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 was around 5,596 as of November 2025, according to AreaSearch's analysis. This figure represents an increase of 300 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,296. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 5,571 in June 2024 and an additional 25 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 5.7% since the census is within 1.2 percentage points of the SA4 region's growth rate of 6.9%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 62.3% of overall population gains during recent periods in this area.

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. 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 for each age cohort, released in 2023 using 2022 data as a base year. Based on demographic trends and latest annual ERP population numbers, South Townsville - Railway Estate is expected to increase by approximately 646 persons by 2041, reflecting an overall gain of 11.1% over the 17-year period.

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 seen approximately five new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling 27 homes. As of FY-26, five approvals have been recorded. On average, 8.1 new residents per year arrive for each dwelling constructed between FY-21 and FY-25. This indicates supply is lagging demand, potentially leading to heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures.

New properties are constructed at an average value of $353,000. In FY-26, $56.2 million in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting strong commercial development momentum. Compared to the rest of Queensland, South Townsville - Railway Estate records significantly lower building activity, 76.0% below the regional average per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established properties. Nationally, this activity is also below average, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints.

Recent development has been entirely comprised of detached houses, maintaining the area's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. Developers are constructing more detached housing than the existing pattern implies, reflecting persistent strong demand for family homes despite densification trends. The estimated count of 1084 people per dwelling approval reflects its quiet, low activity development environment. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, South Townsville - Railway Estate is projected to add 621 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply could lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 19 projects likely to affect the region. Notable initiatives include The Hive at 10-15 The Strand, Weststate Private Hospital, Marina Residences, and Defence Housing Australia's Townsville New Builds Volume Leasing Program (400+ Homes). Below is a list of projects considered most relevant.

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

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

South Townsville - Railway Estate has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate is 5.5%.

As of September 2025, 3045 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 6.5%, which is 1.4% higher than Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation stands at 63.6%, slightly above Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Key industries include health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and accommodation & food. The area specializes in public administration & safety with an employment share twice the regional level.

However, agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence at 0.7% compared to region's 4.5%. The worker-to-resident ratio of 0.6 indicates ample local employment opportunities. Over the year ending September 2025, labour force levels remained stable while employment declined by 1%, leading to a 1% rise in unemployment rate. Meanwhile, Rest of Qld saw employment growth of 1.7%. As of 25-Nov-25, Queensland's employment contracted slightly (-0.01%) with an unemployment rate of 4.2%, closely matching the national rate of 4.3%. National employment forecasts suggest a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to South Townsville - Railway Estate's industry mix, local employment is expected to grow by 6.5% in five years and 13.5% in ten years.

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

The South Townsville - Railway Estate SA2 had a median income of $54,562 and an average income of $74,252 among taxpayers in the financial year 2022, according to ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This compares with figures for Rest of Qld's of $50,780 and $64,844 respectively. By September 2025, estimates based on a 13.99% Wage Price Index growth suggest median income would be approximately $62,195 and average income around $84,640. Census data indicates personal income ranks at the 66th percentile with $894 weekly, while household income is at the 37th percentile. Distribution data shows that 33.0% of individuals in this community earn between $1,500 and $2,999 annually, mirroring the region where 31.7% fall within this bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 84.1% of income remaining after housing costs, 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, as per the latest Census, comprised 62.5% houses and 37.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro Qld's 81.3% houses and 18.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in South Townsville - Railway Estate stood 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 $1,517. The median weekly rent figure was $300, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $305. Nationally, South Townsville - Railway Estate's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below 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 constitute 56.8 percent of all households, including 17.2 percent couples with children, 26.8 percent couples without children, and 10.9 percent single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 43.2 percent, with lone person households at 37.3 percent and group households making up 6.2 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is 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 stands out regionally with university qualification rates at 25.5%, exceeding the SA4 region average of 20.1% and that of Rest of Qld (20.6%). Bachelor degrees lead at 17.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 5.2% and graduate diplomas at 2.8%. Trade and technical skills feature prominently with 39.0% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas at 10.9% and certificates at 28.1%.

Educational participation is notably high at 30.7%, with 9.1% in primary education, 8.0% in tertiary education, and 7.8% pursuing 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 26 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These stops are served by a mix of buses running on two individual routes, collectively providing 145 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is rated as good, with residents typically located 211 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 20 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately five weekly trips per stop.

Health performance in South Townsville - Railway Estate is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

South Townsville - Railway Estate faces significant health challenges, with common health conditions prevalent among both younger and older age cohorts. Approximately 56% (~3,161 people) have private health cover, compared to 53.3% across the rest of Queensland.

Mental health issues affect 10.7% of residents, while arthritis impacts 8.1%. About 67.8% report being completely clear of medical ailments, similar to the 67.8% figure for the rest of Queensland. The area has 14.9% (831 people) aged 65 and over, performing well in health metrics compared to 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 showed cultural diversity below average, with 83.6% citizens, 84.8% born in Australia, and 92.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity dominated as the main religion, making up 49.1%. Judaism stood out with 0.2%, compared to 0.1% regionally.

Top ancestry groups were English (28.5%), Australian (24.7%), and Irish (10.3%). Notably, Scottish (9.2%) and French (0.7%) were overrepresented, while Australian Aboriginal showed a slight divergence at 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 matches Australia's median age of 38. The 25-34 age group comprises 19.6% of the population, higher than Rest of Qld's percentage and significantly above the national average of 14.5%. However, the 5-14 cohort makes up only 7.9%, less prevalent than in Rest of Qld. According to data from the 2021 Census, South Townsville - Railway Estate has seen a decrease in median age by 1 year, from 39 to 38 years. The 25-34 age group has increased from 16.1% to 19.6%. Conversely, the 5-14 cohort has decreased from 9.8% to 7.9%, and the 45-54 age group has dropped from 14.2% to 12.5%. By 2041, South Townsville - Railway Estate is projected to experience significant changes in its age composition. The 25-34 age cohort is expected to grow by 357 people (33%), from 1,098 to 1,456. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 55-64 and 5-14 cohorts.