Gladstone Central

Gladstone Central is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

As of November 2025, the estimated population of Gladstone Central is around 1,746. This reflects an increase of 196 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,550 people in the suburb. The latest estimate by AreaSearch, following examination of the ABS's ERP data release from June 2024 and validation of new addresses, is 1,736 residents. This results in a density ratio of 566 persons per square kilometer for Gladstone Central. The suburb's population growth rate of 12.6% since the 2021 Census exceeds both its SA4 region (6.6%) and SA3 area, indicating significant growth compared to surrounding regions. Overseas migration contributed approximately 61.0% of overall population gains during recent periods in Gladstone Central, although natural growth and interstate migration also played positive roles.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, for areas covered by this data up to the year 2032. For areas not covered or years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections from 2023 based on 2021 data are used, with proportional growth weightings applied in line with ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 and based on 2022 data. By 2041, the suburb is projected to grow by 269 persons, reflecting an increase of 11.4% over the 17-year period.

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

Gladstone Central had an average of 2 approvals per year for development activity between 2016 and 2020, totalling 14 approvals. This low level of development is typical in rural areas where housing needs are modest and construction activity is limited by local demand and infrastructure capacity. The small number of approvals can significantly impact annual growth and relativity statistics for the area.

Compared to Rest of Qld and national averages, Gladstone Central has substantially lower development levels. New building activity consists of 50% detached dwellings and 50% townhouses or apartments, indicating a shift towards compact living which attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. Despite this trend, there is ongoing robust demand for family homes, with new construction favouring detached housing more than current patterns suggest (32% at Census). The estimated population density in the area is 367 people per dwelling approval, reflecting its quiet and low activity development environment. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Gladstone Central is expected to grow by 200 residents by 2041.

If current development rates continue, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially leading to increased buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Gladstone Central has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 36thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified seven projects likely to impact the region. Notable ones are Gladstone Project, Port of Gladstone Gatcombe and Golding Cutting Channel Duplication Project, HPA First Project Stage 2, Harvey Road Sports and Events Precinct. 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.

Employment drivers in Gladstone Central are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Gladstone Central's workforce is skilled with strong representation in manufacturing and industrial sectors. The unemployment rate was 14.3% as of June 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 2.1% over the preceding year.

This rate is 6.5 percentage points higher than Rest of Qld's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation in Gladstone Central is similar to Rest of Qld at 59.1%. The leading employment industries among residents are accommodation & food, health care & social assistance, and construction. Notably, the area has a high concentration in accommodation & food with employment levels at 1.7 times the regional average.

However, education & training has limited presence with only 4.6% of employment compared to the regional average of 9.1%. The area functions as an employment hub with 1.0 workers for every resident, hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas. During the year to June 2025, employment levels increased by 2.1%, labour force grew by 4.9%, resulting in unemployment rising by 2.3 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Qld saw employment rise by 1.8%, labour force grow by 2.0%, and unemployment rise by 0.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 suggest that national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with local employment in Gladstone Central projected to increase by 5.9% over five years and 12.6% over ten years based on a simple weighting extrapolation of industry-specific projections.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

Gladstone Central's median income among taxpayers was $58,723 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $72,590 during the same period. These figures compare to Rest of Qld's median and average incomes of $50,780 and $64,844 respectively. By September 2025, based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.99%, Gladstone Central's estimated median income would be approximately $66,938 and the average income around $82,745. According to the 2021 Census, personal income ranked at the 46th percentile ($786 weekly) in Gladstone Central, while household income was at the 21st percentile. The predominant income cohort spans 29.0% of locals (506 people), falling within the $1,500 - 2,999 category. This pattern is similar to the surrounding region where 31.7% occupy this range. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Gladstone Central, with only 84.5% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 23rd percentile.

Gladstone Central features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

The latest Census evaluated dwelling structures in Gladstone Central with 32.1% houses and 67.8% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro Qld had 85.7% houses and 14.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Gladstone Central was at 16.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 14.7% and rented ones at 69.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,165, lower than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,600. The median weekly rent in Gladstone Central was $240, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $275. Nationally, mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863, while rents were substantially higher at $375.

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

Family households constitute 40.3% of all households, including 14.1% couples with children, 17.1% couples without children, and 9.0% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 59.7%, with lone person households making up 54.3% and group households comprising 4.6%. The median household size is 1.8 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.5.

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

Gladstone Central's educational attainment is notably higher than broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15+, 26.4% hold university qualifications, compared to 14.5% in the SA3 area and 15.9% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are most common at 19.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.1%) and graduate diplomas (1.9%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 38.5% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas (6.2%) and certificates (32.3%).

Educational participation is high, with 28.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.0% in primary education, 7.3% in secondary education, and 5.3% pursuing tertiary education. Two schools serve the area: Gladstone Central State School and Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School, collectively educating 719 students as of a recent report. The area's ICSEA score is 1015, indicating typical Australian school conditions with balanced educational opportunities. Both schools focus exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in nearby areas. As an education hub, Gladstone Central has 41.2 school places per 100 residents, significantly higher than the regional average of 18.2, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

Gladstone Central has 12 operational public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by two distinct routes that collectively facilitate 95 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of the transport system is deemed good, with residents typically residing 211 meters away from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 13 daily trips across all routes, equating to roughly 7 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Gladstone Central faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts.

The rate of private health cover is high at approximately 56%, covering around 977 people. Mental health issues and arthritis were found to be the most common medical conditions, impacting 10.7% and 8.2% of residents respectively. About 67.5% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 69.4% across Rest of Qld. The area has 12.4% of residents aged 65 and over, totaling 216 people, which is lower than the 15.2% in Rest of Qld. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Gladstone Central's cultural diversity was above average, with 25.2% of its population born overseas and 15.1% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Gladstone Central, comprising 44.4% of people. Hinduism was notably overrepresented at 3.7%, compared to 0.7% across Rest of Qld.

The top three ancestry groups were English (30.1%), Australian (22.5%), and Irish (8.5%). Filipino, Maori, and South African groups showed notable divergences in representation compared to regional averages.

Gladstone Central's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Gladstone Central is 38 years, which is slightly below Rest of Qld's average of 41 but matches Australia's median age of 38. The 25-34 age group comprises 18.3% of the population in Gladstone Central, higher than Rest of Qld's percentage. Conversely, the 5-14 age group makes up 8.0%, which is less prevalent compared to Rest of Qld. According to data from the 2021 Census, the 25-34 age group has increased from 16.7% to 18.3% of Gladstone Central's population, while the 45-54 cohort has decreased from 15.8% to 14.4%. Population forecasts for 2041 suggest significant demographic changes in Gladstone Central. Notably, the 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 33%, reaching 426 people from its current figure of 319. Meanwhile, the 5-14 and 55-64 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.