Roma

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

Roma's population was approximately 7,196 as of February 2026. This figure reflects an increase of 358 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,838 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 7,123 in June 2024 and an additional 104 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 92 persons per square kilometer. Roma's growth rate of 5.2% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area average of 3.8%. Natural growth contributed approximately 67.6% of overall population gains during recent periods.

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 are adopted, based on 2021 data and released in 2023. These state projections do not provide age category splits, so AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings from ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023, based on 2022 data. Projections indicate a decline of 405 persons by 2041, but specific age cohorts are expected to grow, notably the 25 to 34 age group projected to expand by 228 people.

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

Roma experienced approximately 9 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 47 homes. In FY26 so far, 2 approvals have been recorded. On average, 4.7 new residents arrived per year for each dwelling constructed between FY21 and FY25, indicating demand significantly exceeding supply. New properties were constructed at an average cost of $300,000, reflecting more affordable housing options compared to regional norms.

This financial year, $28.3 million in commercial approvals have been registered, demonstrating high local commercial activity. Relative to the Rest of Qld, Roma has 16.0% less new development per person and ranks among the 12th percentile nationally for areas assessed, offering limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing homes. Recent building activity consists entirely of detached dwellings, preserving Roma's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 1393 people, reflecting its quiet development environment.

Given stable or declining population forecasts, Roma may experience less housing pressure in the future, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

Roma has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

The performance of a region is significantly impacted by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified six projects that are expected to influence this area. Notable projects include the Denise Spencer Aquatic Centre Redevelopment, Community Housing Limited Roma Social Housing, Roma Hospital Redevelopment, and Bowen Street Roma Priority Development Area. The following list outlines those projects deemed 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.

The labour market strength in Roma positions it well ahead of most Australian regions

Roma's workforce is skilled with well-represented essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 2.7% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 5.2%. As of September 2025, 4,281 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.4%, below Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%.

Workforce participation was high at 77.6%, compared to Rest of Qld's 65.7%. Census responses indicated that 4.6% of residents worked from home. Key industries were health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and retail trade. Public administration & safety had a higher employment share than the regional level, while professional & technical was under-represented at 3.7%, compared to Rest of Qld's 5.1%.

The worker-to-resident ratio was 0.7, indicating above-norm local employment opportunities. Over a 12-month period, employment increased by 5.2% alongside labour force growth of 6.8%, raising the unemployment rate by 1.5 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Qld had employment and labour force growth rates of 1.7% and 2.1% respectively, with a 0.3 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest potential future demand within Roma. Applying these projections to Roma's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 6.2% over five years and 13.2% over ten years, though these are simple weighted extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

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

The median income among taxpayers in the Roma SA2 area was $57,222 during financial year 2023. The average income stood at $65,642 for the same period. These figures compare to national averages of $53,146 and $66,593 respectively. Based on a Wage Price Index growth rate of 9.91% since financial year 2023, estimated median income would be approximately $62,893 as of September 2025, with average income projected to reach around $72,147 by that date. According to Census data from 2021, personal income ranks at the 74th percentile ($957 weekly), while household income sits at the 47th percentile. The majority of locals (36.6%, or 2,633 people) fall into the $1,500 - $2,999 earnings bracket, which is similar to the metropolitan region where 31.7% of residents occupy this category. After accounting for housing costs, residents retain 88.3% of their income.

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

Dwelling structure in Roma, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 90.0% houses and 10.0% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro Qld had 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Roma was at 25.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 27.1% and rented dwellings at 47.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Roma was $1,300, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $1,655. The median weekly rent figure in Roma was $250, while Non-Metro Qld recorded $345. Nationally, Roma's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 64.8% of all households, including 27.7% couples with children, 24.8% couples without children, and 11.1% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 35.2%, with lone person households at 31.7% and group households comprising 3.7%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.5.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 18.2%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 13.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.0%) and graduate diplomas (2.1%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 41.9% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (8.6%) and certificates (33.3%). Educational participation is high, with 33.1% currently enrolled in formal education: 13.2% in primary, 9.3% in secondary, and 3.4% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 33.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.2% in primary education, 9.3% in secondary education, and 3.4% pursuing tertiary education.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Health performance in Roma is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data indicates significant health challenges faced by Roma residents.

AreaSearch's assessment shows high prevalence of common health conditions across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is slightly lower at approximately 52% compared to the average SA2 area. The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma (10.7%) and mental health issues (8.4%), while 66.5% reported no medical ailments, compared to 67.6% in Rest of Qld. Working-age residents have a higher prevalence of chronic health conditions than average. Roma has 14.5% of residents aged 65 and over (1043 people), lower than the 20.4% in Rest of Qld. Health outcomes among seniors present notable challenges, ranking even higher than the general population nationally.

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

Roma's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 84.1% of its population being Australian citizens, 89.3% born in Australia, and 93.2% speaking English only at home. The predominant religion in Roma is Christianity, accounting for 60.8% of the population, compared to 52.2% across the rest of Queensland. Regarding ancestry, the top three represented groups are Australian (31.7%), English (27.9%), and Australian Aboriginal (9.1%).

Notably, German ancestry is overrepresented in Roma at 5.0%, compared to 4.7% regionally, while Filipino ancestry stands at 1.9% (vs 0.9%) and South African at 0.4% (vs 0.5%).

Roma's population is younger than the national pattern

The median age in Roma is 35 years, which is lower than the Rest of Queensland's average of 41 years and the national average of 38 years. The 25-34 age group makes up 17.1% of Roma's population compared to the Rest of Queensland's average, indicating an over-representation in this cohort. Conversely, the 65-74 age group constitutes only 8.1%, showing under-representation. According to data from the 2021 Census and earlier, the 25-34 age group has increased from 14.0% to 17.1%, while the 0-4 cohort has risen from 7.0% to 8.0%. However, the 5-14 age group has decreased from 14.6% to 12.4%, and the 45-54 age group has fallen from 12.0% to 10.6%. By 2041, population forecasts suggest significant demographic changes in Roma. Notably, the 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 9% (105 people), reaching 1,332 from 1,226. The demographic shift continues with residents aged 65 and older accounting for 55% of anticipated population growth. Conversely, the 0-4 and 45-54 age groups are expected to experience population declines.