commercial approvals, showing balanced commercial development activity compared to previous years. Relative to the rest of Queensland, North Toowoomba - Harlaxton has significantly less development activity, with 58.0% fewer approvals per person than the regional average. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing homes in the area. Additionally, this activity is below the national average, reflecting the area's maturity and potentially indicating planning constraints. The majority of new building activity consists of detached dwellings (69.0%), with townhouses or apartments making up the remaining 31.0%, demonstrating an expanding range of medium-density options to cater to various price brackets.

With approximately 654 people estimated per dwelling approval, North Toowoomba - Harlaxton maintains a quiet and low activity development environment. Population forecasts indicate that the area will gain 1,236 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases in the future.

North Toowoomba - Harlaxton has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 31stth percentile nationally

The performance of an area can significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified 29 such projects that could potentially impact the area. Notable among these are the North Street Warehouse Development, Habitat Mt Kynoch, Toowoomba Regional Aquatic Centre, and the Northgate Vista Master Planned Residential Community. The following list details those projects likely to be most relevant.

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

Employment performance in North Toowoomba - Harlaxton has been broadly consistent with national averages

North Toowoomba - Harlaxton has a skilled workforce with 4.6% unemployment as of June 2025. Employment growth over the past year is estimated at 15.8%.

There are 3,345 residents in work, with an unemployment rate of 7.6%, 0.7% higher than Rest of Qld's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation is 56.7%, below Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Leading employment industries are health care & social assistance, education & training, and retail trade. Health care & social assistance has particularly notable concentration with levels at 1.3 times the regional average.

Mining has limited presence at 0.9% compared to 3.6% regionally. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census working population count. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 15.8%, labour force grew by 12.9%, and unemployment fell by 2.4 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Qld saw employment rise by 1.8%, labour force grow by 2.0%, and unemployment rise by 0.2 percentage points. As of Sep-25, Queensland's employment contracted by 0.23% (losing 8,070 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to North Toowoomba - Harlaxton's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.7%% over five years and 14.1% over ten years.

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

North Toowoomba - Harlaxton's median income among taxpayers was $46,868 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $57,589 during the same period. This compares to figures for Rest of Qld which were $50,780 and $64,844 respectively. By March 2025, current estimates suggest median income would be approximately $52,356 and average income around $64,333, based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.71% since financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in North Toowoomba - Harlaxton fall between the 16th and 23rd percentiles nationally. The predominant income cohort spans 29.2% of locals (1,938 people) with incomes ranging from $1,500 to $2,999. This pattern is similar to the surrounding region where 31.7% occupy this income range. Housing affordability pressures are severe in North Toowoomba - Harlaxton, with only 82.3% of income remaining, ranking at the 15th percentile nationally.

North Toowoomba - Harlaxton is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

North Toowoomba - Harlaxton dwellings were 79.4% houses and 20.5% other dwellings at the latest Census, compared to Non-Metro Qld's 81.4% houses and 18.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in North Toowoomba - Harlaxton was 24.2%, with mortgages at 29.7% and rentals at 46.1%. Median monthly mortgage repayments were $1,301, below Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,517, and median weekly rents were $280, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $310. Nationally, North Toowoomba - Harlaxton's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 61.1% of all households, including 21.4% couples with children, 23.4% couples without children, and 14.7% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 38.9%, with lone person households at 34.5% and group households comprising 4.5%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.5.

Educational outcomes in North Toowoomba - Harlaxton fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

Educational qualifications in North Toowoomba - Harlaxton trail regional benchmarks. 21.3% of residents aged 15+ hold university degrees, compared to the Australian average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 15.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.9%) and graduate diplomas (2.4%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 36.9% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (9.6%) and certificates (27.3%).

Educational participation is high, with 32.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes secondary education (10.7%), primary education (9.8%), and tertiary education (4.7%). North Toowoomba - Harlaxton's schools have a combined enrollment of 1,406 students as of the latest data. The area demonstrates typical Australian school conditions with an ICSEA score of 952, indicating balanced educational opportunities. It comprises one primary, one secondary, and one K-12 school. School capacity exceeds residential needs, with 21.2 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 17.2, suggesting it serves as an educational center for the broader region.

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

North Toowoomba - Harlaxton has 45 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by three different routes that together offer 316 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents located an average of 181 meters from the nearest stop.

Across all routes, buses run approximately 45 times a day, equating to about seven weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in North Toowoomba - Harlaxton is well below average with considerably higher than average prevalence of common health conditions and to an even higher degree among older age cohorts

North Toowoomba - Harlaxton faces significant health challenges with a substantially higher prevalence of common conditions compared to averages, particularly amongst older age groups. Private health cover stands at approximately 48%, which is lower than both Rest of Qld's 51% and the national average of 55.3%. Mental health issues affect 11.8% of residents, while asthma impacts 8.7%.

Conversely, 63.9% report no medical ailments, slightly below Rest of Qld's 65.3%. The area has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 16.1%, compared to 18.8% in Rest of Qld. Health outcomes for seniors require more attention due to these challenges.

North Toowoomba - Harlaxton ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

North Toowoomba-Harlaxton had a cultural diversity index below the average, with 84.8% of its population being citizens, 84.2% born in Australia, and 89.9% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 51.9%. However, the most significant deviation from regional averages was seen in the 'Other' category, which made up 5.0%, compared to 2.2% across Rest of Qld.

The top three ancestry groups were English (28.2%), Australian (27.6%), and Irish (9.4%). Notable differences existed for German (6.8% vs regional 8.0%), Australian Aboriginal (4.4% vs 3.3%), and Scottish (8.0% vs 7.9%) groups.

North Toowoomba - Harlaxton hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

The median age in North Toowoomba - Harlaxton is 34 years, which is notably lower than Rest of Qld's average of 41 and substantially below Australia's median of 38. Compared to Rest of Qld, North Toowoomba - Harlaxton has a higher concentration of 25-34 year-olds at 17.1%, but fewer 65-74 year-olds at 8.6%. Between the 2021 Census and present, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 14.8% to 16.1% of the population, while the 35 to 44 cohort increased from 11.1% to 12.3%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 age group has declined from 13.4% to 10.9%, and the 45 to 54 group dropped from 11.3% to 10.2%. By 2041, North Toowoomba - Harlaxton is expected to see significant shifts in its age composition. Leading this demographic shift, the 25 to 34 age group will grow by 41%, adding 467 people and reaching a total of 1,601 from the current 1,133. Meanwhile, the 15 to 24 age group is projected to decrease by 18 residents.