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This analysis uses ABS Statistical Areas Level 2 (SA2) boundaries, which can materially differ from Suburbs and Localities (SAL) even when sharing similar names.
SA2 boundaries are defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and are designed to represent communities for statistical reporting (e.g., census and ERP).
Suburbs and Localities (SAL) represent commonly-used suburb/locality names (postal-style areas) and may use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
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ABS ERP | -- people | --
2021 Census | -- people
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Palm Island has an estimated 2,335 residents, up from 2,098 at the 2021 Census — a change of 237 people, or 11.3%. Growth has averaged 1.2% a year over five years, faster than 75% of areas nationally. Natural increase accounts for 93.2% of that increase. Density is about 32 people per square kilometre. Population is estimated from ABS Estimated Resident Population releases and GNAF address data, re-based from the 2021 Census and updated annually.
Detail
According to demographic evaluations by AreaSearch, the resident count of Palm Island stands at approximately 2,335 as of Aug 2026. This represents an addition of 237 people (11.3%) compared to the 2,098 people recorded in the 2021 Census. These figures are derived from the ABS estimated resident population figure of 2,335 recorded as of June 2025 alongside post-Census address validation data. Consequently, the local density sits at 32 persons per square kilometer, ensuring a spacious living environment. Expanding by 11.3% since the 2021 census, Palm Island outperformed the wider SA3 area (3.5%) and the broader SA4 region, positioning it at the forefront of regional expansion.
This upward trajectory was largely underpinned by natural increase, which accounted for roughly 93.2% of all recent population gains. Projections published in 2024 by the ABS and Geoscience Australia utilizing a 2022 baseline are applied across SA2 locations by AreaSearch. In instances where locations lack coverage or for intervals extending beyond 2032, projections produced by the Queensland State Government in 2023 from 2021 data serve as the benchmark. Because state figures do not break down age brackets, proportional weightings from the ABS Greater Capital Region 2023 release (modeled on 2022 figures) are incorporated to distribute age cohorts. Looking forward, the locality is projected to outpace the national non-metropolitan median for expansion, adding 389 persons by 2041 according to current annual ERP figures, which translates to a cumulative increase of 16.7% across the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
72 new dwellings have been approved in Palm Island over the past five years, an average of 14 a year. That places the area in the 59th percentile for residential development activity nationally, about 6 approvals per 1,000 residents a year. Figures come from ABS building approvals aggregated to this SA2 boundary and are updated monthly as the ABS releases them.
Detail
Residential building approvals across Palm Island have averaged roughly 14 dwellings each year, totaling 72 homes greenlit over the preceding 5 financial years (between FY-22 and FY-26). With an average intake of 1.8 new residents per year per dwelling constructed over the past 5 financial years (between FY-22 and FY-26), additions to the housing stock align closely with local demand to sustain a balanced market, with the average construction cost per new residence standing at $523,000. Per capita residential building approvals in Palm Island exceed the Rest of Qld benchmark by 211.0%, expanding options across the local construction pipeline.
Furthermore, contemporary building activity has focused entirely on detached houses, reinforcing low-density neighborhood planning and providing standalone dwelling choices. Projections indicate that Palm Island will accommodate an additional 389 residents by 2041, based on recent quarterly modeling from AreaSearch. Should current construction patterns persist, incoming residential supply will comfortably absorb projected population gains, maintaining favorable conditions for prospective occupants and creating scope for growth beyond baseline forecasts.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Palm Island
Loading development applications…
| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
|---|
SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks one current infrastructure or development project inside Palm Island. A further 60 sit in the immediately surrounding suburbs, taking the tracked pipeline within reach of the area to $11.1 billion. 16 are already under construction and 15 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans residential development, transport & logistics and communities, precincts & urban renewal. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
Strategic public works, regional development schemes, and capital investments play a fundamental role in shaping local community outcomes. Across Palm Island, AreaSearch has identified no direct active projects likely to influence the immediate area. Key regional undertakings that may provide broader connectivity include the Bruce Highway (Townsville-Ingham) upgrade program, North and Far North Queensland REZs, Queensland National Land Transport Network Maintenance, and the Queensland Energy Roadmap - SuperGrid Infrastructure Program.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Museum of Underwater Art (MOUA)
A series of underwater art installations near Townsville, including the 'Coral Greenhouse' at John Brewer Reef and the 'Ocean Siren' at The Strand. It is the only underwater art museum in the Southern Hemisphere.
Bruce Highway (Townsville-Ingham) upgrade program
Concurrent upgrades to improve safety and efficiency on the Bruce Highway between Townsville and Ingham. Current scope includes a new northbound overtaking lane between Leichhardt Creek and Lilypond Creek, wide centre line treatments, pavement strengthening in 5 sections, and upgrades to the Christmas Creek rest area for heavy vehicles.
