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 was around 5,850 as of Nov 2025. This reflected an increase of 1,083 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 4,767 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 5,546 in June 2024 and an additional 391 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population resulted in a density ratio of 2.8 persons per square kilometer. Townsville - South's growth of 22.7% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region's 6.9%. Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration contributing approximately 76.5% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including natural growth and overseas migration were positive factors.

AreaSearch adopted 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 released in 2023 based on 2021 data were adopted. These state projections did not provide age category splits; hence proportional growth weightings were applied in line with ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Future population trends predicted exceptional growth, placing Townsville - South in the top 10 percent of regional areas across the nation by 2041. The area was expected to grow by 5,214 persons over this period reflecting an overall gain of 83.9%.

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 dwellings. As of FY-26, 41 approvals have been recorded. This averages to around 2.4 new residents per dwelling yearly between FY-21 and FY-25, reflecting robust demand that supports property values. The average construction cost value for these homes is $286,000, which is below regional norms, indicating more affordable housing options.

Townsville - South has registered $4.4 million in commercial approvals this financial year, demonstrating its primarily residential nature. Compared to the Rest of Qld, Townsville - South has 315% more development activity per person, suggesting ample choice for buyers and robust developer interest in the area. All new construction consists of 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. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Townsville - South is projected to add 4,910 residents by 2041.

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

Townsville - South has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 46thth percentile nationally

Area infrastructure significantly impacts performance. AreaSearch identified 101 relevant projects. Notable ones are Queensland Resources Common User Facility, SunHQ Hydrogen Hub, Iluka, and Wulguru Group Stuart Facility Expansion.

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

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.

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

Townsville - South has a skilled workforce with well-represented essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 2.9% as of September 2025.

Employment stability in the area remained relatively unchanged over the past year. As of that month, 2,831 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 1.2% lower than Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation was broadly similar to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, construction, and public administration & safety.

The area has a notable concentration in public administration & safety, with employment levels at 1.8 times the regional average. Conversely, accommodation & food shows lower representation at 3.6% versus the regional average of 8.3%. Limited local employment opportunities are indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population. Over the 12-month period ending September 2025, employment remained stable (0.0%) while labour force increased by 0.8%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.7 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of Qld saw employment grow by 1.7% and labour force expand by 2.1%, with unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points. State-level data as of 25-Nov-25 shows Queensland employment contracted by 0.01% (losing 1,210 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%. National forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia indicate national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Townsville - South's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.1% over five years and 13.0% over ten years, though these are simple weighted extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

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

AreaSearch aggregated postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022. Townsville - South SA2 had a median income of $53,085 and an average income of $64,517. Nationally, the median was $50,780 and the average was $64,844. By September 2025, estimates project a median income of approximately $60,512 and an average income of around $73,543, based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.99%. Census data from 2021 shows household, family, and personal incomes in Townsville - South cluster at the 60th percentile nationally. Income analysis reveals that 34.5% of residents (2,018 individuals) fall within the $1,500-$2,999 income range. After housing costs, residents retain 88.5% of their 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

The latest Census evaluated dwelling structures in Townsville - South with 99.7% houses and 0.3% other dwellings, compared to Non-Metro Qld's 81.3% houses and 18.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Townsville - South was 43.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 48.7% and rented ones at 8.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, higher than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,517. The median weekly rent figure in Townsville - South was $270, lower than Non-Metro Qld's $305. Nationally, Townsville - South's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,733 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 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 make up 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 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

In the region, university qualification rates stand at 19.3%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational programs. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 13.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.6%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%). Vocational credentials are widely held, with 42.3% of residents aged 15+ possessing them – advanced diplomas comprise 9.5% while certificates account for 32.8%.

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

Private health cover rate is approximately 52%, impacting around 3,036 people. The most common conditions are arthritis (9.1%) and mental health issues (8.3%). About 68.2% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 67.8% in Rest of Qld. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 19.0%, totaling 1,113 people, compared to 14.9% in Rest of Qld. Health outcomes among seniors are above average and better than the general population's 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's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 86.8% of its population being Australian citizens, born in Australia (89.2%), speaking English only at home (96.4%). Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 55.6%, compared to 52.7% across the rest of Queensland. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (33.1%, higher than the regional average of 27.4%), English (30.8%), and Irish (8.3%).

Notably, German ancestry was overrepresented at 4.5% compared to 4.0% regionally, while New Zealand ancestry stood at 0.8% versus 0.7%, and Italian ancestry was slightly lower at 3.5% against the regional average of 3.6%.

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

Townsville-South's median age is 44 years, slightly higher than Queensland's average of 41 and Australia's average of 38 years. The age profile indicates that individuals aged 65-74 years are notably prominent at 13.3%, while those aged 15-24 years are comparatively smaller at 9.8% compared to the rest of Queensland. Between 2021 and present, the population aged 25 to 34 has grown from 11.2% to 12.7%, and the 0 to 4 age group has increased from 5.6% to 6.8%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 age group has decreased from 16.5% to 14.5%, and the 45 to 54 age group has dropped from 14.9% to 13.5%. Population forecasts for Townsville-South indicate significant demographic changes by 2041, with the strongest projected growth in the 25 to 34 age cohort at 112%, adding 826 residents to reach a total of 1,568.