Chart Color Schemes
This analysis uses ABS Statistical Areas Level 2 (SA2) boundaries, which can materially differ from Suburbs and Localities (SAL) even when sharing similar names.
SA2 boundaries are defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and are designed to represent communities for statistical reporting (e.g., census and ERP).
Suburbs and Localities (SAL) represent commonly-used suburb/locality names (postal-style areas) and may use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
ABS ERP | -- people | --
2021 Census | -- people
Curious about local property values? Filter the chart to assess the volume and appreciation (including resales) trends and regional comparisons, or scroll to the map below view this information at an individual property level.
Find a Recent Sale
Sales Detail
Toowoomba - West has an estimated 18,080 residents, up from 15,848 at the 2021 Census — a change of 2,232 people, or 14.1%. Growth has averaged 2.8% a year over five years, faster than 82% of areas nationally. 602 new addresses have been validated here since Census night. Interstate and internal migration accounts for 62.9% of that increase. That puts 112 residents on each square kilometre. Population is estimated from ABS Estimated Resident Population releases and GNAF address data, re-based from the 2021 Census and updated annually.
Detail
According to the analysis by AreaSearch, the resident population of Toowoomba - West is close to 18,080 as of May 2026. This represents an expansion of 2,232 residents (14.1%) from the 15,848 individuals recorded in the 2021 Census. This adjustment is calculated utilizing the ABS estimated resident population of 17,905 in June 2025 and 602 validated new addresses identified since the Census. With this population level, the density stands at 112 persons per square kilometer, indicating low density and capacity for future construction. The 14.1% rate of growth since the 2021 census placed the area ahead of the broader SA3 region (9.2%) and the SA4 territory, positioning it as a local growth hotspot.
Interstate migration was the primary contributor to this growth, accounting for roughly 62.9% of the population increase, though natural increase and overseas arrivals also contributed positively. AreaSearch utilizes population projections from the ABS and Geoscience Australia published in 2024, using 2022 as the base year. Where this data is unavailable, or for periods after 2032, projections from the Queensland State Government released in 2023 (using 2021 base data) are substituted. Because the Queensland state projections do not include breakdowns by age, AreaSearch distributes growth across age brackets using proportions derived from the 2023 ABS Greater Capital Region projections (based on 2022 data). Looking forward, the area is projected to experience population expansion that ranks in the top quarter of Australian non-metropolitan locations, with an expected gain of 6,122 residents by 2041 relative to the latest annual ERP figures, translating to a total increase of 32.9% over the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
846 new dwellings have been approved in Toowoomba - West over the past five years, an average of 169 a year. That places the area in the 95th percentile for residential development activity nationally, about 9 approvals per 1,000 residents a year. Of the 133 dwellings approved in the latest reporting year, 96% were detached houses and the rest townhouses or apartments. Approvals are currently running at an annualised 243, running ahead of that longer-run average. Figures come from ABS building approvals aggregated to this SA2 boundary and are updated monthly as the ABS releases them.
Detail
Toowoomba - West averages approximately 169 residential building approvals annually, which amounts to a total of 846 dwellings over the last 5 financial years. In the current financial year of FY-26, there have been 223 approvals recorded. Strong demand has supported local real estate values, with an average of 2.7 additional residents added for every new home constructed over the 5 financial years from FY-21 to FY-25. The typical construction cost for these new residences is $278,000, which sits below the average for the region and points to more accessible pricing for buyers.