Sunshine State Solar Farm and Battery
A 128MW AC solar farm paired with a 128MW/256MWh battery energy storage system across approximately 190 hectares of private land near Rollingstone, approximately 55km northwest of Townsville. The project will supply approximately 55,000 homes with clean energy and offset around 200,000 tonnes of CO2 annually. In November 2025, the federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water determined that no further EPBC assessment or approval is required. The project was originally developed by ESCO Pacific as the Rollingstone Solar Farm and acquired by OX2 in 2023.Townsville City Council approved the amended project including co-located BESS in December 2024. Grid connection studies are underway with construction scheduled for mid-2027 to mid-2029 and operations expected to begin in 2029.
North Queensland Bio-Energy Facility (Ingham)
The North Queensland Bio-Energy (NQBE) facility is a proposed $640 million integrated sugar, ethanol, and renewable power plant located on an 80-hectare site south of Ingham. As of early 2026, the project remains in the planning phase while awaiting favorable market conditions and finalized financing. The facility is designed to process sugarcane into 350,000 tonnes of raw sugar annually, produce up to 200,000 litres of ethanol per day, and export approximately 110-115 MW of renewable energy to the national grid.The project was recently a focal point in the 2026 Queensland Parliamentary Inquiry into Sugarcane Bioenergy Opportunities, which seeks to address regulatory and investment barriers for such industrial hubs.
Orient Road Water Security Project
A project to improve water security in the Ingham area, funded under the Building our Regions program. The project involved the extension of the water main along Orient Road.
Moduline Ingham Expansion - Factory and Showroom
Proposed ~4,400 sqm manufacturing facility with ~550 sqm office and retail showroom for Moduline in Ingham CBD. Development Application lodged 24 Feb 2025 for Medium Impact Industry (furniture manufacturing, display and sales) across multiple lots fronting Herbert St and Lynn St. State assessment (SARA) advice issued 17 Mar 2025. Project aims to modernize production, expand local jobs and renew the town centre retail presence.
Dutton Street Culvert Crossing Project
Construction of a culvert crossing on Dutton Street to provide a linkage between the north and south of Ingham during flood events. The project was fully funded under the National Flood Infrastructure Mitigation Program.
Hinchinbrook Shire Council Priority Projects
A list of priority projects for the Hinchinbrook Shire, including upgrades to marine and tourism infrastructure, recycling facilities, and digital connectivity. Specific projects include the Dungeness Marine Access Upgrade, Wallaman Falls Eco and Adventure Tourism, and Forrest Beach Boat Ramp Facilities.
51 residents of Palm Island are employed, from a labour force of 407. Unemployment sits at 87.5%, with participation at 25.7%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 7.8% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
The local labor market on Palm Island encompasses a blend of professional and manual roles, with substantial representation across core community services, alongside an unemployment rate of 87.5%. As of March 2026, there are 51 residents in active employment, yet the jobless rate remains 83.6% higher than the Regional Qld figure of 3.9%, while labor force participation is notably suppressed at 25.7% compared to 64.2% across Regional Qld. Census records indicate that no residents worked from home, a metric that may reflect the circumstances of Covid-19 lockdown restrictions. The primary sectors supporting local employment are health care & social assistance, education & training, and public administration & safety.
Health care & social assistance exhibits exceptional depth, engaging workers at 2.2 times the wider regional proportion. In contrast, the construction trade engages only 2.5% of the local workforce relative to the 10.1% regional standard. As demonstrated by the disparity between the resident headcount and the Census working population, local employment opportunities within the area remain constrained. Analysis by AreaSearch incorporating ABS and SALM metrics reveals that over the 12-month period, the total workforce contracted by 1.9% while the number of employed persons fell by 55.3%, driving the unemployment rate upward by 14.9 percentage points. Conversely, Regional Qld recorded a 0.1% uptick in employment, a 0.3% increase in the labor pool, and a 0.1 percentage points rise in joblessness. National employment outlooks issued by Jobs and Skills Australia in Mar-26 provide additional context on potential workforce demand for Palm Island over five and ten-year horizons. Across Australia, overall job growth is projected at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with wide variation across individual industries. Weighting these sectoral trajectories against the local occupational profile suggests potential employment gains of 7.8% over five years and 16.2% over ten years for Palm Island, serving as an illustrative structural projection that does not factor in localized population adjustments.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Palm Island is $977 a week (about $51,000 a year), with median personal income at $380 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $54,420 a year against an average of $65,328. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
ATO taxation statistics aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023 indicate a median taxpayer income of $54,420 and an average income of $65,328 across the Palm Island SA2. These figures track slightly below national benchmarks and compare against medians of $53,146 and averages of $66,593 throughout Regional Qld. Factoring in an 11.36% increase in the Wage Price Index since financial year 2023, modeled figures reach approximately $60,602 (median) and $72,749 (average) as of March 2026. The 2021 Census placed Palm Island's household, family, and individual income metrics between the 1st and 2nd percentiles nationwide.
