Craignish

Craignish lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of November 2025, the estimated population of Craignish is around 2,420, reflecting a 10.5% increase from the 2021 Census figure of 2,190 people. This growth was inferred from AreaSearch's validation of new addresses and an estimated resident population of 2,404 based on ABS ERP data released in June 2024. The population density is approximately 170 persons per square kilometer. Craignish's population growth since the 2021 Census exceeded both the non-metro area average (8.8%) and the national average, making it a regional growth leader. Interstate migration contributed about 83% of overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch adopts 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 used, applying proportional growth weightings for age cohorts in line with ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023. By 2041, the suburb of Craignish is projected to increase by 539 persons, reflecting a total gain of 22.1% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Craignish among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

Craignish has seen around 15 residential properties approved annually based on AreaSearch analysis. Between FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 79 homes were granted approval, with a further 12 approved in FY-26. Over these past five years, an average of 4.1 people moved to the area for each dwelling built.

This high demand coupled with limited supply has led to price growth and increased buyer competition. The average construction cost value for new properties is $488,000. Commercial approvals this financial year totalled $2.3 million, indicating Craignish's residential character.

Compared to the Rest of Qld, Craignish shows about half the construction activity per person but ranks in the 72nd percentile nationally. All recent development has been detached dwellings, maintaining Craignish's low-density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers with around 177 people per approval. AreaSearch projects Craignish to grow by 534 residents by 2041. Building activity is keeping pace with growth projections, though heightened competition among buyers is expected as the population increases.

Craignish has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 26thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified one major project likely affecting the region: Maryborough-Hervey Bay Road and Pialba-Burrum Heads Road Intersection Upgrade, Torbanlea-Pialba Road Upgrade, Queensland Train Manufacturing Program, Bruce Highway Targeted Safety Program - Wide Bay Burnett are key projects, with the following list providing more detail on 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.

The labour market in Craignish demonstrates typical performance when compared to similar areas across Australia

Craignish has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. The unemployment rate is 3.8%.

Over the past year, there was an estimated employment growth of 5.9%. As of June 2025, 1,191 residents are employed. The unemployment rate in Craignish is 0.1% lower than Rest of Qld's rate of 3.9%, but workforce participation is lower at 55.4%. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade.

Health care & social assistance has a particularly strong representation with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing shows lower representation at 1.0% compared to the regional average of 4.5%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by Census working population vs resident population comparison. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 5.9%, labour force by 7.0%, resulting in unemployment rising by 1.0 percentage points. In Rest of Qld, employment grew by 1.8%, labour force expanded by 2.0%, and unemployment rose by 0.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Craignish's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 14.2% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

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

Craignish had a median taxpayer income of $50,969 and an average of $64,081 in financial year 2022. This was based on the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. These figures were just below the national averages for Rest of Qld, which had a median income of $50,780 and an average income of $64,844 in the same period. Using Wage Price Index growth of 13.99% since financial year 2022, current estimates suggest approximately $58,100 (median) and $73,046 (average) as of September 2025. According to Census 2021 income data, individual incomes were at the 19th percentile ($653 weekly), while household incomes performed better at the 41st percentile. Income analysis showed that the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captured 30.7% of Craignish's community (742 individuals), which was similar to regional levels where 31.7% occupied this bracket. After housing costs, 85.7% of income remained for other expenses. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 4th decile.

Craignish is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Craignish's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, was 99.5% houses and 0.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro Qld's 83.9% houses and 16.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Craignish stood at 42.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 49.9% and rented ones at 7.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, higher than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,430. Median weekly rent in Craignish was $383, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $335. Nationally, Craignish's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 86.0% of all households, including 34.8% couples with children, 42.3% couples without children, and 8.4% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 14.0%, with lone person households at 11.5% and group households comprising 2.5% of the total. The median household size is 2.8 people, larger than the Rest of Qld average of 2.3.

Educational achievement in Craignish places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

The area's university qualification rate is 17.2%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 11.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.9%) and graduate diplomas (2.6%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 46.2% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 12.7% and certificates at 33.5%.

Educational participation is high, with 26.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes primary education (10.3%), secondary education (9.1%), and tertiary education (2.1%). Educational facilities appear to be located outside the immediate catchment boundaries, requiring families to access schools in neighboring areas.

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

Craignish has seven active public transport stops operating currently. These are served by a mix of bus services along two different routes, offering a total of 35 weekly passenger trips combined. The accessibility to transport is rated as good, with residents typically residing within 373 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, service frequency stands at five trips per day across all routes, translating to roughly five weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Craignish is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Craignish faces significant health challenges, as indicated by its health data. Both younger and older age groups have notable prevalence rates for common health conditions.

Private health cover is more prevalent here than in the average SA2 area, at approximately 53% of the total population (around 1,272 people), compared to 47.7% across the rest of Queensland. The most common medical issues are arthritis and mental health problems, affecting 10.3% and 10.0% of residents respectively. However, 63.7% of residents report having no medical ailments, which is higher than the 56.7% reported across the rest of Queensland. The area has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, at 23.0% (around 556 people), compared to 31.0% in the rest of Queensland. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, generally aligning with the overall population's health profile.

Craignish is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Craignish had a cultural diversity below average, with 84.0% born in Australia, 91.8% being citizens, and 96.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion, comprising 53.0%, compared to 52.7% across Rest of Qld. The top three ancestries were English (33.7%), Australian (26.8%), and Scottish (9.1%).

Notably, Welsh (1.0%) was overrepresented compared to the regional average of 0.5%. Similarly, German (5.4%) and Dutch (1.4%) had higher representation than their respective region-wide averages of 5.3% and 1.3%.

Craignish hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Craignish's median age is 47 years, which is notably higher than Rest of Qld's median age of 41 and considerably older than the national norm of 38. Compared to the Rest of Qld average, Craignish has a notably over-represented 65 - 74 cohort at 14.9%, while its 25 - 34 year-olds are under-represented at 7.2%. This concentration of the 65 - 74 age group is well above the national average of 9.4%. Between 2021 and present, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 9.5% to 11.1% of Craignish's population. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 15.7% to 14.5%. Demographic modeling suggests that by 2041, Craignish's age profile will evolve significantly. The 65 to 74 age cohort is projected to expand notably, increasing by 116 people (32%) from 360 to 477. In contrast, the 15 to 24 cohort shows minimal growth of just 3% (7 people).