South Townsville - Railway Estate

An assessment of population growth drivers in South Townsville - Railway Estate reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

South Townsville - Railway Estate's population is around 5,594 as of February 2026. This reflects an increase from its population at the time of the Census in 2021, which was reported to be 5,296 people. The growth between these two points can be inferred by considering the estimated resident population of 5,571 recorded by the ABS as of June 2024 and the addition of 24 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 609 persons per square kilometer. South Townsville - Railway Estate's growth rate of approximately 5.6% since the Census places it within close proximity to the SA4 region's growth rate of around 7.1%. The primary driver for this population growth was overseas migration, which contributed roughly 62.3% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for each SA2 area. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections from 2023 are adopted. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits, so AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data for each age cohort. According to population projections moving forward, a population increase just below the median of regional areas nationally is expected. By 2041, the area is projected to expand by approximately 646 persons, reflecting an overall increase of around 11.1% over the 17-year period based on the latest annual ERP population numbers.

Residential development activity is lower than average in South Townsville - Railway Estate according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

South Townsville - Railway Estate has recorded approximately five residential properties granted approval annually over the past five financial years, totalling 27 homes. In FY-26 so far, five approvals have been recorded. This results in an average of 8.1 new residents arriving per year per dwelling constructed between FY-21 and FY-25. This demand outpaces supply, which typically puts upward pressure on prices and increases competition among buyers.

New properties are constructed at an average value of $353,000. Additionally, $56.2 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded this financial year, indicating robust local business investment. Compared to the rest of Queensland, South Townsville - Railway Estate shows substantially reduced construction, with 76.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction usually reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings. The area is also under the national average, suggesting its established nature and potential planning limitations.

Recent development in the area has been entirely comprised of detached houses, maintaining its traditional low density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. Notably, developers are constructing more detached housing than the existing pattern implies (62.0% at Census), reflecting persistent strong demand for family homes amid densification trends. The estimated count of 1084 people in the area per dwelling approval reflects its quiet, low activity development environment. Future projections show South Townsville - Railway Estate adding 623 residents by 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

South Townsville - Railway Estate has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 17 projects that may affect this region. Notable projects include The Hive at 10-15 The Strand Masterplan, Weststate Private Hospital, Marina Residences, and Defence Housing Australia's Townsville New Builds Volume Leasing Program (400+ Homes). 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.

South Townsville - Railway Estate shows employment indicators that trail behind approximately 70% of regions assessed across Australia

South Townsville - Railway Estate had an unemployment rate of 5.5% with essential services sectors well represented in its skilled workforce as of September 2025. At this time, 3,045 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 1.4% higher than Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation was on par with Rest of Qld at 65.7%.

According to Census responses, only 5.7% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. The key industries of employment among residents were health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and accommodation & food. The area had a particular specialization in public administration & safety with an employment share twice the regional level. Meanwhile, agriculture, forestry & fishing had limited presence at 0.7% compared to the regional average of 4.5%.

The ratio of 0.6 workers per resident indicated higher local employment opportunities than usual as at the Census date. Over the 12 months to September 2025, labour force levels remained unchanged while employment declined by 1.0%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 1.0 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Qld experienced employment growth of 1.7% and labour force growth of 2.1%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, released in May-25, projected national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to South Townsville - Railway Estate's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.5% over ten years, assuming constant population projections for illustrative purposes.

The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis

The South Townsville - Railway Estate SA2's median income among taxpayers was $55,981 and average income stood at $72,291 in financial year 2023. This compares to Rest of Qld's figures of $53,146 and $66,593 respectively. Based on a Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $61,529 (median) and $79,455 (average) as of September 2025. According to census data, personal income ranks at the 66th percentile ($894 weekly), while household income sits at the 37th percentile. The earnings band of $1,500 - 2,999 captures 33.0% of the community (1,846 individuals). Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 84.1% of income remaining, ranking at the 38th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

South Townsville - Railway Estate displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

South Townsville - Railway Estate's dwelling structure in the latest Census showed 62.5% houses and 37.5% other dwellings, compared to Non-Metro Qld's 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in South Townsville - Railway Estate was at 23.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 30.6% and rented ones at 45.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,473, below Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,655. Median weekly rent in the area was $300, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $345. Nationally, South Townsville - Railway Estate's median monthly mortgage repayment is lower at $1,473 than Australia's average of $1,863, while median weekly rent is substantially lower at $300 than the national figure of $375.

