Roma

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

Roma's population is around 7,207 as of November 2025. This reflects an increase of 369 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,838 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 7,123 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 98 validated new addresses since the Census date. Roma's population density is 92 persons per square kilometer. Its growth rate of 5.4% since the 2021 census exceeded that of its SA3 area, making it a regional growth leader. Natural growth contributed approximately 67.6% 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 released in 2023 based on 2021 data are adopted. 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 for each age cohort. By 2041, the area's population is projected to decline by 405 persons according to this methodology. However, specific age cohorts are expected to grow, led by the 25 to 34 age group with a projected increase of 228 people.

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

Roma averaged approximately 9 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 47 homes. As of FY-26, 2 approvals have been recorded. On average, 4.7 new residents per year were associated with each home built between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating that demand significantly outpaces supply, which typically drives up prices and intensifies competition among buyers. The average construction cost of new properties was $300,000, below the regional average, suggesting more affordable housing options for buyers.

This financial year has seen $28.3 million in commercial development approvals, reflecting strong commercial development momentum. Compared to the Rest of Qld, Roma records 16.0% less building activity per person and ranks among the 12th percentile nationally, implying limited buyer options while bolstering demand for established dwellings. This lower-than-average activity indicates an area with maturity and potential planning constraints. Recent development has exclusively consisted of detached houses, preserving Roma's traditional low-density character and appealing to families seeking spacious homes.

The estimated population per dwelling approval is 1393 people, reflecting a quiet, low-activity development environment. With the population expected to remain stable or decline, Roma should see reduced pressure on housing, potentially presenting opportunities for buyers.

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

The performance of an area is significantly influenced by changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. Six projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Notable projects include Denise Spencer Aquatic Centre Redevelopment, Community Housing Limited Roma Social Housing, Roma Hospital Redevelopment, and Bowen Street Roma Priority Development Area. The following list details those most likely to be 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 performance in Roma ranks among the strongest 15% of areas evaluated nationally

Roma has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate is 2.7%, with an estimated employment growth of 5.2% over the past year.

As of September 2025, there are 4,281 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.4% below Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation is at 67.0%, compared to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and retail trade. Roma shows strong specialization in public administration & safety, with an employment share of 1.7 times the regional level.

Professional & technical services are under-represented, at 3.7% compared to Rest of Qld's 5.1%. The worker-to-resident ratio is 0.7, indicating above-normal local employment opportunities. Over a 12-month period ending in September 2025, employment increased by 5.2%, labour force by 6.8%, and unemployment rose by 1.5 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. State-level data to 25-Nov-25 shows Queensland employment contracted by 0.01%, losing 1,210 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%. National forecasts suggest employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Roma's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.2% over five years and 13.2% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022 shows Roma SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $54,538 and an average level of $63,572. This is slightly lower than national averages, which were $50,780 and $64,844 respectively for Rest of Qld. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.99% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $62,168 (median) and $72,466 (average). According to the 2021 Census, personal income ranks at the 74th percentile ($957 weekly), while household income sits at the 47th percentile. Income brackets indicate that 36.6% of the population (2,637 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 range. After 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 held on 28 August 2016, comprised 90.0% houses and 10.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro Qld's 90.3% houses and 9.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Roma was at 25.7%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged at 27.1% or rented at 47.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Roma was $1,300, aligning with Non-Metro Qld's average. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $250, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $230. Nationally, Roma's mortgage repayments are significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863 as of 2019, while rents are substantially below the national figure of $375 recorded in the same year.

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 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% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes primary education (13.2%), secondary education (9.3%), and tertiary education (3.4%).

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Health performance in Roma is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across the board, though to a slightly higher degree among older age cohorts

Roma faces significant health challenges with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across all age groups, but slightly higher among older cohorts.

Private health cover stands at approximately 51% of the total population (~3,689 people), which is lower than the average SA2 area. The most common medical conditions are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 10.7 and 8.4% of residents respectively. Conversely, 66.5% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 67.6% across Rest of Qld. Roma has 14.2% of residents aged 65 and over (1,024 people), lower than the 18.2% in Rest of Qld. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention due to presenting challenges.

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

Roma had a cultural diversity below average, with 84.1% citizens, 89.3% born in Australia, and 93.2% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion in Roma, comprising 60.8%, compared to 64.6% across Rest of Qld. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (31.7%), English (27.9%), and Australian Aboriginal (9.1%).

Notably, German (5.0%) and Filipino (1.9%) were overrepresented in Roma compared to regional averages of 5.3% and 1.0%, respectively. South African representation was also higher at 0.4%.

Roma's population is younger than the national pattern

The median age in Roma is 35 years, which is lower than Rest of Queensland's average of 41 years and also under the national average of 38 years. The 25-34 age cohort is notably higher at 16.2% compared to Rest of Qld's average, while the 65-74 year-olds are under-represented at 7.8%. Post-2021 Census data shows the 25-34 age group grew from 14.0% to 16.2%, and the 15-24 cohort increased from 14.2% to 15.2%. Conversely, the 5-14 cohort declined from 14.6% to 12.7%, and the 45-54 group dropped from 12.0% to 10.7%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Roma, with the 25-34 age group expected to grow by 14 people (from 1,171 to 1,332). Meanwhile, both the 0-4 and 45-54 age groups are projected to have reduced numbers.