In terms of earnings distribution, the largest local bracket comprises 26.8% of residents (625 people) earning $800 - 1,499, differing from Regional Qld where 31.7% fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 range. Even though residents retain 87.4% of their earnings after housing expenses, overall disposable income sits at the 5th percentile nationally.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Palm Island had 491 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 88% detached houses and 8% apartments. 0% are owned with a mortgage, 99% rented and 2% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $125 a week and the median mortgage repayment $2,167 a month. Rent absorbs 12.8% of household income here and mortgage repayments 51.2%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
At the time of the latest Census, the housing stock on Palm Island consisted of 87.7% separate houses and 12.3% alternative dwelling structures such as apartments and semi-detached units, compared to 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings across Regional Qld. Outright home ownership stood at 1.5%, lagging behind Regional Qld, with all other properties either rented (98.5%) or carrying no recorded mortgages. Typical monthly mortgage payments were $2,167 locally compared to $1,655 across Regional Qld, while median weekly rent was $125 against the regional benchmark of $345. On a national scale, Palm Island mortgage costs surpass the Australian median of $1,863, whereas weekly rental commitments remain well below the countrywide figure of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Palm Island counted 491 households at the 2021 Census, an estimated 546 today, averaging 3.7 people each. 28% are couples with children, against 11% couples without children. 21% of households are people living alone, and families average 2.5 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Families form the predominant domestic arrangement, accounting for 76.4% of total households, which includes single parent families at 30.0%, couples with children at 27.5%, and couples without children at 11.1%. The remaining 23.6% consists of non-family living arrangements, where lone person residences represent 21.3% and group shared households make up 3.6%. The typical household size sits at a median of 3.7 people, exceeding the 2.5 average found in Regional Qld.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
6.8% of adults in Palm Island hold a university qualification, including 4.4% with a bachelor degree and 1.4% with postgraduate qualifications, lower than 98% of areas nationally. A further 17.9% hold a vocational qualification. 2 schools serve the area, with 459 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 667 against a national benchmark of 1,000. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census; school enrolments, ICSEA and results come from ACARA's current release.
Detail
Educational attainment presents key challenges across the community, as the proportion of individuals holding tertiary degrees stands at 6.8%, well below the 30.4% recorded across Australia. This disparity highlights vital scope for targeted academic initiatives. Bachelor degrees constitute 4.4% of qualifications, followed by postgraduate awards at 1.4% and graduate diplomas at 1.0%. Vocational training accounts for 21.7% of qualifications among residents aged 15+, divided between certificates at 17.9% and advanced diplomas at 3.8%. Engagement with the education system is substantial, with 30.1% of the population actively attending an educational institution.
Breaking down this cohort, 20.8% are enrolled in primary education, 6.3% are attending secondary school, and 0.6% are engaged in tertiary studies.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
83.7% of residents in Palm Island report no long-term health condition, a less healthy profile than 75% of areas nationally. 3.3% need daily assistance with core activities, and 51.9% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 13.2 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
Evaluations by AreaSearch regarding mortality and illness prevalence indicate notable public health challenges on Palm Island, with chronic conditions observed across both younger and older demographics, while private health insurance uptake trails typical SA2 benchmarks at approximately 52% of the population (~1,211 people). Diabetes and heart disease represent the most prevalent diagnosed conditions locally, affecting 7.2% and 4.3% of the community respectively, though 83.7% of residents reported having no diagnosed health conditions compared to 67.6% across Regional Qld. Working-age cohorts maintain favorable general health with low chronic illness rates. Seniors aged 65 and over comprise 7.3% of residents (169 people), below the Regional Qld share of 20.3%, with older residents experiencing distinct health hurdles that align broadly with national senior outcomes.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Palm Island is largely Australian-born, at 98.3% of residents, with 43.4% speaking a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are Australian Aboriginal (74.0%) and Australian (4.3%). 74.0% of residents identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Measures of cultural diversity on Palm Island align closely with regional patterns, with Australian citizens making up 94.2% of the populace, 98.3% born domestically, and 56.6% utilizing solely English in the home. Christianity forms the dominant religious affiliation, embraced by 82.2% of local residents compared to 52.2% throughout Regional Qld. Regarding parental heritage, the three most prominent ancestry groups identified on Palm Island are Australian Aboriginal at 74.0% (substantially higher than the 3.9% regional rate), Other at 16.4% (above the 6.9% regional share), and Australian at 4.3% (considerably below the 26.5% regional standard).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Palm Island is 26, younger than 100% of areas nationally. 29.3% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
Palm Island has a younger demographic profile than Regional Qld overall. According to AreaSearch modeling for August 2026, children and young adults aged 0 - 24 represent 46.2% of the community compared to 29.6% regionally, while seniors aged 65+ account for 7.3% against a regional benchmark of 20.4%. The median age remains 26 as at August 2026, unchanged since the 2021 Census and sitting 15 years under the Regional Qld median of 41 and below the national figure of 38 recorded at that Census. The most noticeable demographic shift since the Census occurred in the 45 - 64 bracket, which reduced from 21.3% to an estimated 18.7%.
