East Toowoomba

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

As of Nov 2025, East Toowoomba's population is estimated at around 6,102, reflecting an increase of 149 people since the 2021 Census. This growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 76.0% of overall population gains during recent periods. The area's population density ratio is 1,488 persons per square kilometer, above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. For projections, AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia data for each SA2 area released in Jun 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections released in 2023 based on 2021 data are adopted.

Population projections anticipate lower quartile growth for non-metropolitan areas nationally, with East Toowoomba expected to grow by 262 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 4.2% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees East Toowoomba recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

East Toowoomba recorded around 18 residential properties granted approval each year from FY-21 to FY-25, totalling an estimated 91 homes. So far in FY-26, 2 approvals have been recorded. This results in approximately 3.4 new residents per year for every home built over the past five financial years. The average construction value of new properties is $1,138,000, indicating a focus on the premium market with high-end developments.

In FY-26, $4.0 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, suggesting limited commercial development focus compared to residential. East Toowoomba shows approximately half the construction activity per person when measured against Rest of Qld and places among the 48th percentile nationally, indicating more limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing dwellings. Recent construction comprises 64.0% detached houses and 36.0% townhouses or apartments, offering options across different price points. The area has approximately 347 people per dwelling approval, reflecting an established area.

East Toowoomba is expected to grow by 258 residents through to 2041, with current development patterns suggesting new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 14 projects likely affecting this region. Notable ones are Toowoomba Escarpment Mountain Bike Trails (Jubilee Park), Fairleigh Residences, YWCA East Toowoomba Social and Affordable Housing, and AusRocks Brookview Quarry. 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 places East Toowoomba well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

East Toowoomba has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 2.7%, lower than the national average.

Over the past year, ending September 2025, employment grew by 4.7%. The area has 3,150 residents in work and an unemployment rate of 1.4% below the Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation is similar to the regional average at 61.7%. Key industries include health care & social assistance, education & training, and retail trade.

The area specializes in health care & social assistance with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level, while construction has a limited presence at 7.0% compared to the regional 10.1%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. In the past year, employment increased by 4.7%, labour force by 3.9%, reducing unemployment by 0.8 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of Qld where employment grew by 1.7% and unemployment rose slightly. State-level data to 25-Nov shows Queensland's employment contracted by 0.01%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with variations between sectors. Applying these projections to East Toowoomba's employment mix suggests local employment could increase by 7.1% over five years and 14.7% over ten years.

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

The suburb of East Toowoomba has an income level above the national average, according to the latest Australian Taxation Office data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers in East Toowoomba is $58,359, with an average income of $71,708. These figures compare to those for the Rest of Qld, which are $53,146 and $66,593 respectively. Based on a Wage Price Index growth rate of 9.91% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $64,142 (median) and $78,814 (average). According to the Census 2021 income data, personal income ranks at the 57th percentile ($838 weekly), while household income sits at the 41st percentile. Income analysis shows that 28.4% of East Toowoomba's population (1,732 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, similar to the metropolitan region where 31.7% occupy this bracket. After housing expenses, 85.3% of income remains for other expenses. The suburb's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

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

East Toowoomba's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 66.3% houses and 33.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro Qld's 81.4% houses and 18.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in East Toowoomba was 30.6%, with the rest being mortgaged (26.1%) or rented (43.3%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,733, higher than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,517. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $300, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $310. Nationally, East Toowoomba's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 59.6% of all households, including 24.6% couples with children, 23.7% couples without children, and 10.4% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 40.4%, with lone person households at 37.2% and group households comprising 3.3%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.5.

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

East Toowoomba's educational attainment is notably higher than broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15+, 35.6% have university qualifications, compared to 20.6% in the rest of Queensland and 23.1% in the SA3 area. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 22.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (9.3%) and graduate diplomas (3.8%). Vocational credentials are also common, with 30.6% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas account for 10.8% while certificates make up 19.8%.

Educational participation is high, with 36.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 16.0% in secondary education, 9.2% in primary education, and 5.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

East Toowoomba has 22 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by three different routes that together offer 196 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is rated as moderate, with residents on average living 420 meters away from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 28 trips per day across all routes, which amounts to approximately eight weekly trips per individual stop.

East Toowoomba's residents are relatively healthy in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

East Toowoomba's health metrics closely align with national benchmarks. Common health conditions are prevalent across both young and old age groups.

The rate of private health cover is high at approximately 56% (~3,393 people), compared to 51.5% across the rest of Queensland. Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions, affecting 9.0 and 7.9% of residents respectively. 69.7% of residents report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 65.3% in the rest of Queensland. As of 2018, 17.2% (1,049 people) of residents are aged 65 and over, lower than the 18.8% in the rest of Queensland. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, outperforming the general population in health metrics.

East Toowoomba ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

East Toowoomba's cultural diversity was below average, with 88.3% citizens, 84.2% born in Australia, and 90.4% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 57.2%. The most notable overrepresentation was in Other, at 2.5% compared to Rest of Qld's 2.2%.

In terms of ancestry, English comprised 29.3%, Australian 25.6%, and Irish 11.1%. Scottish were notably overrepresented at 10.3% (vs regional 7.9%), German at 5.9% (vs 8.0%), and Welsh at 0.6% (vs 0.4%).

East Toowoomba's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

East Toowoomba's median age is 37 years, which is significantly lower than the Rest of Qld average of 41 years but essentially aligned with Australia's median age of 38 years. The 15-24 age cohort in East Toowoomba is notably over-represented at 16.5%, compared to the Rest of Qld average, while the 75-84 year-olds are under-represented at 5.5%. According to the 2021 Census, the 15-24 age group has grown from 15.4% to 16.5% of the population in East Toowoomba. Conversely, the 45-54 age cohort has declined from 13.2% to 11.8%. Demographic modeling suggests that East Toowoomba's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 26%, adding 178 residents to reach a total of 874 residents. However, both the 55-64 and 45-54 age groups are expected to see reduced numbers.