Walkerston - Eton

Walkerston - Eton is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Walkerston - Eton's population is approximately 8,769 as of November 2025. This represents an increase of 312 people, a 3.7% rise since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 8,457. The growth is inferred from the estimated resident population of 8,730 in June 2024 and 70 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 14.0 persons per square kilometer. Walkerston - Eton's 3.7% growth places it within 2.9 percentage points of its SA3 area, demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Natural growth contributed approximately 88.9% of the overall population gains recently.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections are adopted, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. These state projections do not provide age category splits, so AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings aligned with ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort, released in 2023 using 2022 data. Future demographic trends suggest a population increase just below the median of Australia's non-metropolitan areas. The area is expected to grow by 619 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total gain of 6.6% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Walkerston - Eton recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Walkerston - Eton has seen approximately 15 dwellings granted development approval annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25, 79 homes were approved, with an additional 13 approved in FY-26 to date. On average, 4.9 new residents have arrived per dwelling constructed over the past five financial years.

This supply lagging demand has led to heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures, with new homes being built at an average cost of $355,000. In FY-26, $2.5 million in commercial development approvals were recorded, indicating the area's primarily residential nature. Compared to Rest of Qld, Walkerston - Eton has about half the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 25th percentile nationally, suggesting limited housing choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing dwellings. Recent development has consisted solely of standalone homes, maintaining the area's traditional low-density character with a focus on family homes.

As of now, there are approximately 622 people per dwelling approval in the area. Future projections estimate Walkerston - Eton to add 580 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Walkerston - Eton has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 48 projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include Mackay Solar Farm Development, Mackay Waste Management Facility, Glenrowan Estate, and Walkerston Service Station and Retail Development. The following list details those most relevant.

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.

Employment conditions in Walkerston - Eton rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

Walkerston-Eton has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. Manufacturing and industrial sectors are prominent.

Unemployment rate was 1.6% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 4.4%. As of September 2025, there were 4,980 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.5%, lower than Rest of Qld's 4.1%. Workforce participation was high at 66.2% compared to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Key employment sectors included mining, health care & social assistance, and manufacturing.

Mining had a notable concentration with levels at 3.9 times the regional average. Health care & social assistance had limited presence at 10.0%, compared to regionally at 16.1%. Local employment opportunities appeared limited based on Census data comparison of working population vs resident population. Over the past year, employment increased by 4.4% alongside labour force growth also at 4.4%, keeping unemployment relatively stable. In contrast, Rest of Qld had employment growth of 1.7% and labour force growth of 2.1%, with a slight rise in unemployment rate by 0.3 percentage points. State-wide, Queensland's employment contracted by 0.01% between May-25 and 25-Nov, losing 1,210 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%. National forecasts suggest total employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Walkerston-Eton's employment mix indicates potential local employment increases of 5.2% over five years and 11.6% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

Walkerston-Eton SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $61,798 and an average level of $75,542 in financial year 2022. Nationally, these figures are high, compared to $50,780 and $64,844 for Rest of Qld respectively. By September 2025, estimates suggest the median income will be approximately $70,444 and average $86,110, based on a 13.99% growth in wages since financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Walkerston-Eton cluster around the 69th percentile nationally. The predominant income cohort is 34.9% of locals (3,060 people) earning $1,500-$2,999, consistent with surrounding regions at 31.7%. After housing costs, residents retain 88.8% of their income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

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

The latest Census evaluation shows that Walkerston - Eton's dwelling structure comprised 87.6% houses and 12.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro Qld's 85.1% houses and 14.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Walkerston - Eton was at 38.1%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (44.0%) or rented (17.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, aligning with Non-Metro Qld's average. The median weekly rent figure was recorded as $330, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $340. Nationally, Walkerston - Eton's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 81.0% of all households, including 37.2% couples with children, 34.3% couples without children, and 8.9% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 19.0%, with lone person households at 16.5% and group households comprising 2.4%. The median household size is 2.8 people, larger than the Rest of Qld average of 2.6.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 10.0%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 7.8%, followed by graduate diplomas (1.2%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.0%). Vocational credentials are held by 45.6% of residents aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas at 7.1% and certificates at 38.5%.

Educational participation is high, with 30.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.7% in primary education, 9.9% in secondary education, and 2.7% pursuing tertiary education.

Transport servicing is very low compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Analysis of public transport in Walkerston - Eton shows 25 active transport stops operating within the area. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with two individual routes providing a total of 45 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as limited, with residents typically located 2210 meters from the nearest transport stop.

Service frequency averages six trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately one weekly trip per individual stop.

The level of general health in Walkerston - Eton is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Walkerston-Eton shows better-than-average health results, with both younger and older age groups experiencing low rates of common health issues.

Approximately 57% (~5007 individuals) have private health insurance, which is quite high. The most prevalent conditions are asthma (7.2%) and arthritis (6.8%), while 71.8% claim to have no medical ailments, compared to the Rest of Qld's 69.7%. Around 15.5% (~1356 people) are aged 65 or above. Seniors' health outcomes are above average and align with the general population's profile.

The latest Census data sees Walkerston - Eton placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Walkerston-Eton showed low cultural diversity, with 88.6% citizens, 93.5% born in Australia, and 97.9% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, at 65.3%, compared to 56.8% regionally. Ancestry wise, Australians made up 31.7%, English 28.8%, and Scottish 8.4%.

Notably, Maltese were overrepresented at 5.8% (regional: 2.4%), Germans at 5.4% (regional: 4.7%), and New Zealanders at 0.7% (same as regional).

Walkerston - Eton's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Walkerston-Eton is 38 years, which is slightly below Rest of Qld's average of 41 but matches Australia's median age of 38. The age group of 55-64 has a strong representation at 14.8%, higher than Rest of Qld's figure, while the 75-84 cohort is less prevalent at 4.6%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 35 to 44 age group grew from 11.9% to 12.8% of the population. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort decreased from 14.2% to 12.2%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Walkerston-Eton. The 25 to 34 age group is expected to grow by 17%, reaching 1,247 people from the current 1,062. Conversely, the 55 to 64 and 15 to 24 cohorts are projected to experience population declines.