Townsville - South
Statistical Area - sa2

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 was approximately 5,842 as of August 2025. This figure represents an increase of 1,075 people from the 2021 Census total of 4,767, indicating a growth rate of 22.6%. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 5,546 in June 2024 and an additional 388 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2.8 persons per square kilometer. Townsville - South's growth rate exceeded that of both its SA4 region (6.9%) and SA3 area, positioning it as a regional growth leader. Interstate migration contributed approximately 76.5% of overall population gains during recent periods, with natural growth and overseas migration also being positive factors.

AreaSearch uses 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 from 2023 based on 2021 data are adopted, with proportional growth weightings applied for age cohorts in line with ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 using 2022 data. Future population trends predict exceptional growth, placing Townsville - South among the top 10 percent of regional areas nationally. By 2041, the area is expected to grow by approximately 5,214 persons, resulting in an overall gain of 84.2% over the 17-year period based on the latest population numbers.

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 seen approximately 84 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling 421 homes. In Financial Year 26, 25 approvals have been recorded to date. On average, each dwelling has accommodated around 2.4 new residents per year between Financial Years 21 and 25. The average construction cost value of these dwellings is $428,000, reflecting more affordable housing options compared to regional norms.

This financial year has seen $4.4 million in commercial approvals registered, indicating the area's primarily residential nature. Townsville - South has 315% more development activity per person relative to the Rest of Queensland, which is significantly above the national average, demonstrating robust developer interest in the area. All new construction comprises standalone homes, maintaining the area's traditional low-density character with a focus on family homes. With around 68 people per dwelling approval, Townsville - South exhibits characteristics of a growth area. Future projections suggest that by 2041, Townsville - South will add approximately 4,918 residents.

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

Townsville - South has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 32ndth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 101 projects likely to affect the area. Notable projects include Queensland Resources Common User Facility, SunHQ Hydrogen Hub, Iluka, and Wulguru Group Stuart Facility Expansion. The following list details those expected to be most relevant.

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

AreaSearch analysis indicates Townsville - South maintains employment conditions that align with national benchmarks

Townsville - South has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate is 3.1%.

As of June 2025, 2,736 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 0.8% lower than Rest of Qld's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation is similar to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, construction, and public administration & safety. The area has a strong specialization in public administration & safety, with an employment share 1.8 times the regional level.

Conversely, accommodation & food employs only 3.6% of local workers, below Rest of Qld's 8.3%. Analysis shows limited local employment opportunities, as Census working population is lower than resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, labour force decreased by 2.1% and employment by 3.2%, increasing unemployment by 1.1 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of Qld had employment growth of 1.8%. State-level data to Sep-25 shows QLD employment contracted by 0.23%, with an unemployment rate of 4.2%, compared to the national rate of 4.5% and national employment growth of 0.26%. National employment forecasts for Townsville - South, using industry-specific projections, suggest local growth of approximately 6.1% over five years and 13.0% over ten years.

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022, Townsville - South had a median income among taxpayers of $53,085. The average income stood at $64,517. This is approximately average nationally. It compares to levels of $50,780 and $64,844 across Rest of Qld respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.71% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $59,301 (median) and $72,072 (average) as of March 2025. 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 (2,015 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range. This mirrors the surrounding region where 31.7% occupy this bracket. After housing costs, residents retain 88.5% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power. 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

In Townsville - South, as per the latest Census, 99.7% of dwellings were houses with only 0.3% being other types such as semi-detached units or apartments. This is in contrast to Non-Metro Qld where 81.3% were houses and 18.7% were other dwellings. Home ownership in Townsville - South stood at 43.0%, with mortgaged properties making up 48.7% and rented ones 8.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, higher than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,517. Median weekly rent in Townsville - South was $270 compared to the Non-Metro Qld figure of $305. Nationally, Townsville - South had lower mortgage repayments at $1,733 against Australia's average of $1,863 and lower rents at $270 versus the national average 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 20.6%, comprising 18.2% lone person households and 2.0% group households. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is larger than the Rest of Qld average of 2.5.

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

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates at 19.3%, significantly below the Australian average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 13.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.6%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 42.3% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (9.5%) and certificates (32.8%).

Educational participation is high at 29.2%, including 10.3% in primary education, 9.4% in secondary education, and 3.8% pursuing tertiary education. Woodstock State School serves the local area within Townsville - South, with an enrollment of 32 students. The area has varied educational conditions across Townsville - South, with one school focusing exclusively on primary education and secondary options available nearby. Local school capacity is limited at 0.6 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 16.7, leading many families to travel for schooling.

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 has below-average health indicators with slightly more common health conditions than average across both younger and older age cohorts.

Private health cover rate is approximately 52%, covering about 3,031 people, which is slightly higher than the average SA2 area. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (9.1% of residents) and mental health issues (8.3%). Around 68.2% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 67.8% in Rest of Qld. In this area, 19.0% of residents are aged 65 and over (1,112 people), higher than the 14.9% in Rest of Qld. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

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 a cultural diversity index below average, with 86.8% of its population being Australian citizens, born in Australia (89.2%), and speaking English at home exclusively (96.4%). Christianity was the predominant religion in Townsville-South, accounting for 55.6%, slightly higher than the Rest of Qld's average of 52.7%. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (33.1%), English (30.8%), and Irish (8.3%).

Notably, German ancestry was overrepresented at 4.5% compared to the regional average of 4.0%, while New Zealand and Italian ancestries stood at 0.8% and 3.5%, respectively.

Townsville - South hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Townsville-South's median age is 44 years, which is slightly higher than Rest of Qld's average of 41 years and considerably older than Australia's median age of 38 years. The age profile reveals that the 65-74 year-olds are particularly prominent at 13.3%, while the 15-24 group is comparatively smaller at 9.8% compared to Rest of Qld. Between 2021 and present, the 25 to 34 age group has grown from 11.2% to 12.7% of the population, and the 0 to 4 cohort increased from 5.6% to 6.8%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 16.5% to 14.5%, and the 45 to 54 group dropped from 14.9% to 13.5%. Population forecasts for Townsville-South in 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes, with the 25-34 cohort showing the strongest projected growth of 112%, adding 827 residents to reach a total of 1,568.