East Innisfail

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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch since the Census, East Innisfail's population is estimated at around 1,768 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 11 people (0.6%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,757 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 1,744, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and address validation since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,309 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 79.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and for years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections, released in 2023 and based on 2021 data, are adopted. It should be noted that these state projections do not provide age category splits; hence where utilised, AreaSearch is applying proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data) for each age cohort. Moving forward with demographic trends, Over this period, projections indicate a decline in overall population, with the East Innisfail statistical area's population expected to contract by 59 persons by 2041 according to this methodology. However, growth across specific age cohorts is anticipated, led by the 75 to 84 age group, which is projected to grow by 26 people.

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

East Innisfail has seen limited development activity with an average of one approval per year over five years (7 approvals). This low level is typical in rural areas due to modest housing needs and infrastructure capacity. The small number of approvals can significantly impact annual growth statistics.

Compared to Rest of Qld, East Innisfail shows less construction activity, and it's below national averages. All new constructions have been medium or high-density housing, offering affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This shift from the area's existing 86.0% houses indicates decreasing developable sites and reflects changing lifestyles. With around 504 people per dwelling approval, East Innisfail has a developed market. Population projections indicating stability or decline suggest reduced housing demand pressures, benefiting potential buyers.

With population projections showing stability or decline, East Innisfail should see reduced housing demand pressures, benefiting potential buyers.

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

No changes can significantly influence a region's performance like alterations to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified zero projects that could potentially impact this area. Notable projects include North Queensland Super Hub, North and Far North Queensland REZs, Queensland National Land Transport Network Maintenance, and Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan SuperGrid, with the following list providing details on those most pertinent.

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 East Innisfail face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

East Innisfail has a balanced workforce comprising both white and blue collar jobs, with essential services well represented. The unemployment rate was 12.5% as of September 2025, according to AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation.

In this month, 706 residents were employed while the unemployment rate stood at 8.4%, significantly higher than Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation was lower at 55.2% compared to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Key industries employing locals include health care & social assistance, agriculture, forestry & fishing, and retail trade. East Innisfail has a notable employment specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with an employment share 3.5 times the regional level.

Conversely, construction employs only 5.9% of local workers, below Rest of Qld's 10.1%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by Census working population vs resident population counts. Over the 12 months to September 2025, labour force levels decreased by 2.9%, and employment declined by 7.6%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate of 4.5 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of Qld, where employment rose by 1.7% and the labour force grew by 2.1%, resulting in an unemployment rate increase of just 0.3 percentage points. State-level data from 25-Nov shows Queensland's employment contracted by 0.01% (losing 1,210 jobs), with a state unemployment rate of 4.2%, closely aligned with the national rate of 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 provide further insight into potential future demand within East Innisfail. These projections suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to East Innisfail's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 6.0% over five years and 13.0% over ten years.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data for financial year 2023 shows East Innisfail had a median taxpayer income of $44,048 and an average income of $52,771. These figures are below the national averages of $53,146 and $66,593 respectively in Rest of Qld. Using Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since financial year 2023, estimated median and average incomes for East Innisfail as of September 2025 are approximately $48,413 and $58,001 respectively. The 2021 Census data indicates household, family, and personal incomes in East Innisfail fall between the 7th and 15th percentiles nationally. Income distribution shows 28.6% of residents (505 people) earn between $800 - 1,499 annually, unlike surrounding regions where 31.7% earn between $1,500 - 2,999. Housing affordability pressures are severe in East Innisfail, with only 84.5% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 9th percentile nationally.

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

East Innisfail's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 86.5% houses and 13.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro Qld's 87.1% houses and 12.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in East Innisfail stood at 33.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 24.4% and rented ones at 42.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,083, lower than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,300. The median weekly rent figure in East Innisfail was $255, comparable to Non-Metro Qld's $250. Nationally, East Innisfail's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,083 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

East Innisfail features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 60.0% of all households, including 19.1% couples with children, 25.1% couples without children, and 13.0% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 40.0%, with lone person households at 35.6% and group households making up 4.1%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.4.

East Innisfail faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 16.2%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common among residents with higher education qualifications at 11.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.0%) and graduate diplomas (1.9%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 38.8% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (9.1%) and certificates (29.7%). Educational participation is high, with 29.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including primary (13.0%), secondary (10.8%), and tertiary (1.5%) levels.

Educational participation is notably high, with 29.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.0% in primary education, 10.8% in secondary education, and 1.5% pursuing tertiary education.

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

East Innisfail has ten active public transport stops operating, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by one route in total, offering 22 weekly passenger trips combined. The accessibility of these transport services is rated as good, with residents typically located 224 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are three trips per day across all routes, equating to roughly two weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in East Innisfail is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

East Innisfail faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is very low at approximately 48% of the total population (~850 people), compared to the national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 11.4% and 7.4% of residents respectively, while 67.0% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 68.1% across Rest of Qld. The area has 20.8% of residents aged 65 and over (367 people), which is lower than the 23.6% in Rest of Qld. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

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

East Innisfail's cultural diversity aligns with the broader area, with 86.3% being citizens, 84.8% born in Australia, and 86.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion, accounting for 56.6%. The 'Other' category is slightly overrepresented at 4.0%, compared to Rest of Qld's 3.3%.

Top ancestry groups are English (21.2%), Australian (19.9%), and Australian Aboriginal (14.6%). Hungarian (0.4%) and Italian (5.3%) are notably overrepresented, while Macedonian is underrepresented at 0.2% compared to the regional average of 0%.

East Innisfail's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in East Innisfail is 39 years, which is lower than Rest of Qld's average of 41 but close to the national average of 38. The age profile shows that those aged 5-14 years make up 13.8% of the population, while those aged 35-44 years comprise 11.3%. Between 2021 and now, the proportion of people aged 15 to 24 has increased from 11.7% to 12.7%, while the proportion of those aged 45 to 54 has decreased from 13.2% to 12.1%. By 2041, projections indicate that the age cohort of 75 to 84 years will increase by 26% from 111 to 140 people. The combined age groups of 65 and above are expected to account for 92% of total population growth. Conversely, the cohorts aged 35 to 44 and 45 to 54 are projected to experience population declines.