Furthermore, commercial building approvals have reached $118.7 million this financial year, reflecting robust business development activity. New residential approvals per capita in Toowoomba - West are 84.0% higher than the average for the Rest of Qld, offering a wider selection for prospective purchasers. Detached houses account for 96.0% of this new residential construction, while townhouses or apartments make up the remaining 4.0%, preserving the suburban, low-density profile of the neighborhood and focusing on spacious family residences. The area registers approximately 110 residents per single dwelling approval, highlighting an expanding construction market. Based on the most recent quarterly estimates from AreaSearch, demographic forecasts project that Toowoomba - West will add 5,947 residents by 2041. While residential building is progressing at a moderate pace relative to this growth, home buyers may face rising market competition as the population expands.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Toowoomba - West
Loading development applications…
| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
|---|
SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks 16 current infrastructure and development projects inside Toowoomba - West, worth an estimated $3.29 billion. A further 73 sit in the immediately surrounding suburbs, taking the tracked pipeline within reach of the area to $8.11 billion. 25 are already under construction and 24 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans residential development, education & training and sports & recreation. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
Local infrastructure projects, major works, and urban planning decisions are key drivers of regional performance. AreaSearch has identified 36 projects with the potential to influence the local area. Some of the most notable developments include Glenvale Town Centre, Gainsborough Lodge, Alford Grove, and Glenvale Road Townhouses, with the key projects listed below.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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.
Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Glenvale Town Centre
A 6.06-hectare master-planned mixed-use precinct designed to serve the expanding Toowoomba community. The development is anchored by a full-line Woolworths supermarket with an innovative e-commerce hub. The centre includes specialty retail, fast food outlets, a 7-Eleven service station, a tavern, and essential services such as medical facilities, childcare, and indoor sports spaces. It is estimated to create over 700 jobs during construction and operation.
Gainsborough Lodge
Gainsborough Lodge is a masterplanned residential community in Glenvale, on the western edge of Toowoomba, developed on the site of a former thoroughbred horse stud by Wagner Corporation and Richards Group. Council approvals to date cover Stages 1 to 9, comprising 396 lots across roughly 42.2 hectares, with the finished community expected to house over 5,000 new residents. Stage One sold out and completed construction in late 2025, Stage Two (49 lots) is underway and due late 2026, with Stages Three and Four following through 2027.Lots range from approximately 530m2 to 953m2, set among tree-lined avenues, walking trails, future parks, and a planned village centre reusing the site's heritage stable buildings.
Alford Grove
Alford Grove is a 314-lot masterplanned residential community in Glenvale, west of Toowoomba. The estate features extensive parklands, more than 5 km of walking and cycling trails, playgrounds and landscaped open space. Construction is well advanced with multiple completed stages and the final land releases, including Stage 9, now selling.
Wellcamp Aerospace and Defence Precinct
Wagner Corporation is developing a 430-hectare master-planned aerospace and defence precinct at Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport. Officially launched in May 2025, the precinct is anchored by Boeing Australia's 9,000 square metre production facility for the MQ-28 Ghost Bat. In December 2025, the Australian Government committed an additional A$1.4 billion to the program, signing contracts for six Block 2 operational aircraft and a Block 3 prototype to be manufactured at the facility.
Glenvale Health Hub
A completed multi-building health hub providing GP-led medical services, allied health suites, pharmacy, pathology and imaging, with extensive on-site parking, serving the Glenvale and western Toowoomba community.
Essence Estate Cotswold Hills
A residential subdivision by Homecorp Property Group featuring Stages 1-4 with 363 lots completed and Stages 5-10 with additional 170 lots proposed. Total estimated value of $38.5 million across all stages.
St Francis Catholic College
A new K-12 Catholic college in Westbrook, expected to open in 2026.
South St, Glenvale
Development site for potential residential uses, including townhouses and retirement living, overlooking Council green space.
9,669 residents of Toowoomba - West are employed, from a labour force of 9,918. Unemployment sits at 2.5%, with participation at 68.4%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 6.3% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth, so in an area growing as fast as this one it understates the likely rise in local jobs. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
The local workforce is highly skilled with solid representation in essential services, and the unemployment rate is low at 2.5%. There were 9,669 employed residents as of March 2026, keeping the local unemployment rate 1.4% below the 3.9% recorded across Regional Qld. The participation rate in the labor force is 68.4%, compared to 64.3% in Regional Qld. According to Census data, a relatively low proportion of workers (7.1%) operated from home, though this figure was likely influenced by temporary Covid-19 health restrictions. The primary employment sectors for local citizens are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction.
