Earlville

An assessment of population growth drivers in Earlville reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Earlville's population is estimated at around 4,525 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 325 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,200 people. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 4,449 residents following examination of ABS ERP data released in June 2024 and an additional 69 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,281 persons per square kilometer, above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Earlville's growth rate of 7.7% since census positions it within 0.5 percentage points of the SA3 area (8.2%). Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration contributing approximately 39.0%.

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, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. Considering projected demographic shifts, the suburb is expected to increase by just below the median for non-metropolitan areas nationally, expanding by 461 persons to reach a total of 5,086 by 2041, reflecting an overall gain of 8.0%.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Earlville when compared nationally

Earlville has seen approximately 22 new homes approved annually based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 112 homes were approved, with a further seven approved in FY-26. On average, each dwelling accommodates about 2.1 new residents per year over these five years, indicating strong demand that supports property values.

The average construction cost value of new homes is approximately $490,000, which is somewhat higher than regional norms due to quality-focused development. This financial year has seen around $55,000 in commercial development approvals, suggesting minimal commercial development activity. Compared to the rest of Queensland, Earlville has slightly more development, with 48.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period from FY-21 to FY-25. This preserves reasonable buyer options while sustaining existing property demand. The new development consists of approximately 43.0% detached dwellings and 57.0% townhouses or apartments, marking a significant shift from the current housing pattern of 60.0% houses.

This skew towards compact living offers affordable entry pathways and attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. With around 220 people per dwelling approval, Earlville shows a developing market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Earlville is projected to add approximately 364 residents by 2041 based on current development patterns. Given the current new housing supply meeting demand, this offers good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitates population growth beyond current projections.

Earlville has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 15 projects likely affecting the area. Key projects include Far North Private Hospital, Woree Social and Affordable Housing Precinct, Cairns Reservoirs Remediation Package 2, and Bruce Highway Cairns Southern Access Corridor Stage 5 - Foster Road. 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.

AreaSearch analysis reveals Earlville recording weaker employment conditions than most comparable areas nationwide

Earlville has a skilled workforce with well-represented essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 5.0%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of September 2025, Earlville has 2,142 residents in work, an unemployment rate of 5.0% compared to Rest of Qld's 4.1%, and a workforce participation rate of 61.0%.

Census responses show that only 11.2% of residents work from home. Leading employment industries among residents are health care & social assistance, accommodation & food, and retail trade. Agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence with 0.7% employment compared to the regional average of 4.5%.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data comparing working population to local population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, Earlville's labour force decreased by 1.5%, while employment declined by 3.1%, causing unemployment to rise by 1.5 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Qld saw employment rise by 1.7%, labour force grow by 2.1%, and unemployment increase by 0.3 percentage points over the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Earlville's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

Earlville's median income among taxpayers in financial year 2023 was $45,578. The average income stood at $54,655 during the same period. These figures are lower than those of Rest of Qld, which had a median income of $53,146 and an average income of $66,593 in 2023. By September 2025, adjusting for Wage Price Index growth of 9.91%, Earlville's estimated median income would be approximately $50,095 and the average income would be around $60,071. According to the 2021 Census, personal income in Earlville ranked at the 28th percentile ($700 weekly), while household income was at the 11th percentile. The earnings profile showed that 25.6% of residents (1,158 people) fell into the $400 - 799 bracket, differing from the metropolitan region where the $1,500 - 2,999 category was predominant at 31.7%. Housing affordability pressures were severe in Earlville, with only 81.6% of income remaining, ranking at the 10th percentile.

Earlville displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Earlville's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 60.2% houses and 39.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro Qld's 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Earlville was at 31.8%, similar to Non-Metro Qld's level. The remaining dwellings were either mortgaged (30.6%) or rented (37.5%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,500, below the Non-Metro Qld average of $1,655 and the national average of $1,863. The median weekly rent in Earlville was $290, lower than Non-Metro Qld's $345 and the national figure of $375.

Earlville features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 58.6% of all households, including 20.1% couples with children, 24.5% couples without children, and 12.3% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 41.4%, with lone person households at 37.4% and group households making up 3.6% of the total. The median household size is 2.2 people, smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.5.

Educational attainment in Earlville aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

Earlville's residents aged 15 and above have lower university degree attainment than the Australian average: 20.5% compared to 30.4%. The most common qualifications are bachelor degrees (15.3%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.2%) and graduate diplomas (2.0%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 39.7% of residents holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (11.1%) and certificates (28.6%). Educational participation is high, with 29.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including primary (9.7%), secondary (9.0%), and tertiary (3.7%) levels.

Educational participation is notably high, with 29.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.7% in primary education, 9.0% in secondary education, and 3.7% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Earlville has eight active public transport stops, all serving buses. These stops are covered by nine different routes, offering a total of 927 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as moderate, with residents typically living 414 meters from the nearest stop. Most Earlville residents commute outside the area, with cars being the primary mode of transport at 90%. On average, there are 1.1 vehicles per dwelling, which is below the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, only 11.2% of residents work from home, a figure that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

The service frequency averages 132 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 115 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Earlville is lower than average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Earlville faces significant health challenges according to AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence, with notable prevalence across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is very low at approximately 49% of the total population (around 2,210 people), compared to 52.5% in the rest of Queensland and 55.7% nationally. The most common medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 9.4% and 7.7% of residents respectively, while 66.8% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 67.6% in the rest of Queensland.

Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. The area has 23.5% of residents aged 65 and over (1,063 people), higher than the 20.4% in the rest of Queensland. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Earlville was found to be slightly above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Earlville's cultural diversity was above average, with 24.0% of its population born overseas and 16.2% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Earlville, accounting for 55.3% of the population. Notably, Judaism comprised 0.2% of Earlville's population, higher than the Rest of Qld average of 0.1%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (25.9%), Australian (21.0%) and Other (13.4%). The Australian figure was lower than the regional average of 26.5%, while the Other category was substantially higher than the regional average of 6.9%. Certain ethnic groups showed notable divergences: Korean was overrepresented at 0.9% compared to the regional average of 0.2%, Australian Aboriginal at 6.0% versus 3.9%, and Samoan at 0.3% against a regional average of 0.2%.

Earlville hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Earlville's median age is 43 years, which is higher than Rest of Qld's average of 41 years and exceeds the national average of 38 years. The 75-84 age group constitutes 9.7% of Earlville's population, compared to Rest of Qld's representation. The 55-64 cohort makes up 10.4% of Earlville's population. Post-2021 Census data shows the 25 to 34 age group grew from 12.5% to 13.9%, while the 45 to 54 cohort declined from 13.6% to 11.6%. The 65 to 74 group decreased from 10.7% to 9.5%. Demographic modeling projects significant changes in Earlville's age profile by 2041. The 25 to 34 cohort is projected to grow by 22%, adding 141 residents to reach 770. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 5 to 14 and 65 to 74 cohorts.