Gayndah

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

As of February 2026, the estimated population of Gayndah is around 2,082 people. This represents an increase of 133 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,949 people. The current population is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of 2,045 residents following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, along with an additional 19 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of approximately 30 persons per square kilometer. Gayndah's growth rate of 6.8% since the 2021 census exceeds that of its SA3 area at 6.3%, indicating it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed significantly to this growth, accounting for approximately 97.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch utilizes ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections are adopted, based on 2021 data and released in 2023. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits, so AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings aligned with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort, released in 2023 using a base year of 2022. According to population projections, lower quartile growth is anticipated for regional areas across the nation, with Gayndah expected to grow by 50 persons to reach a total population of around 2,132 people by 2041, reflecting an overall gain of approximately 0.9% over the 17-year period.

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

Gayndah has had minimal residential development activity with an average of 2 dwelling approvals per year over the past five years, totalling 12. These low development levels reflect the rural nature of the area where development is typically driven by specific local housing needs rather than broad market demand. Note that yearly growth figures and relativities can vary considerably based on individual projects due to such low approval numbers.

Gayndah shows significantly less construction activity than the Rest of Qld, with this activity level also below national patterns. All new construction in the area since 2016 has been comprised of detached houses, maintaining its rural nature with emphasis on space. The estimated population density is 814 people per dwelling approval, reflecting its quiet, low activity development environment. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Gayndah's population is forecasted to gain 19 residents by 2041.

At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Gayndah has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified zero projects that could affect this region. Notable projects include Stony Creek Wind Farm, Paradise Dam Improvement Project (New Dam Wall), Mt Rawdon Pumped Hydro Project, and Queensland Energy Roadmap 2025. 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.

The employment landscape in Gayndah shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Gayndah has a balanced workforce comprising white and blue collar jobs across various sectors. Its unemployment rate was 5.7% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 10.5%. As of September 2025, 1,080 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 6.3%, slightly higher than Rest of Qld's 4.1%.

Workforce participation is similar to Rest of Qld at 65.7%. Census data shows that only 6.0% of residents work from home. The dominant employment sectors in Gayndah are agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. The area has a strong specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with an employment share 5.3 times the regional level.

However, construction has limited presence at 4.4% compared to the regional average of 10.1%. Over the past year, employment increased by 10.5%, while the labour force grew by 10.0%, leading to a decrease in unemployment by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Qld saw employment growth of 1.7% and labour force growth of 2.1%, with a slight rise in unemployment. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia suggest that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Gayndah's employment mix indicates that local employment should increase by 5.4% over five years and 12.0% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

The suburb of Gayndah's income level is below the national average according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Gayndah is $37,564 and the average income stands at $45,328. This compares to figures for Rest of Qld which are $53,146 (median) and $66,593 (average). Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $41,287 (median) and $49,820 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes in Gayndah all fall between the 4th and 8th percentiles nationally. Looking at income distribution, the $400 - 799 bracket dominates with 31.6% of residents (657 people), differing from patterns across the region where $1,500 - 2,999 dominates with 31.7%. After housing costs, 86.6% of income remains, ranking at only the 7th percentile nationally.

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

Gayndah's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consists of 91.0% houses and 9.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro Qld's 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Gayndah stands at 39.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 24.0% and rented ones at 36.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment is $984, below Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,655. Median weekly rent in Gayndah is $230, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $345. Nationally, Gayndah's mortgage repayments are lower at $984 than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents are lower at $230 than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 61.6% of all households, including 19.6% couples with children, 30.3% couples without children, and 11.1% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 38.4%, with lone person households at 34.6% and group households at 3.9%. The median household size is 2.2 people, smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.5.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 11.6%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 9.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.1%) and graduate diplomas (0.9%). Trade and technical skills are prevalent, with 40.0% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (8.4%) and certificates (31.6%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 28.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes primary education (11.3%), secondary education (10.6%), and tertiary education (2.6%).

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Health performance in Gayndah is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Gayndah faces significant health challenges as per AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are high, affecting both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low, at approximately 45% of the total population (~940 people), compared to 52.5% in the rest of Queensland and a national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent conditions are arthritis (11.1%) and mental health issues (9.7%), while 57.8% claim to be free from medical ailments, lower than the 67.6% in the rest of Queensland. Working-age residents face notable health challenges with high chronic condition rates. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 27.3% (568 people), compared to 20.4% in the rest of Queensland. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, aligning broadly with national rankings for the general population.

Gayndah is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Gayndah, as per the data, showed lower cultural diversity with 83.0% of its population being citizens, 89.5% born in Australia, and 94.5% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Gayndah, accounting for 57.5%, compared to 52.2% across Rest of Qld. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (31.5%), English (29.8%), and German (7.9%).

Notably, Australian Aboriginal representation was higher at 7.8% in Gayndah compared to the regional average of 3.9%. Korean and Lebanese populations also showed significant differences with 0.7% and 0.2%, respectively, compared to regional averages of 0.2% and 0.1%.

Gayndah hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Gayndah's median age is 46 years, significantly higher than Rest of Qld's 41 and the national average of 38 years. Compared to Rest of Qld, Gayndah has a higher percentage of residents aged 75-84 (11.3%), but fewer residents aged 5-14 (9.3%). This 75-84 concentration is well above the national average of 6.1%. Between the 2016 and 2021 Censuses, Gayndah's population shifted: the 25 to 34 age group grew from 10.7% to 12.8%, while the 75 to 84 cohort increased from 9.6% to 11.3%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort declined from 12.4% to 10.3% and the 65 to 74 group dropped from 14.3% to 13.0%. By 2041, Gayndah's age composition is expected to change notably: the 85+ group will grow by 78%, reaching 111 from 62. Residents aged 65 and older will represent 52% of this growth. Conversely, both the 65 to 74 and 5 to 14 age groups are expected to decrease in number.