The community is highly specialized in manufacturing, where the employment concentration is 1.7 times the regional average. Conversely, accommodation & food services is underrepresented, employing 5.9% of workers compared to the regional benchmark of 8.3%. Census data comparing the number of employed residents to local jobs suggests that a significant portion of the workforce travels outside the local area for employment. An analysis of SALM and ABS data by AreaSearch indicates that during the 12 months ending March 2026, the local labor force contracted by 6.8% and total employment dropped by 7.7%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.9 percentage points. Over the same timeframe, Regional Qld experienced a 0.1% rise in employment, a 0.3% increase in the labor force, and a 0.1 percentage point rise in unemployment. National employment projections published by Jobs and Skills Australia in May-25 offer additional context on future labor demand in Toowoomba - West. These five and ten-year national forecasts have been aligned with the local industry profile to estimate future growth trends. Although total national employment is projected to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, the rate of change varies widely by sector. Applying these national sector trends to the local industry distribution suggests that employment in Toowoomba - West will rise by 6.3% over five years and 13.3% over ten years, using a basic weighted extrapolation that does not incorporate local population forecasts.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Toowoomba - West is $1,852 a week (about $96,000 a year), with median personal income at $857 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $54,008 a year against an average of $66,206. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
ATO data at the postcode level aggregated by AreaSearch for the 2023 financial year indicates that the median income for taxpayers in the Toowoomba - West SA2 was $54,008, while the average income was $66,206. These figures compare to $53,146 (median) and $66,593 (average) for Regional Qld. Adjusted for the Wage Price Index, which has risen by 11.36% since the 2023 financial year, estimated incomes as of March 2026 are approximately $60,143 for the median and $73,727 for the average. In the 2021 Census, individual, family, and household incomes in this area placed it around the 58th percentile nationally.
The largest income bracket contains 39.7% of residents (7,177 people) earning between $1,500 and $2,999, which aligns with the regional trend of 31.7% in this bracket. Discretionary income remaining after housing costs stands at 85.8%, and the area ranks in the 5th decile of the SEIFA index for income.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Toowoomba - West had 5,484 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 86% detached houses and 0% apartments. 39% are owned with a mortgage, 31% rented and 30% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $340 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,733 a month. Rent absorbs 18.4% of household income here and mortgage repayments 21.6%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
At the time of the most recent Census, the housing stock in Toowoomba - West consisted of 85.9% standalone houses and 14.1% other dwellings, such as apartments and semi-detached properties. In comparison, Regional Qld recorded 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwelling types. The home ownership rate in Toowoomba - West was 29.6%, which was lower than the rate for Regional Qld, with the remaining properties being mortgaged (39.0%) or rented (31.4%). The median monthly mortgage payment of $1,733 was higher than the Regional Qld average of $1,655. The median weekly rent was $340, compared to $345 across Regional Qld.
Globally, Toowoomba - West mortgage payments are lower than the national average of $1,863, and weekly rents are below the Australian average of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Toowoomba - West counted 5,484 households at the 2021 Census, an estimated 6,256 today, averaging 2.7 people each. 34% are couples with children, against 31% couples without children. 19% of households are people living alone, and families average 1.8 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Families make up the vast majority of households at 77.8%, consisting of couples with children (34.2%), couples without children (31.2%), and single parents (11.2%). The remaining 22.2% of households are non-family arrangements, with single-person households at 18.9% and group shared houses at 3.3%. The median household size is 2.7 persons, which is larger than the average of 2.5 persons recorded across Regional Qld.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
18.0% of adults in Toowoomba - West hold a university qualification, including 13.4% with a bachelor degree and 2.7% with postgraduate qualifications. A further 30.3% hold a vocational qualification. 7 schools serve the area, with 1,442 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 1,016 against a national benchmark of 1,000. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census; school enrolments, ICSEA and results come from ACARA's current release.
