Proserpine

Population growth drivers in Proserpine are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Proserpine's population was around 9,586 as of November 2025. This figure reflects an increase of 728 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 8,858. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 9,414 in June 2024 and an additional 213 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 4.6 persons per square kilometer. Proserpine's growth rate of 8.2% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region's growth rate of 7.5%. Interstate migration contributed approximately 86.5% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. 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. 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. Looking ahead, demographic trends project an above median population growth for national regional areas. The area is expected to grow by 1,698 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 15.9% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Proserpine among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Proserpine averaged approximately 44 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 224 homes. As of FY-26, 11 approvals have been recorded. On average, 3.3 new residents per year were associated with each home built between FY-21 and FY-25. This suggests demand significantly outpaces supply, potentially influencing prices and competition among buyers.

The average construction cost for new properties was $1,039,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment. In FY-26, commercial development approvals totalled $39.8 million, reflecting high local commercial activity. Compared to the rest of Queensland, Proserpine has about three-quarters the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 71st percentile nationally in terms of assessed areas for new dwellings.

The area maintains a traditional low density character with 97.0% detached dwellings and 3.0% attached dwellings, appealing to those seeking space and family homes. With approximately 184 people per approval, Proserpine reflects an area experiencing development growth. Population forecasts indicate an addition of 1,526 residents by 2041, with building activity keeping pace with these projections despite potential increased competition among buyers as the population grows.

Proserpine has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

AreaSearch has identified 32 projects that could impact the area, with key ones being the Proserpine Hospital Acute Primary Care Clinic Upgrade, Proserpine-Shute Harbour Road upgrades (Hamilton Plains Flood Immunity and Cannonvale Capacity), Proserpine Urban Expansion Water and Sewer Infrastructure, and Proserpine Replacement Police Facility and Courthouse. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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Employment performance in Proserpine exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Proserpine has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. Manufacturing and industrial sectors are strongly represented, with an unemployment rate of 3.3% as of September 2025.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 4.5%. There are currently 4,801 residents employed, which is 0.8% below Rest of Qld's unemployment rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation is on par with Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Major employment sectors include construction, retail trade, and health care & social assistance.

Proserpine has a significant employment specialization in mining, with an employment share 2.1 times the regional level. However, health care & social assistance has limited presence at 10.0% compared to the regional average of 16.1%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited, as indicated by Census data showing fewer working residents than the overall population. Over the year to September 2025, employment increased by 4.5%, while labour force grew by 4.4%, leading to a slight decrease in unemployment rate of 0.1 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Qld had employment growth of 1.7% and labour force growth of 2.1%, with an increase in unemployment rate of 0.3 percentage points. State-level data from 25-Nov shows Queensland's employment contracted by 0.01%, with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%. National forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 11.8% over ten years, but growth rates vary significantly between sectors. Applying these projections to Proserpine's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.4% over five years and 11.8% over ten years.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for the financial year 2022 shows Proserpine SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $51,450 and an average of $65,461. Nationally, this is approximately average. The Rest of Qld had a median of $50,780 and an average of $64,844. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.99% since financial year 2022, estimates for September 2025 would be approximately $58,648 (median) and $74,619 (average). Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes rank modestly in Proserpine, between the 31st and 32nd percentiles. The earnings profile shows the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 31.7% of residents (3,038 people), reflecting patterns seen at regional levels where 31.7% similarly occupy this range. After housing, 86.2% of income remains for other expenses.

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

Proserpine's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 89.1% houses and 10.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro Qld's 74.7% houses and 25.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Proserpine stood at 39.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 37.7% and rented ones at 22.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,560, below Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,700. The median weekly rent in Proserpine was $276, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $350. Nationally, Proserpine's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Proserpine has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 72.5% of all households, including 29.1% couples with children, 32.7% couples without children, and 10.0% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 27.5%, with lone person households at 25.2% and group households comprising 2.4%. The median household size is 2.5 people, higher than the Rest of Qld average of 2.4.

Educational outcomes in Proserpine fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 11.8%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 9.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.4%) and graduate diplomas (1.4%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 45.9% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (8.9%) and certificates (37.0%). Educational participation is high at 28.9%, comprising primary education (12.2%), secondary education (10.2%), and tertiary education (1.7%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 28.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.2% in primary education, 10.2% in secondary education, and 1.7% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Proserpine has 14 active public transport stops, operating from September 2021 onwards. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with one individual route in operation. Collectively, they facilitate 89 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated as limited, with residents typically located 6407 meters away from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 12 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 6 weekly trips per stop.

Health performance in Proserpine is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Proserpine faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts.

The rate of private health cover is approximately 52%, covering about 5,023 people, which leads that of the average SA2 area. The most common medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 8.6% and 7.5% of residents respectively. About 67.9% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 73.3% across Rest of Qld. The area has 21.7% of residents aged 65 and over, totaling 2,077 people, which is higher than the 15.4% in Rest of Qld. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

Proserpine is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Proserpine's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 87.7% of its population being citizens, 88.2% born in Australia, and 97.1% speaking English only at home. The predominant religion in Proserpine is Christianity, which comprises 54.8% of the population, compared to 45.3% across the rest of Queensland. Regarding ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Proserpine are English at 32.5%, Australian at 30.0%, and Scottish at 8.4%.

Notably, German ethnicity is overrepresented in Proserpine at 4.8% compared to 4.3% regionally, while New Zealand and Maltese ethnicities show divergences with 0.8% and 0.5% respectively versus regional percentages of 1.1% and 0.5%.

Proserpine hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Proserpine's median age is 45, which is older than Queensland's median age of 41 and higher than Australia's national average of 38 years old. The age profile reveals that residents aged 65-74 make up 12.8%, while those aged 25-34 constitute only 9.1%. According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 75 to 84 has increased from 6.1% to 7.0%, while the age group of 55 to 64 has decreased from 15.2% to 14.3%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate that Proserpine's population aged 75 to 84 will grow by 52%, reaching 1,018 people from the current figure of 668. Conversely, the number of residents aged 15 to 24 is expected to decrease by 31%.