Oonoonba

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

Oonoonba's population was around 7,581 as of November 2025. This figure reflects an increase of 548 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7,033 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 7,544 in June 2024 and an additional 36 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 871 persons per square kilometer. Oonoonba's growth of 7.8% since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA4 region (6.9%) and the SA3 area, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration contributing approximately 46.3% 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 and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections are adopted, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. These state projections do not provide age category splits, so 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. Based on demographic trends and latest annual ERP population numbers, an above median population growth is projected for Australia's non-metropolitan areas, with Oonoonba expected to grow by 1,665 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 21.5% over the 17 years.

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

Oonoonba has seen approximately 14 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling 71 homes. In FY26 so far, 11 approvals have been recorded. Each year between FY21 and FY25, an average of 11.3 people moved to the area for each dwelling built. This indicates substantial demand outstripping supply, potentially leading to heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures.

New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $177,000, which is below regional levels, suggesting more affordable housing choices for buyers. In FY26, commercial development approvals totalling $20.5 million have been recorded, indicating steady investment activity in the area. Compared to the Rest of Qld, Oonoonba records significantly lower building activity, at 52.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity of new homes typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. The area's established nature is also indicated by its level being under the national average, potentially suggesting planning limitations.

Recent construction in Oonoonba comprises 89.0% detached dwellings and 11.0% attached dwellings, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 1412 people, reflecting its quiet, low activity development environment. Future projections estimate that Oonoonba will add 1628 residents by 2041, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

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

Eleven projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area's performance. Key projects include Wulguru Group Stuart Facility Expansion, Townsville Connection Road (Stuart Drive), University Road to Bowen Road Bridge upgrade in Idalia, Kirwan Health Campus Expansion, and Fairfield Business Precinct. Below is a list detailing those likely 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.

Employment conditions in Oonoonba rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

Oonoonba has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 2.0% as of September 2025, which is 2.1% lower than the Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%.

Workforce participation in Oonoonba is high at 74.3%, compared to the Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Key industries for employment among residents are public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Oonoonba has a particularly strong specialization in public administration & safety, with an employment share of 3.3 times the regional level. However, agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented, with only 0.6% of Oonoonba's workforce compared to 4.5% in Rest of Qld.

The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the Census working population vs resident population count. Over a 12-month period ending September 2025, Oonoonba's labour force decreased by 0.1%, and employment decreased by 0.3%, resulting in an unemployment rate rise of 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Qld experienced employment growth of 1.7% and labour force growth of 2.1%, with a 0.3 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. As of 25-Nov-25, Queensland's employment contracted by 0.01% (losing 1,210 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%, closely aligned with the national rate of 4.3%. Job and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Oonoonba's employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation of industry-specific projections against the local employment mix.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022, Oonoonba SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $70,383. The average income level stood at $82,789. Nationally, these figures are extremely high compared to Rest of Qld's levels of $50,780 and $64,844 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.99% since financial year 2022, current estimates for median income would be approximately $80,230 as of September 2025, with average income estimated at $94,371 during the same period. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes in Oonoonba rank highly nationally, between the 71st and 85th percentiles. Distribution data shows that 37.5% of the population (2,842 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, mirroring regional levels where 31.7% occupy this bracket. Housing accounts for 14.5% of income while strong earnings rank residents within the 73rd percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

Oonoonba's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 78.1% houses and 21.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro Qld's figures of 81.3% houses and 18.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Oonoonba stood at 19.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 35.5% and rented ones at 45.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,700, higher than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,517. Median weekly rent in Oonoonba was $360, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $305. Nationally, Oonoonba's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.

Oonoonba features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 67.9% of all households, including 28.8% couples with children, 27.9% couples without children, and 9.9% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 32.1%, with lone person households at 25.1% and group households comprising 6.9%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which aligns with the average for the Rest of Qld.

Oonoonba shows below-average educational performance compared to national benchmarks, though pockets of achievement exist

The area's educational profile is notable regionally with university qualification rates at 29.8% of residents aged 15+, surpassing the SA4 region average of 20.1% and that of Rest of Qld (20.6%). Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 21.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 6.2% and graduate diplomas at 2.6%. Vocational credentials are prominent, with 34.1% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 9.7% and certificates at 24.4%.

Educational participation is high, with 31.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.2% in primary education, 8.5% in secondary education, and 7.4% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Transport analysis shows 17 active stops operating within Oonoonba, serving a mix of bus routes. These stops are covered by 3 individual routes, offering a total of 238 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is moderate, with residents located an average of 498 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 34 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 14 weekly trips per stop.

The level of general health in Oonoonba is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Oonoonba demonstrates above-average health outcomes with a low prevalence of common health conditions among its general population compared to national averages. This is particularly notable among older, at-risk cohorts where rates are higher than the nation's average. The rate of private health cover in Oonoonba is exceptionally high at approximately 61% of the total population (4,647 people), which compares to 53.3% across the Rest of Qld and a national average of 55.3%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues impacting 8.1% of residents and asthma impacting 7.0%, while 73.1% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 67.8% across the Rest of Qld. Oonoonba has 10.1% of residents aged 65 and over (762 people), which is lower than the 14.9% in the Rest of Qld but still requires more attention than the broader population.

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

Oonoonba's cultural diversity was comparable to the wider area, with 88.3% of residents being citizens, 82.6% born in Australia, and 88.5% speaking English only at home. Christianity dominated Oonoonba, comprising 52.1% of its population. Notably, Hinduism was overrepresented at 2.3%, compared to the regional average of 0.8%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (27.8%), Australian (25.9%), and Irish (8.4%). Some ethnic groups showed significant differences: Korean was overrepresented at 1.3% in Oonoonba (regional average: 0.2%), Italian at 4.9% (regional average: 3.6%), and South African at 0.6% (regional average: 0.3%).

Oonoonba hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Oonoonba's median age of 31 years is materially younger than Rest of Qld's 41 and considerably younger than the national average of 38 years. The 25-34 age group shows strong representation at 20.6%, compared to Rest of Qld, while the 65-74 cohort is less prevalent at 6.3%. This 25-34 concentration is well above the national average of 14.5%. Between 2021 and present, the 25-34 age group has grown from 18.0% to 20.6%, while the 35-44 cohort increased from 14.4% to 15.6%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort declined from 12.8% to 10.7% and the 5-14 group dropped from 13.0% to 11.4%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Oonoonba. The 25-34 age cohort is projected to increase solidly, expanding by 629 people (40%) from 1,561 to 2,191. Meanwhile, the 5-14 cohort grows modestly by 4% (30 people).