Detail
Educational attainment in the area is relatively low, with university graduation rates of 18.0% falling well short of the national figure of 30.4%. This gap highlights a clear opportunity for targeted educational support programs. Among those with university degrees, bachelor degrees are the most common at 13.4%, followed by postgraduate degrees at 2.7% and graduate diplomas at 1.9%. Vocational and technical training is highly prevalent, with 40.5% of residents aged 15 and over holding qualification certificates, divided between advanced diplomas (10.2%) and vocational certificates (30.3%). Enrolment rates are high in the community, with 31.2% of residents participating in formal study.
This student population includes 10.8% in primary schools, 9.2% in secondary schools, and 4.6% in higher education institutions.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Public transport in Toowoomba - West reaches 20 stops on 2 routes, timetabled for about 180 services a week. The typical home sits about 980 m from its nearest stop. Households keep an average of 1.8 vehicles. Stop and service counts are built from operators' published GTFS timetables and refresh with each timetable release; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Analysis of the local transit network shows 20 active public transport stops in Toowoomba - West, comprising bus services. These stops are served by 2 distinct bus routes, which together provide 183 weekly passenger trips. Overall transit access is rated as low, with the typical resident living 976 meters away from the nearest stop. Due to the suburban nature of the area, most workers commute out of the district, and private vehicles remain the primary transport mode for 96% of residents. The average number of motor vehicles per household is 1.8, which is higher than the regional average.
A small proportion of residents (7.1%) worked from home, according to the 2021 Census, which may reflect the pandemic conditions at that time. Bus routes run at an average frequency of 26 trips per day, which translates to roughly 9 weekly services at each individual stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
67.5% of residents in Toowoomba - West report no long-term health condition, a less healthy profile than 78% of areas nationally. 6.0% need daily assistance with core activities, and 52.1% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 6.7 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
Health statistics show notable difficulties for Toowoomba - West, based on AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality data and the prevalence of chronic illnesses across both younger and older demographic groups. The proportion of residents with private health insurance is 52% (representing approximately 9,419 people), slightly below the average SA2 area. Mental health concerns and asthma are the most frequently reported medical conditions, affecting 9.2% and 8.8% of the population respectively. Meanwhile, 67.5% of residents reported having no chronic medical conditions, which is virtually identical to the 67.6% rate across Regional Qld.
Health statistics for working-age residents are typical. Residents aged 65 and older make up 16.5% of the population (2,985 people), which is lower than the Regional Qld proportion of 20.4%. Senior citizens in the area experience some health challenges, with national outcomes remaining generally consistent with the wider population.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Toowoomba - West is largely Australian-born, at 87.2% of residents, with 9.3% speaking a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are Australian (30.0%) and English (28.0%). 3.2% of residents identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Cultural diversity in Toowoomba - West is lower than average, with 87.2% of residents born in Australia, 90.6% holding citizenship, and 90.7% speaking only English in the home. The primary religious affiliation is Christianity, representing 64.2% of the local population, compared to 52.2% across Regional Qld. In terms of family heritage, the three most common ancestries are Australian (30.0%), English (28.0%), and German (8.6%). Some ethnic groups show distinct local concentrations: Filipino residents account for 1.6% of the population (compared to 0.9% across the region), Indigenous Australians make up 3.2% (compared to 3.9% regionally), and those of Irish descent represent 8.2% (matching the regional figure of 8.2%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Toowoomba - West is 34, younger than 84% of areas nationally. 31.0% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
The median age of 34 in Toowoomba - West is lower than both the Regional Qld average of 41 and the national median of 38. Compared to Regional Qld, the neighborhood has a higher proportion of young adults aged 25 to 34 (16.8%) but a lower share of older adults aged 55 to 64 (10.3%). Since the 2021 Census, the 25 to 34 bracket has increased from 15.1% to 16.8% of the population, whereas the 5 to 14 cohort decreased from 14.2% to 12.3% and the 45 to 54 cohort fell from 11.9% to 10.7%.
Significant changes in age structure are projected by 2041, with the 25 to 34 age bracket leading demographic shifts by expanding 47% (adding 1,413 people) to reach 4,449 from an initial 3,035. The 15 to 24 age bracket is projected to grow more slowly at 9%, adding 231 residents.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Toowoomba - West
9 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Aug 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the SA2 boundary shown above, on a 2021 Census baseline. Only 3 sections — housing, households and cultural diversity — still wait on the 2026 Census.
