Weipa
Statistical Area - sa2

Weipa has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Weipa's population, as of November 2025, is approximately 4,298 people. This figure represents an increase of 201 individuals since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 4,097 people. The growth is inferred from the estimated resident population of 4,281 in June 2024 and an additional seven validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 272 persons per square kilometer. Weipa's population growth rate of 4.9% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region's growth rate of 4.5%. Natural growth contributed approximately 77.8% of overall population gains during recent periods.

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 are adopted, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. These state projections do not provide age category splits; therefore, AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort. Future population dynamics anticipate lower quartile growth outside capital cities, with the area expected to increase by 157 persons to 2041 based on latest numbers, recording a total gain of 3.3% over 17 years.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Weipa when compared nationally

Weipa has experienced approximately 7 dwelling approvals per year over the past 5 financial years, totalling 37 homes. As of FY26, 6 approvals have been recorded. An average of 4.6 people have moved to the area annually for each dwelling built between FY21 and FY25, indicating high demand exceeding new supply. New dwellings are developed at an average cost of $623,000, targeting the premium segment with upmarket properties.

This year has seen $9.8 million in commercial approvals, showing moderate levels of commercial development. Compared to the rest of Queensland, Weipa records around 56% of building activity per person and ranks at the 54th percentile nationally for construction activity. New development consists of 86.0% detached houses and 14.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's low-density character focused on family homes. With approximately 325 people per dwelling approval, Weipa exhibits characteristics of a low-density area.

Future projections estimate Weipa adding 140 residents by 2041, with current development rates comfortably meeting demand and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Weipa has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 21stth percentile nationally

Area infrastructure performance is significantly influenced by local changes. AreaSearch identified 0 relevant projects. Notable ones are Queensland National Land Transport Network Maintenance, Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan SuperGrid, Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan, and Queensland Energy and Plan. Below lists those most pertinent.

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 analysis of employment trends sees Weipa performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Weipa has a skilled workforce with prominent manufacturing and industrial sectors. Its unemployment rate was 1.0% as of June 2025.

This is below the Rest of Qld's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation in Weipa is high at 76.3%, compared to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Major employment sectors include mining, healthcare & social assistance, and education & training. Mining is particularly specialized with an employment share 11.3 times the regional level.

Construction, however, has limited presence at 3.6% compared to the regional 10.1%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Over a 12-month period ending June 2025, employment in Weipa remained stable (0.0%) while labour force increased slightly (0.2%), causing unemployment to rise by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Qld saw employment grow by 1.8% and labour force expand by 2.0%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, issued in May 2025, project national growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Weipa's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 4.5% over five years and 11.2% over ten years.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

Weipa's median income among taxpayers was $81,418 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $86,215 during the same period. This compares to figures for Rest of Qld which were $50,780 and $64,844 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.99% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $92,808 (median) and $98,276 (average) as of September 2025. According to Census 2021 income data, household, family and personal incomes in Weipa rank highly nationally, between the 97th and 98th percentiles. The distribution shows that 39.3% of residents earn $1,500 - 2,999 weekly, while 49.3% earn above $3,000 weekly. Housing accounts for 14.9% of income. Residents rank within the 96th percentile for disposable income and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Weipa displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In Weipa, as per the latest Census assessment, 63.8% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 36.2% being semi-detached homes, apartments, or other types. This differs from Non-Metro Queensland's figures of 82.5% houses and 17.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Weipa stood at 10.3%, with mortgaged properties at 25.4% and rented ones at 64.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,063, significantly higher than Non-Metro Queensland's average of $1,863. Weekly rent in Weipa averaged $500, compared to $140 in Non-Metro Queensland. Nationally, Weipa's mortgage repayments were much higher at $2,063 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially higher at $500 compared to the national figure of $375.

Weipa features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households comprise 76.3% of all households, including 42.1% couples with children, 26.4% couples without children, and 7.3% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 23.7%, with lone person households at 19.4% and group households comprising 4.0%. The median household size is 2.9 people, which matches the average for the Rest of Qld.

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

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates at 17.9%, 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 13.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.2%) and graduate diplomas (2.1%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 52.8% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (9.5%) and certificates (43.3%).

Educational participation is high, with 37.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 14.7% in primary, 10.6% in secondary, and 3.6% in tertiary education. Weipa's 3 schools have a combined enrollment reaching 1,196 students. The educational mix includes 1 primary school and 2 K-12 schools. As an education hub, the area has 27.8 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 15.4, attracting students from surrounding communities. Note: for schools showing 'n/a' in enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Weipa's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Weipa's health outcomes show excellent results with common health conditions present at standard levels across both young and elderly populations. Approximately 63% of Weipa's total population of 2,720 has private health cover, compared to 49.9% in Rest of Qld and the national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma (5.4%) and mental health issues (4.5%), while 83.5% of residents report being completely free from medical ailments, higher than the 79.2% in Rest of Qld.

Only 3.9% of Weipa's residents are aged 65 and over (169 people), lower than the 11.5% in Rest of Qld.

Weipa ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Weipa's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 84.4% of its population being Australian citizens, 88.7% born in Australia, and 89.2% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion in Weipa, comprising 43.3% of people. Hinduism was overrepresented compared to regional averages, making up 0.8% of Weipa's population versus 0.2%.

In terms of ancestry, Australian (27.2%), English (23.1%), and Other (13.7%) were the top groups in Weipa, differing significantly from regional averages. Notably, Australian Aboriginal (11.0%), Filipino (1.5%), and Maori (0.6%) ethnicities showed significant representation compared to regional figures.

Weipa hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Weipa's median age is 30 years, which is significantly lower than the Rest of Queensland average of 41 years and Australia's average of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of Queensland, Weipa has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (20.4%), but fewer residents aged 65-74 (2.7%). This proportion of residents aged 25-34 is notably higher than the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the proportion of residents aged 25 to 34 has increased from 19.4% to 20.4%, while the proportion of those aged 45 to 54 has decreased from 13.9% to 12.8%. By 2041, Weipa's population is projected to undergo substantial demographic changes. The strongest growth is expected in the 35-44 age cohort, with an 18% increase adding 128 residents to reach a total of 835. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 55-64 and 45-54 age cohorts.