South Townsville - Railway Estate features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 56.8% of all households, including 17.2% couples with children, 26.8% couples without children, and 10.9% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 43.2%, with lone person households at 37.3% and group households comprising 6.2%. The median household size is 2.1 people, smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.5.

Educational outcomes in South Townsville - Railway Estate fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's educational profile is notable regionally, with university qualification rates at 25.5% of residents aged 15+, surpassing the SA4 region average of 20.1% and that of Rest of Qld (20.6%). Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 17.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 5.2% and graduate diplomas at 2.8%. Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 39.0% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas at 10.9% and certificates at 28.1%.

Educational participation is high, with 30.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 9.1% in primary, 8.0% in tertiary, and 7.8% in secondary education.

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

South Townsville - Railway Estate has 33 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. Two routes service these stops, providing a total of 145 weekly passenger trips. The average distance to the nearest stop for residents is 194 meters, indicating excellent transport accessibility. In this primarily residential area, most commuters travel outward using their cars (89%), with only 5% walking. On average, there are 1.2 vehicles per dwelling, below the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, a relatively low 5.7% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

The service frequency averages 20 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately 4 weekly trips per individual stop.

South Townsville - Railway Estate's residents are relatively healthy in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

South Townsville - Railway Estate's health metrics align closely with national benchmarks, as assessed by AreaSearch using mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions are seen at a standard level across both young and old age cohorts.

Private health cover is found to be high, at approximately 55% of the total population (~3,071 people), compared to 52.5% in Rest of Qld. The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues (10.7%) and arthritis (8.1%), with 67.8% of residents reporting no medical ailments, similar to the 67.6% in Rest of Qld. Working-age residents show a higher-than-average prevalence of chronic health conditions. The area has 14.9% of residents aged 65 and over (834 people), lower than the 20.4% in Rest of Qld, with national rankings broadly inline with the general population.

South Townsville - Railway Estate ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

South Townsville-Railway Estate had a cultural diversity index below average, with 83.6% of its residents being citizens, 84.8% born in Australia, and 92.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 49.1%. Judaism, however, was overrepresented at 0.2%, compared to 0.1% regionally.

The top three ancestry groups were English (28.5%), Australian (24.7%), and Irish (10.3%). Notably, Scottish (9.2%) and French (0.7%) were overrepresented, as was Australian Aboriginal (4.6%).

South Townsville - Railway Estate's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in South Townsville - Railway Estate is 38 years, which is slightly below Rest of Qld's average of 41 but aligns with Australia's median age of 38. The 25-34 age group makes up 20.4% of the population in South Townsville - Railway Estate, compared to Rest of Qld's percentage, while the 5-14 age group constitutes 7.3%. This concentration of the 25-34 age group is significantly higher than the national average of 14.4%. According to data from the 2021 Census, South Townsville - Railway Estate has seen a decrease in median age from 39 years to 38 years. The 25-34 age group has increased from 16.1% to 20.4%, while the 75-84 age group has grown from 3.5% to 4.6%. Conversely, the 5-14 age group has decreased from 9.8% to 7.3%, and the 45-54 age group has fallen from 14.2% to 11.9%. By 2041, South Townsville - Railway Estate is projected to experience notable changes in its age composition. The 25-34 age cohort is expected to grow by 312 people (27%), increasing from 1,143 to 1,456. Conversely, the 15-24 age group is anticipated to decrease by 68 people.