The ledger — source, cycle and currency by section
| Section | Source & update cycle | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Updated within the last 12 months 9 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | May 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release) and updated with new dwellings from GNAF address data. Current to May 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | May 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to May 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Jun 2026 2 months ago headline measures · May 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Aug 2026 this month all 21 measures |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Aug 2026. | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, State agencies, Local governments Daily | Aug 2026 this month all 16 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated Aug 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 5 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Aug 2026 this month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Jul 2026 last month all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 2 sections | ||
| Income | ABS, ATO Annual (ATO) | FY 2023 3 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| ATO taxable income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index. Census household income provides the distribution detail. | ||
| Health | ABS, ATO Annual | 2024 2 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Census-measured — next update: 2026 Census 3 sections No more current small-area source exists for these, so they are labelled as Census-measured rather than implied to be current. | ||
| Housing | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 30 measures |
| Households | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 18 measures |
| Cultural diversity | ABS, Geoscience Australia 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 44 measures |
"Currency" is the most recent release feeding that section. Where the Census supplies the structural baseline underneath a current headline figure, the row says so.
How the numbers are built
Population
The Census provides the small-area baseline, aggregated from mesh blocks to this boundary. It is then re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release), and new dwellings built since Census night are counted from address data — 602 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for May 2026, not a 2021 count (15,848 at the 2021 Census → 18,080 now). Annual growth rates are compound (CAGR), not simple averages.
Age profile
Cohort shares are not raw Census counts. Every cohort is held as a pair — the Census baseline and a current estimate — and the split is re-based using ERP and state population projections, current to May 2026. Median age is the Census median plus modelled change since. Charts that show both are labelled "2021 Census vs Current Estimate".
Property sales
Sourced from the state valuation authority's sales register — current, not Census, and refreshed weekly. Medians are calculated from settled transactions in the period shown; periods with very low transaction counts are flagged or suppressed, because a handful of sales can move a median substantially.
Rents
Derived from state rental bond lodgement data, by dwelling type and bedroom count. Bonds are lodged at the start of a new tenancy, so this reflects new lettings, not the whole rented stock.
Development & infrastructure
Building approvals come from current ABS releases; development applications are collected from council and state planning portals; the infrastructure pipeline is compiled from Infrastructure Australia and local government sources. Applications are matched to this boundary by address or coordinates, so very recent lodgements may not yet appear.
Employment & income
Industry and occupation structure comes from the Census, but the headline labour-market indicators do not. Unemployment and labour force are derived from ABS Small Area Labour Markets (quarterly). The employment outlook applies Department of Employment forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to this area's own industry mix (the agency is now Jobs and Skills Australia), as does the Internet Vacancy Index used for job demand. Because it is weighted on industry composition alone, that outlook carries no allowance for local population growth — in fast-growing areas the real rise in local jobs will typically be higher. Income combines Census household income with ATO taxable-income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index.
Education, transport & amenities
School enrolments, ICSEA and performance come from ACARA's current release, not the Census. Public transport stops and service frequency are derived from GTFS timetable feeds published by state transport departments. Services and amenities are proximity and count scores built from provider directories, refreshed on their own cycle. The Census contributes only the travel-to-work and qualification measures.
Rankings and benchmarks. Where we rank this area, the comparison set is every area of the same boundary type — suburbs against suburbs, SA2s against SA2s. Benchmarks compare this area against its greater capital city region and the national figure for the same measure and period.
Limits worth knowing. Small areas carry larger error margins, and the ABS introduces small random adjustments to Census counts to protect confidentiality — so totals may not sum exactly. Estimates re-based from regional data describe the area's expected trajectory, not a direct count of it. Figures are indicative for research and are not financial, planning or valuation advice.
Cross-check us. The Census baseline for this boundary is at ABS 2021 Census QuickStats (317011458). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.