Northern Highlands
Statistical Area - sa2

Northern Highlands has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Northern Highlands' population, as per AreaSearch's analysis, is approximately 3,200 as of August 2025. This figure represents a rise of 105 individuals, equivalent to a 3.4% increase since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,095 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 3,198 recorded by the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 157 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of approximately 0.00 persons per square kilometer. Northern Highlands' growth rate of 3.4% exceeds that of the SA3 area at 2.5%, indicating it as a region of significant growth. Natural growth contributed around 77.8% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. 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, so proportional growth weightings aligned with ABS Greater Capital Region projections are applied for each age cohort. Between now and 2041, the population is projected to decrease by 472 persons according to this methodology. Despite this overall decline, growth in specific age cohorts is anticipated, notably the 85 and over age group, which is projected to increase by 16 people.

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

Northern Highlands has experienced limited development activity, averaging approximately three approvals per year over five years (18 approvals). This low level of development is characteristic of rural areas like Northern Highlands, where housing needs are often specific and local rather than driven by broad market demand. It's important to note that the small sample size can significantly influence annual growth and relativity statistics due to individual projects.

Compared to other regions in Queensland (Rest of Qld) and national averages, Northern Highlands has substantially lower development levels. All new constructions in the area have been detached houses, reflecting rural preferences for space and privacy. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 626 people, indicative of its quiet, low activity development environment. With stable or declining population forecasts, Northern Highlands may face less housing pressure, potentially creating favourable conditions for buyers.

Given stable or declining population forecasts, Northern Highlands may experience less housing pressure, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

Northern Highlands has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 18thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 19 projects expected to affect the region. Notable initiatives include CopperString 2032, Mount Isa-Townsville Rail Corridor Upgrade, Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan - Northern Infrastructure. The following list details those most pertinent:.

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

AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Northern Highlands performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Northern Highlands has a balanced workforce with white and blue collar jobs, diverse industry representation, an unemployment rate of 1.6% as of June 2025, and stable employment conditions over the past year. It has 1,985 residents employed while its unemployment rate is 2.3% lower than Rest of Qld's rate of 3.9%.

Workforce participation in Northern Highlands is higher at 64.9%, compared to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Key industries include agriculture, forestry & fishing, public administration & safety, and construction. Agriculture, forestry & fishing has particularly high employment levels at 8.5 times the regional average. Health care & social assistance employs only 4.9% of local workers, compared to Rest of Qld's 16.1%.

The worker-to-resident ratio is substantial at 0.9. In the past year, ending June 2025, employment increased by 0.1% while labour force grew by 0.3%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. Rest of Qld had employment growth of 1.8% and labour force growth of 2.0%. State-level data from Sep-25 shows Queensland's employment contracted by 0.23%, losing 8,070 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.2%, compared to the national rate of 4.5%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (May 2025) project a 6.6% growth over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Northern Highlands' employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 4.4% over five years and 10.1% over ten years, assuming constant population projections.

The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis

Income data from AreaSearch for financial year 2022 shows median assessed income in Northern Highlands at $51,866 and average income at $66,549. These figures are higher than those in Rest of Qld, which had a median income of $50,780 and an average income of $64,844. As of March 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $57,940 (median) and $74,342 (average), based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.71% since financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, personal income ranks at the 69th percentile ($914 weekly), while household income is at the 36th percentile. The $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket dominates with 33.3% of residents (1,065 people). Housing costs are manageable with 94.3% retained, but disposable income ranks below average at the 47th percentile. Northern Highlands' SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Northern Highlands is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Northern Highlands, as per the most recent Census evaluation, dwelling structures consisted of 89.2% houses and 10.8% other dwellings (including semi-detached properties, apartments, and 'other' dwellings). This is in contrast to Non-Metro Qld's structure of 77.3% houses and 22.7% other dwellings. Home ownership levels in Northern Highlands were notably higher than those in Non-Metro Qld, standing at 45.3%. The remaining dwellings were either mortgaged (21.5%) or rented (33.2%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $715, significantly lower than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,500 and the national figure of $1,863. Meanwhile, the median weekly rent figure in Northern Highlands was recorded at $150, substantially below both Non-Metro Qld's average of $220 and the national figure of $375.

Northern Highlands features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 64.4% of all households, including 26.9% couples with children, 29.4% couples without children, and 7.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 35.6%, with lone person households at 32.7% and group households comprising 2.7% of the total. The median household size is 2.4 people, smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.6.

Northern Highlands faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

Northern Highlands has lower university qualification rates at 14.5% compared to the Australian average of 30.4%. This discrepancy presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common (11.6%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.7%) and graduate diplomas (1.2%). Trade and technical skills are prevalent, with 41.2% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas at 8.8% and certificates at 32.4%.

Educational participation is high at 31.6%, including primary education (16.8%), secondary education (4.3%), and tertiary education (2.7%). Six schools operate within Northern Highlands, educating approximately 318 students. The school mix includes four primary schools and two K-12 schools. School places per 100 residents stand at 9.9, below the regional average of 17.2, with some students likely attending schools in nearby areas.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Northern Highlands's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data shows relatively positive results for Northern Highlands residents, with low prevalence rates of common health conditions across both younger and older age groups. The rate of private health cover is approximately 52% of the total population (around 1,676 people), slightly higher than the average SA2 area but lower than Rest of Qld's 57.6%.

Asthma and arthritis are the most common medical conditions in the area, affecting 8.5% and 7.4% of residents respectively. Around 70.4% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 76.2% across Rest of Qld. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 17.7% (around 567 people), compared to Rest of Qld's 10.0%. Health outcomes among seniors in Northern Highlands are above average, generally aligning with the overall population's health profile.

The latest Census data sees Northern Highlands placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Northern Highlands, surveyed in 2016, showed low cultural diversity: 82.0% were Australian citizens, 94.1% born there, and 98.0% spoke English exclusively at home. Christianity dominated, comprising 65.5%, compared to the regional average of 52.2%. Ancestry revealed Australians as the largest group (33.4%), followed by English (30.1%) and Irish (9.8%).

Notably, Australian Aboriginals were overrepresented at 6.2% (regional: 20.0%), as were Scottish (8.6%, regional: 5.5%) and German (4.0%, regional: 3.2%).

Northern Highlands's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Northern Highlands has a median age of 37 years, which is significantly lower than the Rest of Queensland average of 41 years, but aligns with the Australian median of 38 years. The 25-34 age cohort is notably over-represented in Northern Highlands at 16.8%, compared to the Rest of Queensland average, while the 45-54 year-olds are under-represented at 10.0%. According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 65 to 74 increased from 10.0% to 11.3%, and the 35 to 44 cohort rose from 10.9% to 12.1%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 age group decreased from 12.0% to 10.0%, and the 55 to 64 group fell from 14.4% to 12.8%. Demographic projections suggest that Northern Highlands' age profile will change significantly by 2041. The 85+ cohort is expected to grow by 23%, adding 11 residents, reaching a total of 62. Residents aged 65 and older will represent all anticipated population growth due to demographic aging. However, the 25-34 age group and the 0-4 age group are projected to decline in population.