Looking to 2041, adults aged 25 - 44 are projected to experience the highest nominal increase, gaining 182 residents (28%) to reach 832, whereas the 65+ cohort is anticipated to expand the fastest in percentage terms, rising 44% to 245 residents.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Palm Island
8 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Sep 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the SA2 boundary shown above, on a 2021 Census baseline. Only 3 sections — housing, households and cultural diversity — still wait on the 2026 Census.
The ledger — source, cycle and currency by section
| Section | Source & update cycle | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Updated within the last 12 months 8 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | Aug 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release) and updated with new dwellings from GNAF address data. Current to Aug 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | Aug 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to Aug 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Aug 2026 last month headline measures · Jul 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Sep 2026 this month all 21 measures |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Sep 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 6 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Aug 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Jul 2026 2 months ago all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 3 sections | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, State agencies, Local governments Daily | Jul 2025 about a year ago all 1 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated Jul 2025. | ||
| Income | ABS, ATO Annual (ATO) | FY 2023 3 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| ATO taxable income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index. Census household income provides the distribution detail. | ||
| Health | ABS, ATO Annual | 2024 2 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Census-measured — next update: 2026 Census 3 sections No more current small-area source exists for these, so they are labelled as Census-measured rather than implied to be current. | ||
| Housing | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 30 measures |
| Households | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 18 measures |
| Cultural diversity | ABS, Geoscience Australia 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 44 measures |
"Currency" is the most recent release feeding that section. Where the Census supplies the structural baseline underneath a current headline figure, the row says so.
How the numbers are built
Population
The Census provides the small-area baseline, aggregated from mesh blocks to this boundary. It is then re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release), and new dwellings built since Census night are counted from address data. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for Aug 2026, not a 2021 count (2,098 at the 2021 Census → 2,335 now). Annual growth rates are compound (CAGR), not simple averages.
Age profile
Cohort shares are not raw Census counts. Every cohort is held as a pair — the Census baseline and a current estimate — and the split is re-based using ERP and state population projections, current to Aug 2026. Median age is the Census median plus modelled change since. Charts that show both are labelled "2021 Census vs Current Estimate".
Property sales
Sourced from the state valuation authority's sales register — current, not Census, and refreshed weekly. Medians are calculated from settled transactions in the period shown; periods with very low transaction counts are flagged or suppressed, because a handful of sales can move a median substantially.
Rents
Derived from state rental bond lodgement data, by dwelling type and bedroom count. Bonds are lodged at the start of a new tenancy, so this reflects new lettings, not the whole rented stock.
Development & infrastructure
Building approvals come from current ABS releases; development applications are collected from council and state planning portals; the infrastructure pipeline is compiled from Infrastructure Australia and local government sources. Applications are matched to this boundary by address or coordinates, so very recent lodgements may not yet appear.
Employment & income
Industry and occupation structure comes from the Census, but the headline labour-market indicators do not. Unemployment and labour force are derived from ABS Small Area Labour Markets (quarterly). The employment outlook applies Department of Employment forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to this area's own industry mix (the agency is now Jobs and Skills Australia), as does the Internet Vacancy Index used for job demand. Because it is weighted on industry composition alone, that outlook carries no allowance for local population growth — in fast-growing areas the real rise in local jobs will typically be higher. Income combines Census household income with ATO taxable-income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index.
Education, transport & amenities
School enrolments, ICSEA and performance come from ACARA's current release, not the Census. Public transport stops and service frequency are derived from GTFS timetable feeds published by state transport departments. Services and amenities are proximity and count scores built from provider directories, refreshed on their own cycle. The Census contributes only the travel-to-work and qualification measures.
Rankings and benchmarks. Where we rank this area, the comparison set is every area of the same boundary type — suburbs against suburbs, SA2s against SA2s. Benchmarks compare this area against its greater capital city region and the national figure for the same measure and period.
Limits worth knowing. Small areas carry larger error margins, and the ABS introduces small random adjustments to Census counts to protect confidentiality — so totals may not sum exactly. Estimates re-based from regional data describe the area's expected trajectory, not a direct count of it. Figures are indicative for research and are not financial, planning or valuation advice.
Cross-check us. The Census baseline for this boundary is at ABS 2021 Census QuickStats (318011466). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.