Gilston

Gilston lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of May 2026, the population of Gilston is estimated at around 3,008 people. This figure reflects an increase of 339 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,669 people. This growth, representing a 12.7% increase, is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 2,998 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025, and an additional 79 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 233 persons per square kilometer, indicating significant space per person and potential room for further development. Gilston's growth rate exceeded both the Rest of Qld (9.2%) and the national average, positioning it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 60.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary growth for the area.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections released in 2023 based on 2021 data are adopted, applying proportional growth weightings from ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort where state projections lack age category splits. According to these demographic trends, an above median population growth is projected for non-metropolitan areas nationally, with Gilston expected to expand by 591 persons to reach a total of 3,600 people by 2041, reflecting a 19.3% increase over the 16-year period.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data shows Gilston averaged around 14 new dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 73 homes. As of FY26 so far, eight approvals have been recorded. Each dwelling built between FY21 and FY25 resulted in an average of 2.2 new residents per year, reflecting robust demand that supports property values. New homes are being constructed at an average value of $647,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties.

This financial year has seen $9.5 million in commercial approvals registered, suggesting steady commercial investment activity. Building activity shows 79.0% detached houses and 21.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's traditional low density character while also reflecting changing lifestyles and the need for more diverse housing options. The location has approximately 163 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market.

Future projections estimate Gilston will add 581 residents by 2041 (from AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate). Existing development levels appear aligned with future requirements, maintaining stable market conditions without significant price pressures.

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

Area infrastructure changes significantly influence local performance. Five projects are identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Key projects include Serenity Estate, Hinkler Drive Retail Showroom Complex, Mooyumbin Creek Riparian Restoration, and Highland Park Investigation Area. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Gilston performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Gilston has a skilled workforce with the construction sector being notably represented. Its unemployment rate is 2.3%, with an estimated employment growth of 3.1% over the past year, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, 1,716 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.7% below Regional Qld's rate of 4.0%.

Workforce participation is high at 76.5%, compared to Regional Qld's 64.5%. A moderate 15.9% of residents work from home, potentially impacted by Covid-19 lockdowns. Key industries for employment are construction, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Construction stands out with employment levels at 1.6 times the regional average, while agriculture, forestry & fishing employs just 0.8% of local workers, below Regional Qld's 4.5%.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Over the year to December 2025, employment increased by 3.1%, labour force by 2.9%, reducing unemployment by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Regional Qld saw employment grow by 0.7% and unemployment rise by 0.3 percentage points. Future demand within Gilston can be inferred from Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts (May-25). Applying these projections to Gilston's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.3% over ten years, though these are illustrative extrapolations not accounting for localized population projections.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

The suburb of Gilston had a median income among taxpayers of $63,877 and an average income of $77,850 in the financial year 2023, according to ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. These figures are higher than those for Regional Qld, which were $53,146 and $66,593 respectively. By March 2026, these incomes are estimated to have grown by approximately $7,256 (median) and $8,844 (average), based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% since the financial year 2023. In the 2021 Census, Gilston's household incomes ranked at the 89th percentile with a weekly income of $2,446. The earnings profile showed that 43.3% of individuals earned between $1,500 and $2,999 per week, compared to 31.7% in the broader area. A substantial presence of higher earners was evident, with 31.1% exceeding $3,000 weekly. Housing costs consumed 16.5% of income, but strong earnings resulted in disposable income at the 87th percentile. The suburb's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 7th decile.

Gilston is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

The latest Census showed that Gilston's dwelling structures were 96.8% houses and 3.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Regional Qld's 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Gilston was at 20.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 62.5% and rented ones at 16.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Gilston was $2,172, higher than Regional Qld's average of $1,863. The median weekly rent in Gilston was $540, compared to Regional Qld's $375 and the national average of $345.

Gilston features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 90.8% of all households, including 53.1% couples with children, 25.8% couples without children, and 11.0% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 9.2%, with lone person households at 7.3% and group households at 2.1%. The median household size is 3.2 people, larger than the Regional Queensland average of 2.5.

The educational profile of Gilston exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Gilston's educational qualifications trail regional benchmarks, with 22.3% of residents aged 15+ holding university degrees compared to Australia's 30.4%. This gap suggests potential for educational development and skills enhancement. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 15.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.1%) and graduate diplomas (2.6%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 44.3% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (13.1%) and certificates (31.2%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 33.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.7% in primary education, 9.3% in secondary education, and 3.7% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Gilston has seven operational public transport stops, all serving buses. There is one route in operation, offering a total of 80 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is moderate, with residents living an average of 478 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to Gilston's residential nature. Cars are the primary mode of transport, used by 97% of residents. On average, there are 2.2 vehicles per dwelling, higher than the regional norm.

According to the 2021 Census, 15.9% of residents work from home, potentially due to COVID-19 conditions. Buses run on average 11 trips daily across all routes, equating to roughly 11 weekly trips per individual stop.

Gilston's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Gilston. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were very low across all age groups.

Private health cover was found to be very high at approximately 58% of the total population (around 1,746 people), compared to 52.5% across Regional Qld. The most common medical conditions in the area were asthma and mental health issues, impacting 8.4 and 6.5% of residents respectively. Seventy-four point three percent of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 67.6% across Regional Qld. Working-age residents had low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 11.7% of residents aged 65 and over (351 people), lower than the 20.4% in Regional Qld. Health outcomes among seniors were particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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

Gilston's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 86.8% of its population being Australian citizens, born in Australia (79.1%), and speaking English only at home (93.7%). Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 46.7% of Gilston's population. Notably, Judaism had a higher representation in Gilston at 0.3%, compared to 0.1% across Regional Queensland.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (30.9%), Australian (27.6%), and Scottish (8.2%). Some ethnic groups showed significant differences: New Zealand was overrepresented at 2.2% in Gilston versus 0.9% regionally, Hungarian at 0.6% versus 0.2%, and Russian at 0.7% versus 0.2%.

Gilston's population is younger than the national pattern

The median age in Gilston is 35 years, which is lower than Regional Queensland's average of 41 and under the national average of 38. The 35-44 cohort makes up 17.4% of Gilston's population, compared to Regional Queensland's average, indicating an over-representation of this age group in Gilston. Conversely, the 65-74 year-olds are under-represented at 7.0%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 10.4% to 11.3%, while the 5 to 14 cohort has declined from 18.3% to 16.3%, and the 45 to 54 group has dropped from 14.4% to 13.2%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Gilston, with the 25 to 34 age group projected to grow by 38 people (from 418 to 575), while the 15 to 24 group is expected to decrease by 5 residents.