Cooktown

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

Cooktown's estimated population as of November 2025 is around 3,090 people. This figure represents a 12.5% increase from the 2021 Census total of 2,746 people. The latest estimate of 3,055 residents by AreaSearch, based on ABS ERP data released in June 2024 and validated new addresses, supports this growth. This results in a population density ratio of 1.4 persons per square kilometer. Cooktown's growth rate exceeded the SA4 region's 4.1% and the non-metro area, positioning it as a leader in regional growth. Natural growth contributed approximately 64.0% to 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 from 2023 based on 2021 data are adopted, with proportional growth weightings applied for age cohorts lacking age category splits. Future demographic trends suggest a population increase just below Australia's regional median by 2041, with the Cooktown statistical area (Lv2) expected to expand by 333 persons, reflecting a total increase of 7.3% over 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Cooktown when compared nationally

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers in Cooktown shows around 19 residential properties granted approval annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 96 homes. As of FY-26, two approvals have been recorded. On average, each dwelling accommodates approximately 2.1 new residents per year between FY-21 and FY-25, reflecting robust demand that supports property values. The average expected construction cost value for new homes is $418,000.

In terms of commercial development, $2.8 million in approvals have been recorded this financial year, indicating limited focus on commercial development. New building activity comprises 83% standalone homes and 17% medium to high-density housing, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers.

Cooktown reflects a developing area with around 68 people per approval. Population forecasts indicate an increase of 226 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing favourable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Cooktown has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified two projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include Cooktown Multi-Purpose Health Service Redevelopment, Gigers Residential Subdivision, Queensland National Land Transport Network Maintenance, and Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan SuperGrid. The following 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.

Cooktown has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Cooktown has a skilled workforce with well-represented essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 4.4% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 1.4%.

As of September 2025, 1,418 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 0.4% higher than Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation lagged significantly at 50.6%, compared to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. The dominant employment sectors among residents included health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and construction. Public administration & safety had an employment share of 2.3 times the regional level, while manufacturing was under-represented at 0.8% compared to Rest of Qld's 5.6%.

Employment opportunities appeared limited locally, with a count of Census working population vs resident population indicating this trend. Over the 12 months to September 2025, employment increased by 1.4%, labour force by 0.8%, and unemployment fell by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Qld saw employment grow by 1.7%, labour force expand by 2.1%, and unemployment rise by 0.3 percentage points. State-level data to 25-Nov showed QLD employment contracted by 0.01% (losing 1,210 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%, closely aligned with the national rate of 4.3%. Job and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 projected national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Cooktown's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, though this was a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes, not accounting for localised population projections.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023 indicates Cooktown had a median income among taxpayers of $66,211 and an average level of $75,830. These figures are high nationally compared to Rest of Qld's $53,146 and $66,593 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Cooktown would be approximately $72,773 (median) and $83,345 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family, and personal incomes in Cooktown fall between the 14th and 24th percentiles nationally. Income distribution reveals that the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket dominates with 27.9% of residents (862 people), mirroring the broader area where 31.7% occupy this bracket. Housing costs are modest, with 86.8% of income retained, but total disposable income ranks at just the 17th percentile nationally.

Cooktown is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with strong rates of outright home ownership

Cooktown's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 86.1% houses and 13.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Home ownership in Cooktown stood at 37.6%, with 24.0% of dwellings mortgaged and 38.5% rented. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,300, while the median weekly rent was $230. Nationally, Cooktown's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, recorded in June 2021, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375, also as of June 2021.

Cooktown features high concentrations of lone person households, with a median household size of 2.3 people

Family households account for 62.8% of all households, including 22.0% couples with children, 27.5% couples without children, and 12.1% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 37.2%, with lone person households at 33.8% and group households comprising 3.7%. The median household size is 2.3 people.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 20.2%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common, with 14.1% of residents holding one. Postgraduate qualifications and graduate diplomas follow at 3.3% and 2.8% respectively. Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 45.7% of residents aged 15+ possessing them.

Advanced diplomas account for 10.1%, while certificates make up 35.6%. Educational participation is high, with 33.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 14.9% in primary, 10.0% in secondary, and 3.0% in tertiary education.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

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

Cooktown exhibits superior health outcomes for both younger and older age groups, with low prevalence rates of common health conditions.

Approximately 57% (~1,769 individuals) of its total population have private health cover, which is notably high. The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 8.1% and 6.3% of residents respectively. Notably, 73.2% of residents report having no medical ailments, contrasting with 0% reported across the rest of Queensland. As of 2021, 21.0% (~648 individuals) of Cooktown's population is aged 65 and over. Health outcomes among seniors in Cooktown are particularly robust, outperforming those of the general population in health metrics.

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

Cooktown's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 81.2% of its population being Australian citizens, 84.9% born in Australia, and 89.2% speaking English only at home. The predominant religion in Cooktown is Christianity, which accounts for 48.5% of the population, compared to None% across the rest of Queensland. In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups are Australian (27.7%), English (25.4%), and Australian Aboriginal (12.5%).

Notably, certain ethnic groups have higher representation in Cooktown than regionally: New Zealanders at 0.9% versus None%, Maori at 0.8% versus None%, and Germans at 4.4% versus None%.

Cooktown hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Cooktown's median age is 44 years, which is slightly higher than the Rest of Qld average of 41 years and considerably older than Australia's median age of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 55-64 are particularly prominent, comprising 15.4% of the population, while the 15-24 age group is comparatively smaller at 8.7%. Between 2021 and present, the 35-44 age group has grown from 12.0% to 12.6%, while the 45-54 cohort has declined from 13.7% to 11.9%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes for Cooktown. The 35-44 age group is projected to grow by 18%, adding 70 residents and reaching a total of 460. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 55-64 and 15-24 cohorts.