Darling Downs

Darling Downs lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validation, the suburb of Darling Downs had an estimated population of 1,991 as of Feb 2026. This reflects a growth of 400 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,591. The current resident population is estimated at 1,901 by AreaSearch following examination of ABS's latest ERP data release in June 2024 and an additional 94 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 202 persons per square kilometer. Darling Downs' growth rate of 25.1% since the 2021 Census exceeded the national average of 9.9%. Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration, contributing approximately 64.0% of overall population gains.

AreaSearch is using ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, AreaSearch uses growth rates by age cohort from ABS's Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Projected demographic shifts indicate exceptional growth for the suburb, placing it in the top 10 percent of statistical areas nationally. By 2041, the population is expected to grow by 1,198 persons, reflecting an increase of 61.2% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Darling Downs among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data shows Darling Downs experienced around 27 dwellings receiving development approval per year. Over the past 5 financial years, between FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 137 homes were approved, with a further 11 approved in FY-26 to date. This results in an average of 3.6 new residents arriving per dwelling constructed annually over these years.

The demand significantly exceeds the new supply, typically leading to price growth and increased buyer competition. Developers focus on the premium market, constructing new properties at an average expected construction cost value of $394,000 each. In FY-26, commercial approvals totalled $385,000, indicating the area's residential nature. Compared to Greater Perth, Darling Downs demonstrates moderately higher construction activity, being 20.0% above the regional average per person over the past 5 years.

This reflects strong developer confidence in the area and balances buyer choice with support for current property values nationally. Recent development has been entirely comprised of detached houses, maintaining the area's traditional low density character and focusing on family homes appealing to those seeking space. With around 75 people per dwelling approval, Darling Downs exhibits characteristics of a growth area. Population forecasts indicate Darling Downs will gain 1,219 residents through to 2041, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. Current development appears well-matched to future needs, supporting steady market conditions without extreme price pressure.

Darling Downs has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 37thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified six projects that could impact this region. Notable ones are Wungong Urban, The Glades Estate, Oakford Volunteer Brigade Station, and Byford Health Hub. The following details these projects, focusing on those most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Darling Downs performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Darling Downs has a skilled workforce with the construction sector prominent. Its unemployment rate was 1.6% in the past year, with estimated employment growth of 2.8%. As of September 2025, 1,193 residents are employed, and the unemployment rate is 2.3% lower than Greater Perth's 4.0%.

Workforce participation is high at 81.1%, compared to Greater Perth's 71.6%. Home workership was low at 11.2% based on Census responses. Dominant employment sectors are construction, healthcare & social assistance, and education & training. Construction is particularly strong, with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level.

However, health care & social assistance is under-represented at 11.2%, compared to Greater Perth's 14.8%. The area shows limited local employment opportunities based on Census data. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 2.8% and the labour force grew by 3.0%, leading to a slight unemployment rise of 0.1 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth varies significantly between sectors. Applying these projections to Darling Downs' employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.9% over five years and 12.6% over ten years.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows Darling Downs' median income among taxpayers is $62,616. The average income is $75,932. Nationally, the median income is lower at $58,046 with an average of $74,632. Greater Perth's median income is $60,748 and its average is $80,248. Based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023, current estimates for Darling Downs would be approximately $68,640 (median) and $83,237 (average) as of September 2025. Census data indicates household, family, and personal incomes in Darling Downs rank highly nationally, between the 75th and 90th percentiles. The income bracket of $1,500 - 2,999 weekly dominates with 36.1% of residents (718 people), similar to regional levels where this cohort represents 32.0%. Higher earners make up a substantial presence with 37.4% exceeding $3,000 weekly. Housing accounts for 13.6% of income. Residents rank highly in disposable income, within the 90th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

Darling Downs' dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 96.5% houses and 3.5% other dwellings. In comparison, Perth metro had 77.8% houses and 22.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Darling Downs was at 31.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 62.2% and rented at 6.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,172, higher than Perth metro's $1,907. Median weekly rent in Darling Downs was $400, compared to Perth metro's $350. Nationally, Darling Downs' mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 85.2% of all households, including 44.5% couples with children, 32.2% couples without children, and 6.7% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 14.8%, with lone person households at 13.8% and group households comprising 1.3%. The median household size is 3.0 people, larger than the Greater Perth average of 2.6.

Darling Downs shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

The area's university qualification rate is 18.1%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 13.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.9%) and graduate diplomas (1.7%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 44.3% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 11.2% and certificates at 33.1%. Educational participation is high, with 26.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 10.3% in primary education, 7.7% in secondary education, and 4.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Darling Downs has 15 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. There are three routes serving these stops, providing a total of 205 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is moderate, with residents typically located 562 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to its residential nature. Car remains the dominant mode of transport at 88%, while train usage stands at 7%. The average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 2.4, higher than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, only 11.2% of residents work from home, which might be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. On average, there are 29 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 13 weekly trips per individual stop.

Darling Downs's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Darling Downs' health outcomes show excellent results based on AreaSearch's assessment.

Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are low, particularly among younger cohorts. Private health cover is high at approximately 57% of the total population (around 1,141 people). The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and arthritis, affecting 7.3% and 6.8% of residents respectively. A majority, 72.3%, report no medical ailments, compared to 71.9% in Greater Perth. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. The area has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 14.5% (288 people) than Greater Perth's 16.3%. Health outcomes among seniors are above average but rank lower nationally than the broader population.

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

Darling Downs' population, born in Australia, was 74.7%, with 88.9% being citizens and 92.5% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion, comprising 50.0% of Darling Downs' population, compared to 45.0% across Greater Perth. The top three ancestry groups were English (33.5%), Australian (27.4%), and Scottish (6.8%).

Notably, Dutch (5.7%) was overrepresented in Darling Downs compared to the regional average of 1.5%. South African (1.7%) and Welsh (0.7%) also showed notable divergences from their respective regional averages.

Darling Downs's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Darling Downs is 39 years, which is higher than Greater Perth's average of 37 and close to the national average of 38. The 55-64 cohort is notably over-represented at 14.8% locally compared to Greater Perth's average. Conversely, the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 8.5%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 12.4% to 14.2%, while the 25 to 34 cohort has declined from 11.7% to 8.5%. The 0 to 4 age group has also decreased, from 6.2% to 4.3%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Darling Downs. Notably, the 45 to 54 age group is projected to grow by 83%, reaching 522 people from 284.