Douglas (Townsville - Qld)

Population growth drivers in Douglas are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of Nov 2025, the estimated population of Douglas (Townsville - Qld) is around 8,269. This figure reflects an increase of 489 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7,780. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 8,271 following examination of the latest ERP data release by ABS (June 2024), and an additional 17 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 939 persons per square kilometer, which is relatively in line with averages seen across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Douglas's growth rate of 6.3% since the Census positions it within 0.6 percentage points of the SA4 region (6.9%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 80.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary population growth in the area.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections are adopted, which were released in 2023 and based on 2021 data. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits; hence where utilised, AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort, released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Looking ahead to future population dynamics, Douglas is expected to experience exceptional growth, placing it in the top 10 percent of regional areas across the nation. By 2041, the area is projected to increase by 5,894 persons, reflecting an overall increase of 71.3% over the 17-year period, based on aggregated SA2-level projections.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Douglas according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

AreaSearch analysis shows Douglas averaged approximately 6 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling around 30 homes. As of FY26, 0 approvals have been recorded. This averages to about 6.1 people moving to the area per year for each dwelling built between FY21 and FY25. Commercial development approvals in FY26 totalled $94.0 million.

Douglas shows significantly reduced construction compared to Rest of Qld (82.0% below regional average per person) and national averages, suggesting established nature and potential planning limitations. Recent development has been entirely standalone homes, maintaining low density character with a focus on family homes. The estimated 1490 people in the area per dwelling approval reflects its quiet development environment. AreaSearch estimates Douglas will grow by approximately 5895 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Looking ahead, Douglas is expected to grow by 5,895 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

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

"Fifteen projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Key projects include the Townsville University Hospital Expansion, TropiQ - Townsville Tropical Intelligence and Health Precinct, Stage One: James Cook University Residential Development Program, and Douglas Water Treatment Plant Clarifiers Upgrade.".

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.

Employment conditions in Douglas demonstrate exceptional strength compared to most Australian markets

Douglas has a well-educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 2.4%, as per AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

As of June 2025, there are 4,776 residents employed, and the unemployment rate is 1.5% lower than Rest of Qld's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation in Douglas stands at 67.1%, compared to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. The dominant employment sectors among residents are health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and education & training. Notably, health care & social assistance has a particularly strong presence with an employment share 1.7 times the regional level.

Conversely, construction has limited presence at 3.7%, compared to the regional average of 10.1%. While local employment opportunities exist in Douglas, many residents commute elsewhere for work, indicated by the count of Census working population to local population. In a 12-month period ending Sep-22, labour force decreased by 1.7% and employment declined by 2.1%, leading to an unemployment rate rise of 0.4 percentage points in Douglas. By comparison, Rest of Qld recorded employment growth of 1.8% and labour force growth of 2.0%, with a smaller increase in unemployment at 0.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Douglas's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.2% over five years and 15.0% over ten years, although these are simple weighted extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localized population projections.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Douglas had a median taxpayer income of $54,919 and an average of $64,913. These figures are roughly national averages, with Rest of Qld having a median of $50,780 and average of $64,844. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.99% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $62,602 (median) and $73,994 (average). The 2021 Census data ranks Douglas's household income at the 67th percentile ($2,025 weekly), with personal income at the 43rd percentile. The earnings profile shows that 39.0% of individuals earn between $1,500 and $2,999, consistent with regional trends (31.7%). After housing expenses, 85.2% of income remains for other costs. Douglas's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Douglas is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

The dwelling structure in Douglas, as per the latest Census, consisted of 84.6% houses and 15.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro Qld had 81.3% houses and 18.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Douglas was at 18.1%, with the rest being mortgaged (29.7%) or rented (52.2%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Douglas was $1,633, higher than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,517. The median weekly rent figure in Douglas was $360, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $305. Nationally, Douglas's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.

Douglas features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 65.2% of all households, including 28.9% couples with children, 25.7% couples without children, and 8.7% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 34.8%, with lone person households at 21.5% and group households comprising 13.2%. The median household size is 2.6 people, larger than the Rest of Qld average of 2.5.

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

Douglas has a higher educational attainment than broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15 and above, 35.5% have university qualifications, compared to 20.1% in the SA4 region and 20.6% in the Rest of Queensland. The most common qualification is bachelor degrees at 24.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 8.0% and graduate diplomas at 3.0%. Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 25.4% of residents having them; advanced diplomas account for 8.2% and certificates for 17.2%.

Educational participation is high, with 47.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 28.4% in tertiary education, 7.4% in primary education, and 6.5% pursuing secondary education. Schools serving Douglas include Enkindle Village School and Tec-NQ, with a total of 429 students. The area has typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 963) and balanced educational opportunities, featuring one secondary and one K-12 school. However, local school capacity is limited at 5.2 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 16.7, leading many families to travel for schooling.

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

Public transport analysis shows 28 active transport stops in Douglas, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 5 individual routes, providing a total of 679 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 309 meters from the nearest transport stop.

Service frequency averages 97 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 24 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Health outcomes data shows excellent results across Douglas, with younger cohorts experiencing particularly low prevalence of common health conditions.

The rate of private health cover stands at approximately 53% of the total population (around 4,375 people), leading that of the average SA2 area. Mental health issues and asthma were found to be the most prevalent medical conditions in the area, impacting 9.1% and 7.1% of residents respectively. Conversely, 74.5% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 67.8% across Rest of Qld. The area has 8.8% of residents aged 65 and over (727 people), which is lower than the 14.9% in Rest of Qld. However, older adults require more attention than the broader population.

Douglas was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Douglas has a higher cultural diversity than most local markets, with 26.6% of its population born overseas and 21.3% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Douglas, accounting for 48.4% of its population. Notably, the 'Other' religious category comprises 1.6% of Douglas's population, higher than the 0.7% regional average.

Regarding ancestry, Australian (24.5%), English (23.9%), and Other (11.5%) are the top represented groups in Douglas. Some ethnic groups have significant representation differences: Indian at 5.4% compared to 0.9% regionally, Sri Lankan at 0.6% versus 0.1%, and South African at 0.5% against 0.3%.

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

Douglas has a median age of 25, which is significantly younger than the Rest of Queensland's figure of 41 and substantially lower than Australia's median age of 38. Compared to the Rest of Queensland, Douglas has a higher concentration of residents aged 15-24 (33.0%), but fewer residents aged 55-64 (6.7%). This concentration of 15-24 year-olds is well above the national average of 12.5%. Between 2021 and now, Douglas's median age has decreased by 1.2 years from 26 to 25, indicating a shift towards a younger demographic. Key changes in this period include an increase in the 15-24 age group from 30.4% to 33.0%, and an increase in the 25-34 cohort from 16.2% to 18.6%. Conversely, the 5-14 age group has declined from 10.2% to 8.5%, and the 45-54 age group has dropped from 10.1% to 8.6%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Douglas. The 25-34 age cohort is projected to grow strongly at 115%, adding 1,770 residents to reach a total of 3,309.