Parkwood

An assessment of population growth drivers in Parkwood reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Parkwood's population, as of May 2026, is around 9,138, showing an increase of 301 people since the 2021 Census. This growth reflects a 3.4% rise from the previous figure of 8,837. The change is inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 9,135 in June 2025 and additional validated new addresses post-Census. This results in a density ratio of 1,471 persons per square kilometer, higher than national averages assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 87.9% of overall population gains recently.

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, based on 2021 data, are adopted. However, these state projections lack age category splits, so AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023, based on 2022 data. Projected demographic shifts suggest a population increase just below the median of Australian non-metropolitan areas by 2041, with an expected rise of 1,150 persons, reflecting a total increase of 12.6% over the 16 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Parkwood, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Parkwood has recorded approximately 43 residential properties granted approval annually over the past five financial years, totalling 216 homes. In FY-26 so far, 3 approvals have been recorded. Over these five years, an average of 0.4 people moved to the area per dwelling built. The average construction value of new homes is $492,000, slightly above the regional average.

This year, $11.9 million in commercial approvals have been registered. Parkwood maintains similar construction rates per person compared to the Rest of Qld, preserving market equilibrium. New building activity consists of 7.0% standalone homes and 93.0% townhouses or apartments. The location has approximately 1901 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established market. By 2041, Parkwood is expected to grow by 1,147 residents.

At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Parkwood has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 32 projects that could affect the region. Notable ones include Coomera Connector Stage 1 - Central Section, Palm Valley Gold Coast Resort, Griffith University Village Student Accommodation Tower, and 2 Uplands Drive Aged Care Facility. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

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AreaSearch analysis indicates Parkwood maintains employment conditions that align with national benchmarks

Parkwood has a skilled workforce with well-represented essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 4.2% in December 2025, which is 0.2% higher than Regional Qld's rate of 4.0%. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 1.8%.

As of December 2025, 5,236 residents were employed, with a workforce participation rate of 70.4%, compared to Regional Qld's 64.5%. According to Census responses, 12.4% of residents worked from home. The key industries of employment among residents are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing had limited presence with 0.3% employment compared to Regional Qld's 4.5%. Employment levels increased by 1.8% during the year to December 2025, while labour force increased by 2.4%, resulting in an unemployment rise of 0.6 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, issued in May-25, project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Parkwood's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.9% over ten years.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released on 30 June 2023, Parkwood SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $51,204. The average income stood at $64,171. This was lower than the national average of $53,146 and regional Queensland's average of $66,593. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% since financial year 2023, current estimates for median income would be approximately $57,021 by March 2026, with the average estimated at $71,461. According to the 2021 Census figures, household income ranked at the 69th percentile ($2,064 weekly), while personal income was at the 35th percentile. Distribution data showed that 37.5% of locals (3,426 people) fell into the $1,500 - 2,999 income category, consistent with broader trends across the surrounding region where 31.7% were in the same category. High housing costs consumed 16.8% of income, but strong earnings placed disposable income at the 68th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 6th decile.

Parkwood is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

In Parkwood, as per the latest Census evaluation, 90.7% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 9.3% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This differs from Regional Queensland's figures, which showed 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Parkwood stood at 27.7%, compared to Regional Queensland's higher rate. The majority of dwellings in Parkwood were either mortgaged (41.9%) or rented (30.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,894, exceeding the Regional Queensland average of $1,655. Meanwhile, the median weekly rent figure in Parkwood was recorded at $538, higher than Regional Queensland's $345. Nationally, Parkwood's median monthly mortgage repayments were slightly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while median weekly rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Parkwood features high concentrations of group households and family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 80.6% of all households, including 38.1% couples with children, 27.5% couples without children, and 13.3% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 19.4%, with lone person households at 12.8% and group households comprising 6.8%. The median household size is 3.0 people, which is larger than the Regional Queensland average of 2.5.

Parkwood performs slightly above the national average for education, showing competitive qualification levels and steady academic outcomes

The area's university qualification rate is 26.8%, exceeding the Rest of Qld average of 20.6%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 18.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.7%) and graduate diplomas (2.0%). Vocational credentials are held by 36.4% of residents aged 15+, including advanced diplomas (11.9%) and certificates (24.5%).

Educational participation is high at 32.7%, with 9.6% in tertiary education, 9.0% in primary education, and 7.8% pursuing secondary education.

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

Parkwood has 43 active public transport stops offering a mix of lightrail and buses. These are served by 5 routes, together facilitating 1,628 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is deemed good, with residents on average located 209 meters from their nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most commuters travel outward; cars remain the primary mode at 89%. On average, there are 1.9 vehicles per dwelling, exceeding regional averages. According to the 2021 Census, only 12.4% of residents work from home, which might reflect COVID-19 conditions.

Across all routes, service frequency averages 232 trips daily, translating to roughly 37 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Parkwood are marginally below the national average with common health conditions slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts

Parkwood shows below-average health indicators based on AreaSearch's assessment.

Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are higher than average, particularly for asthma (7.4%) and arthritis (7.3%). Private health cover is relatively low at 51% of the total population (~4,678 people). Most residents, 71.5%, report no medical ailments, compared to 67.6% in Regional Qld. The under-65 population has better than average health outcomes. Parkwood's senior population (14.5%, or 1,325 people) is lower than the regional average of 20.4%. Despite this, seniors' health outcomes are above average and rank higher nationally than the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Parkwood was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Parkwood's population showed higher linguistic diversity, with 17.9% speaking a language other than English at home, compared to the local majority. Born overseas, 33.3% of Parkwood residents were found. Christianity was the predominant religion in Parkwood, accounting for 47.2%.

Islam's representation stood out at 2.6%, higher than Regional Qld's 0.6%. English ancestry led at 29.0%, followed by Australian at 21.9% and Other at 9.9%. Notable differences existed in New Zealand (1.7%), Maori (2.0%) and Korean (0.8%) groups, each higher than regional averages of 0.9%, 0.8% and 0.2% respectively.

Parkwood's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Parkwood's median age is 36, which is lower than the Regional Queensland figure of 41 years and marginally lower than Australia's median age of 38 years. The 15-24 cohort is over-represented in Parkwood at 18.9%, compared to the Regional Queensland average, while the 75-84 year-olds are under-represented at 4.3%. This concentration of young adults aged 15-24 is well above the national figure of 12.7%. Since 2021, the population aged 25 to 34 has grown from 13.3% to 15.0%, and the 15 to 24 cohort has increased from 17.2% to 18.9%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 age group has declined from 13.6% to 11.7%, and the 5 to 14 age group has dropped from 11.8% to 10.0%. Demographic modeling suggests that Parkwood's age profile will significantly change by 2041. The 25 to 34 age cohort is projected to expand notably, with an increase of 454 people (33%), from 1,371 to 1,826. Conversely, both the 55 to 64 and 15 to 24 age groups are expected to see reduced numbers.