Glenella

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

Based on ABS population updates for the broader area and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, the estimated population of Glenella as of May 2026 is around 4,612. This reflects an increase of 67 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,545. The change is inferred from the resident population of 4,571 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025 and an additional two validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 414 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration contributed approximately 39.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including natural growth and interstate migration were positive factors.

AreaSearch is adopting 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 released in 2023 based on 2021 data are adopted. These state projections do not provide age category splits, so AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data for each age cohort. Considering projected demographic shifts, an above median population growth of Australian non-metropolitan areas is projected for Glenella, with the area expected to increase by 809 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 16.6% in total over the 16 years.

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

Glenella has seen minimal development activity over the past five years, with an average of less than one approval per year, totalling two in total. This low level of development is typical in rural areas where housing needs are relatively modest and construction activity is limited by local demand and infrastructure capacity. It should be noted that with such low approval numbers, yearly growth figures and relativities can vary significantly based on individual projects.

Glenella's development levels are substantially lower than those of the rest of Queensland. This level of activity also falls below national patterns.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified twelve projects that could affect this region. Notable ones include Mackay Port Access Bruce Highway to Mackay Slade Point Road Stage 1, Magpies Sporting Club Redevelopment, Mackay Educational Precinct, and Mackay Ring Road - Stage Two. The following list details those most likely to be 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 conditions in Glenella rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

Glenella has a skilled workforce with strong representation in manufacturing and industrial sectors. Its unemployment rate was 1.0% as of December 2025. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 4.2%.

Glenella's employment rate is higher than Regional Qld's, with 3.0% unemployment compared to Regional Qld's 4.0%, and a workforce participation rate of 72.4% versus Regional Qld's 64.5%. As of the Census, 6.0% of residents worked from home. Leading employment industries include health care & social assistance, mining, and retail trade. Mining is particularly specialized in Glenella, with an employment share 3.3 times the regional level.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing employs only 1.3% of local workers compared to Regional Qld's 4.5%. Employment opportunities locally appear limited based on Census data. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment levels increased by 4.2%, labour force grew by 4.3%, causing unemployment rate to rise by 0.1 percentage points. In contrast, Regional Qld saw employment rise by 0.7% and unemployment rise by 0.3 percentage points during the same period. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia suggest Glenella's employment should increase by 6.1% over five years and 13.1% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to Glenella's employment mix.

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released for financial year 2023, Glenella had a median taxpayer income of $62,449 and an average income of $78,127. These figures are higher than the national averages of $53,146 and $66,593 in Regional Qld respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth from financial year 2023 to March 2026, estimated median income is approximately $69,543 and average income is around $87,002. In Glenella, household, family, and personal incomes ranked between the 77th and 91st percentiles nationally according to 2021 Census figures. Income brackets showed that 31.8% of locals earned between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, similar to the broader area's 31.7%. A significant portion, 41.5%, exceeded $3,000 weekly. After housing costs, residents retained 88.2% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 6th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in Glenella, as evaluated at the latest Census in 2016, comprised 95.4% houses and 4.7% other dwellings. In comparison, Regional Qld had 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Glenella was 32.5%, similar to Regional Qld's figure. Mortgaged dwellings accounted for 46.3% and rented dwellings made up 21.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Glenella, as of 2018, was $1,904, higher than Regional Qld's average of $1,655. The median weekly rent figure for Glenella was recorded at $450 in 2018, compared to Regional Qld's $345. Nationally, Glenella's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 84.3% of all households, including 43.4% couples with children, 30.6% couples without children, and 9.3% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 15.7%, consisting of 13.2% lone person households and 2.5% group households. The median household size is 2.9 people, larger than the Regional Queensland average of 2.5.

Educational outcomes in Glenella fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

Glenella trail's residents aged 15+ have 21.6% university degrees, compared to Australia's 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 15.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.9%) and graduate diplomas (2.0%). Vocational credentials are held by 39.2% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 9.6% and certificates at 29.6%. Educational participation is high, with 30.9% currently enrolled in formal education, including 11.6% in secondary, 10.9% in primary, and 3.2% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 30.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.6% in secondary education, 10.9% in primary education, and 3.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Glenella has seven operational public transport stops, all offering bus services. These stops are served by one route collectively providing 59 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically located 376 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to Glenella's residential nature. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport at 95%, with an average vehicle ownership of 1.9 per dwelling, above the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, only 6% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages eight trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately eight weekly trips per individual stop.

Glenella's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Health data shows Glenella residents have relatively positive health outcomes, with AreaSearch's analysis finding mortality rates and health conditions largely align with national benchmarks. Common health conditions are seen across both young and old age cohorts at a standard level.

Private health cover is high, with approximately 58% of the total population (~2,682 people), compared to 52.5% in Regional Qld. The most common medical conditions are asthma (6.9%) and arthritis (6.6%), while 72.2% of residents report being clear of medical ailments, compared to 67.6% across Regional Qld. Under-65 population health outcomes are better than average. Glenella has 14.3% of residents aged 65 and over (659 people), lower than the 20.4% in Regional Qld, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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

Glenella's cultural diversity aligns with its wider region, with 87.9% citizens, 81.7% born in Australia, and 88.9% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Glenella at 61.5%, compared to 52.2% across Regional Qld. The top three ancestry groups are English (27.2%), Australian (26.3%), and Scottish (7.8%).

Notably, Maltese (2.8%) South Australian (1.3%), and German (4.9%) populations are higher than regional averages of 0.4%, 0.5%, and 4.7% respectively.

Glenella's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Glenella as of 2021 was 39 years, lower than Regional Queensland's average of 41 but close to Australia's national average of 38 years. The age profile showed that the 45-54 year-old group made up 15.6% of the population, while the 65-74 year-old group constituted 7.1%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group grew from 12.9% to 14.6%, and the 75-84 cohort increased from 3.8% to 4.9%. Conversely, the 5-14 age group declined from 15.3% to 13.4%, and the 45-54 year-old group decreased from 16.7% to 15.6%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections indicate that the 35-44 age cohort is expected to increase by 146 people (21%), growing from 701 to 848 residents. Conversely, the 15-24 age group is projected to decrease by 26 residents.