Tara
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Tara's population is around 4,170 as of Aug 2025. This reflects an increase since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 3,851 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 4,000 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 256 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 0.30 persons per square kilometer. Tara's growth of 8.3% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area (4.6%) and the SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth was primarily driven by natural growth contributing approximately 47.5% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections released in 2023 based on 2021 data are adopted. Projections indicate a decline in overall population by 250 persons by 2041. However, growth across specific age cohorts is anticipated, led by the 75 to 84 age group projected to increase by 60 people.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Tara, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Tara has experienced approximately four dwelling approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis, with 22 dwellings approved between FY-21 and FY-25, and five recorded so far in FY-26. Over the past five financial years (FY-21 to FY-25), an average of 0.4 people moved to the area annually for each dwelling built, indicating that supply has been meeting or exceeding demand, providing greater buyer choice while supporting potential population growth above projections. The average construction cost value of new homes over this period was $203,000, below the regional average, suggesting more affordable housing options for buyers.

In FY-26, $4.3 million in commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting the area's primarily residential nature. Compared to the rest of Queensland, Tara records about three-quarters the building activity per person and places among the 35th percentile nationally, resulting in relatively constrained buyer choice and supporting interest in existing properties. Development activity has picked up recently but remains below the national average, indicating the area's established nature and suggesting potential planning limitations. Recent development has consisted entirely of detached dwellings, maintaining the area's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space.

The estimated population per dwelling approval is 470 people, reflecting its quiet, low activity development environment. Given stable or declining population forecasts, Tara may experience less housing pressure in the future, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

Tara has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 10thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 16 such projects that could impact the region. Notable ones include New Tara Hospital, Origin Energy Darling Downs Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), Western Downs Green Power Hub, and Sixteen Mile Solar Farm. The following list details those most relevant.

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

Employment conditions in Tara face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Tara's workforce spans white and blue collar jobs across diverse sectors, with an unemployment rate of 10.9% in June 2025. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 1.3%.

As of June 2025, 1,599 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 7.0% above Rest of Qld's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation in Tara lags significantly at 46.6%, compared to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Employment is concentrated in agriculture, forestry & fishing, education & training, and health care & social assistance. The area has a strong specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with an employment share 9.2 times the regional level, but health care & social assistance has limited presence at 7.6% compared to 16.1% regionally.

Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 1.3%, while labour force grew by 5.8%, causing unemployment to rise by 4.0 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of Qld saw employment grow by 1.8%, labour force expand by 2.0%, and unemployment rise by 0.2 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 shows Queensland's employment contracted by 0.23% (losing 8,070 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%. Nationally, unemployment was 4.5% with employment growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest local growth of approximately 4.6% over five years and 10.5% over ten years.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

Tara's median taxpayer income was $39,433 and average income was $44,751 in financial year 2022, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is lower than the national average, with Rest of Qld having a median income of $50,780 and an average income of $64,844. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.71% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $44,051 (median) and $49,991 (average) as of March 2025. According to Census 2021 income data, household, family, and personal incomes in Tara all fall between the 2nd and 3rd percentiles nationally. Income distribution shows 30.9% of the population (1,288 individuals) earning within the $400 - $799 range, differing from regional patterns where $1,500 - $2,999 dominates with 31.7%. The prevalence of lower-income residents indicates constrained household budgets across much of the district. While housing costs are modest with 91.9% of income retained, total disposable income ranks at just the 6th percentile nationally.

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

In Tara, dwellings were predominantly houses at 94.1% in the latest Census, with other types such as semi-detached and apartments comprising 5.9%. This was higher than Non-Metro Qld's house proportion of 90.3%, where other dwelling types made up 9.7%. Home ownership in Tara stood at 57.7%, surpassing Non-Metro Qld's level, with mortgaged dwellings at 20.0% and rented ones at 22.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $790, lower than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,300. Tara's median weekly rent figure was recorded at $180, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $230. Nationally, Tara's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, with rents substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 62.3% of all households, including 21.8% couples with children, 28.8% couples without children, and 10.3% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 37.7%, with lone person households at 32.7% and group households comprising 4.9%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.5.

Tara faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

Tara faces educational challenges with university qualification rates at 10.6%, significantly below the Australian average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 8.3%, followed by graduate diplomas (1.3%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.0%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 40.5% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (9.2%) and certificates (31.3%).

Educational participation is high at 28.3%, including 13.8% in primary education, 8.8% in secondary education, and 1.8% pursuing tertiary education. Nine schools operate within Tara, educating approximately 570 students. The educational mix includes eight primary schools and one K-12 school.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Health performance in Tara is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Tara faces significant health challenges, with various conditions affecting both younger and older residents. Private health cover is relatively low, at approximately 49% (~2,047 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent conditions are arthritis (11.8%) and mental health issues (9.9%). A higher proportion of Tara residents (58.2%) report no medical ailments than those in Rest of Qld (67.6%). Tara has a larger elderly population, with 21.8% aged 65 and over (~908 people), compared to the 18.2% in Rest of Qld. Health outcomes among seniors are broadly similar to those of the general population.

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

Tara's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with its population comprising 85.5% citizens, 90.7% born in Australia, and 96.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Tara, making up 59.5%. This compares to 64.6% across Rest of Qld.

The top three ancestry groups were Australian (32.5%), English (30.8%), and Scottish (8.4%). Notably, German ethnicity was overrepresented at 5.9%, Australian Aboriginal at 5.6%, and Hungarian at 0.3%.

Tara hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Tara's median age is 47 years, which is notably higher than Rest of Qld's median age of 41 years, and considerably older than the national norm of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of Qld average, Tara has a notably over-represented cohort of 55 - 64 year-olds at 17.2%, while the 35 - 44 year-old cohort is under-represented at 10.4%. This concentration of 55 - 64 year-olds is well above the national average of 11.2%. Since 2021, Tara has seen growth in its 25 to 34 age group from 9.2% to 10.4%, and an increase in the 75 to 84 cohort from 5.9% to 7.0%. Conversely, there has been a decline in the 45 to 54 cohort from 15.2% to 13.2%, and a decrease in the 5 to 14 age group from 12.2% to 10.8%. Demographic modeling suggests that Tara's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 75 to 84 age cohort is projected to see notable expansion, increasing by 38 people (13%) from 290 to 329. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are projected to account for 83% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, population declines are projected for the 0 to 4 and 65 to 74 cohorts.