Cranbrook (Qld)

Cranbrook has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Cranbrook (Qld) statistical area (Lv2)'s population is estimated at around 6,075 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 231 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,844 people. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's examination of the latest ERP data release by ABS (June 2024) and validation of seven new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,808 persons per square kilometer. Cranbrook (Qld)'s growth rate of 4.0% since census positions it competitively compared to its SA4 region's growth rate of 6.9%. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 82.0% 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 and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections are adopted, based on 2021 data and released in 2023. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits; hence proportional growth weightings from ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data) are applied for each age cohort. Over this period, projections indicate a decline in overall population by 389 persons by 2041. However, specific age cohorts like the 25 to 34 group are projected to increase by 131 people.

The level of residential development activity in Cranbrook is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Cranbrook has seen minimal development activity over the past five years, averaging less than one approval per year. This low level of development reflects Cranbrook's rural nature, where housing needs are typically driven by local specific requirements rather than broader market demand. The small number of approvals means individual projects can significantly impact annual growth statistics.

Compared to Rest of Qld and national patterns, Cranbrook has much lower development activity. With population expected to remain stable or decline, pressure on housing is likely to be reduced, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

With population expected to remain stable or decline, Cranbrook should see reduced pressure on housing, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified seven projects that could impact the region. Notable ones are: Townsville University Hospital Expansion, Cranbrook Social Housing Development, Willows Shopping Centre Redevelopment, and TropiQ - Townsville Tropical Intelligence and Health Precinct. 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.

The labour market performance in Cranbrook lags significantly behind most other regions nationally

Cranbrook has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate is 7.3%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

As of September 2025, 2,780 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 3.2% higher than Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation in Cranbrook is at par with Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, education & training, and retail trade.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented, comprising only 0.6% of Cranbrook's workforce compared to 4.5% in Rest of Qld. Over the 12 months to September 2025, labour force levels increased by 0.2% while employment declined by 1.9%, resulting in a rise of 2.0 percentage points in unemployment rate. This contrasts with Rest of Qld where employment rose by 1.7%, labour force grew by 2.1%, and unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points. As of 25-Nov, state-level data shows QLD employment contracted by 0.01% (losing 1,210 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%. National employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% expansion over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Cranbrook's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 2023 shows that Cranbrook has lower incomes than the national average. The median income is $46,927 and the average is $55,470. In comparison, Rest of Qld has a median income of $53,146 and an average of $66,593. Based on Wage Price Index growth from financial year 2023 to September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $51,577 (median) and $60,967 (average). According to the 2021 Census, Cranbrook's household, family, and personal incomes rank modestly, between the 28th and 29th percentiles. Income analysis reveals that the majority of residents, 31.2% or 1,895 people, fall into the $1,500 - $2,999 income bracket, similar to regional levels where 31.7% occupy this range. After housing costs, 86.1% of income remains for other expenses.

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

Cranbrook's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 81.5% houses and 18.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Non-Metro Qld had similar figures with 81.3% houses and 18.7% other dwellings. Cranbrook's home ownership rate was higher at 34.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 32.2% and rented ones at 33.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Cranbrook was $1,300, lower than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,517. Median weekly rent in Cranbrook was recorded at $293, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $305. Nationally, Cranbrook's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 66.9% of all households, including 24.4% couples with children, 26.0% couples without children, and 14.6% single parent families. Non-family households account for 33.1%, with lone person households at 28.8% and group households comprising 4.8%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which aligns with the average in the Rest of Qld.

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

Cranbrook Trail's residents aged 15+ have a university degree attainment rate of 21.0%, compared to Australia's 30.4%. This gap suggests potential for educational development. Bachelor degrees are the most common (14.1%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.6%) and graduate diplomas (2.3%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 36.4% of residents holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (9.5%) and certificates (26.9%).

Educational participation is high, with 28.3% currently enrolled in formal education, comprising 9.0% in primary, 8.2% in secondary, and 6.4% in tertiary education.

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

Cranbrook has 24 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 9 different routes that together facilitate 1,012 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is rated as good, with residents on average being located 230 meters from their nearest stop.

On a daily basis, there are an average of 144 transport trips across all routes, which equates to approximately 42 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Health data indicates significant health challenges in Cranbrook. Notably, common health conditions are prevalent across both younger and older age groups. Approximately 49% of Cranbrook's total population (~2,987 people) have private health cover, compared to 53.9% in the rest of Queensland and a national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 9.9% of residents) and mental health issues (also affecting 9.9%). Conversely, 62.8% of residents report having no medical ailments, compared to 67.8% in the rest of Queensland. Cranbrook has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 20.9% (1,269 people), compared to 14.9% in the rest of Queensland. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, broadly reflecting the general population's health profile.

In terms of cultural diversity, Cranbrook records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Cranbrook had a cultural diversity above average, with 19.2% of its population born overseas and 13.3% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Cranbrook, accounting for 57.6% of people, compared to 52.7% across Rest of Qld. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (25.3%), English (25.0%), and Other (9.0%).

Notably, Filipino representation was higher than average at 2.9%, while Australian Aboriginal was at 6.3% and Samoan at 0.3%.

Cranbrook's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Cranbrook's median age is 40, close to Rest of Qld's figure of 41 but exceeding the national norm of 38. The 25-34 age group comprises 14.5%, higher than Rest of Qld, while the 5-14 cohort stands at 10.1%. Post-2021 Census, the 25-34 group grew from 13.0% to 14.5%. Conversely, the 45-54 group declined from 12.4% to 10.3%, and the 5-14 group dropped from 11.8% to 10.1%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Cranbrook's age profile. The 85+ group is set to grow by 76%, reaching 267 from 151. Those aged 65 and above will account for 60% of projected growth. Meanwhile, the 75-84 and 35-44 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.