Townsville - South

Townsville - South lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Townsville - South's population is around 6,111 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,344 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,767 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 5,861 from the ABS as of June 2025 and an additional 480 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2.9 persons per square kilometer. Townsville - South's growth rate of 28.2% since the 2021 census exceeded that of the SA4 region (7.1%) and the SA3 area, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration contributing approximately 80.7% 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 are adopted, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. Considering projected demographic shifts, exceptional growth is predicted over the period to 2041 with the area expected to increase by 5,366 persons, reflecting an increase of 83.7% in total over the 16 years.

The level of residential development activity in Townsville - South was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

Townsville - South has averaged approximately 84 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 421 homes. As of FY-26, 80 approvals have been recorded. On average, each dwelling has accommodated around 2.4 new residents per year between FY-21 and FY-25, reflecting strong demand that supports property values. The average construction cost value for these dwellings is $286,000, which is below regional norms, indicating more affordable housing options.

This financial year has seen $4.4 million in commercial approvals registered, highlighting the area's predominantly residential nature. Compared to the Rest of Qld, Townsville - South has 303.0% more development activity per person, offering buyers ample choice and demonstrating robust developer interest. All new construction in the area consists of standalone homes, preserving its traditional low-density character with a focus on family homes. With approximately 68 people per dwelling approval, Townsville - South exhibits characteristics of a growth area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the area is projected to add around 5,116 residents by 2041.

If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price growth.

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

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 101 projects likely impacting the region. Notable projects include Queensland Resources Common User Facility, SunHQ Hydrogen Hub, Iluka, and Wulguru Group Stuart Facility Expansion. The following details projects expected to have the greatest relevance.

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

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AreaSearch assessment positions Townsville - South ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

Townsville - South has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate was 2.8% as of December 2025. This rate is 1.2% lower than Regional Qld's rate of 4.0%.

Workforce participation in Townsville - South is somewhat below the regional average, at 59.8% compared to Regional Qld's 64.5%. According to Census responses, a low 10.2% of residents work from home. The dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, construction, and public administration & safety. Townsville - South shows particular strength in public administration & safety, with an employment share 1.8 times the regional level.

However, accommodation & food employs only 3.6% of local workers, below Regional Qld's 8.3%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over a 12-month period ending December 2025, labour force increased by 0.2%, while employment decreased by 0.4%, resulting in an unemployment rate rise of 0.6 percentage points. In comparison, Regional Qld recorded employment growth of 0.7% and labour force growth of 1.0%, with unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest potential future demand within Townsville - South. These projections estimate that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Townsville - South's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.1% over five years and 13.0% over ten years. However, it is important to note that these are simple weighting extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not take into account localised population projections.

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023, the Townsville - South SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $55,344. The average income stood at $66,464. This is slightly lower than average on a national basis and compares to levels of $53,146 (median) and $66,593 (average) across Regional Qld respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $61,631 (median) and $74,014 (average) as of March 2026. From the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Townsville - South cluster around the 60th percentile nationally. The data shows 34.5% of the population (2,108 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, mirroring the surrounding region where 31.7% occupy this bracket. After housing costs, residents retain 88.5% of income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

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

Townsville - South's dwellings, as per the latest Census, were 99.7% houses and 0.3% other types. Regionally in Queensland, it was 76.4% houses and 23.6% others. Home ownership in Townsville - South stood at 43.0%, with mortgages at 48.7% and rentals at 8.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, higher than Regional Qld's $1,655. Median weekly rent was $270, compared to Regional Qld's $345. Nationally, Townsville - South's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,733 versus Australia's $1,863, and rents were lower at $270 compared to the national figure of $375.

Townsville - South features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 79.4% of all households, including 32.6% couples with children, 39.1% couples without children, and 7.3% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 20.6%, with lone person households at 18.2% and group households comprising 2.0%. The median household size is 2.6 people, larger than the Regional Queensland average of 2.5.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 19.3%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 13.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.6%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 42.3% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (9.5%) and certificates (32.8%). Educational participation is high at 29.2%, comprising primary education (10.3%), secondary education (9.4%), and tertiary education (3.8%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 29.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.3% in primary education, 9.4% in secondary education, and 3.8% pursuing tertiary education.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Health outcomes in Townsville - South are marginally below the national average with common health conditions slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts

Townsville - South shows below-average health indicators based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence as of May 2023.

Common health conditions were slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts. Approximately 52% of the total population (~3,183 people) had private health cover, which was slightly lower than the average SA2 area. The most common medical conditions in the area were arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 9.1 and 8.3% of residents respectively, while 68.2% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 67.6% across Regional Qld as of May 2023. Working-age residents showed above average prevalence of chronic health conditions. The area had 19.4% of residents aged 65 and over (1,188 people) as of May 2023. Health outcomes among seniors were above average, with national rankings even higher than the general population as of May 2023.

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

Townsville-South had low cultural diversity with 86.8% citizens, 89.2% born in Australia, and 96.4% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion at 55.6%, slightly higher than Regional Qld's 52.2%. Ancestry showed Australian (33.1%) and English (30.8%) as top groups, both higher than regional averages of 26.5% and 27.4% respectively.

Irish ancestry was at 8.3%. German (4.5%), New Zealand (0.8%), and Italian (3.5%) showed notable differences compared to regional figures of 4.7%, 0.9%, and 2.4% respectively.

Townsville - South hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Townsville-South's median age is 44 years, slightly higher than Regional Queensland's average of 41 and considerably older than Australia's median age of 38. The age profile shows a prominence of those aged 65-74 (13.1%) and a smaller proportion of those aged 15-24 (10.4%) compared to Regional Queensland. Between 2021 and the present, the area has seen a decrease in median age from 45 to 44 years. Key changes include an increase in the 25-34 age group from 11.2% to 12.5%, and the 35-44 cohort from 11.7% to 12.9%. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort has decreased from 16.5% to 14.1%, and the 45-54 group has dropped from 14.9% to 12.7%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes for Townsville-South, with the 25-34 age cohort projected to grow by 106%, adding 808 residents to reach a total of 1,575.