Glenella

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

As of Nov 2025, Glenella's population is estimated at around 4720 people. This reflects an increase of 175 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4545 people. The growth was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 4690 following examination of the latest ERP data release by ABS (June 2024), along with validation of 3 new addresses since the Census date. This equates to a density ratio of 424 persons per square kilometer, providing significant space per person and potential room for further development. Glenella's population growth rate of 3.9% since census positions it within 2.7 percentage points of the SA3 area (6.6%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. 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 adopts 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, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. Considering projected demographic shifts, an above median population growth is projected for non-metropolitan areas, with the suburb expected to increase by 920 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 20.4% over the 17 years.

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

Glenella had minimal residential development activity with 2 dwelling approvals annually from 2015 to 2019 inclusive. This resulted in a total of 10 dwelling approvals over the five-year period. The 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.

It should be noted that with such low approval numbers, yearly growth figures and relativities can vary considerably based on individual projects. Glenella naturally has much lower development activity compared to Rest of Qld. This activity level is similarly below national patterns. Recent development in the area has been entirely comprised of detached dwellings, maintaining the area's rural nature with emphasis on space.

The estimated population count of 949 people per dwelling approval reflects its quiet, low activity development environment. Population forecasts indicate Glenella will gain 961 residents from 2020 to 2041 inclusive (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Glenella has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 12 projects likely affecting the region. Notable initiatives 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 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 of employment trends sees Glenella performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Glenella has a skilled workforce with manufacturing and industrial sectors strongly represented. The unemployment rate was 0.7% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 0.6%.

As of June 2025, 2,736 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 3.3% lower than Rest of Qld's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation in Glenella is 70.6%, compared to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Key industries of employment among residents are health care & social assistance, mining, and retail trade. Mining shows strong specialization with an employment share of 3.3 times the regional level, while agriculture, forestry & fishing has lower representation at 1.3% versus the regional average of 4.5%.

Employment opportunities locally appear limited based on Census working population vs resident population data. From June 2024 to June 2025, employment levels increased by 0.6%, and labour force decreased by 0.1%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.7 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Qld experienced employment growth of 1.8% and labour force growth of 2.0%, with a rise in unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 offer insight into potential future demand within Glenella. These projections suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Glenella's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.1% over five years and 13.1% over ten years.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Glenella had a median taxpayer income of $62,449 and an average income of $78,127. These figures are among the highest in Australia, compared to $50,780 and $64,844 across Rest of Qld respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022, current estimates for Glenella's median income would be approximately $71,186 and average income around $89,057 by September 2025. According to Census 2021 income data, Glenella ranks highly nationally with household, family and personal incomes between the 77th and 91st percentiles. Income distribution shows 31.8% of individuals earn between $1,500 - $2,999 annually, similar to the broader area at 31.7%. Economic strength is evident with 41.5% of households earning over $3,000 weekly, supporting high consumer spending. After housing costs, residents retain 88.2% of income, indicating strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in Glenella, as evaluated at the latest Census, consisted of 95.4% houses and 4.7% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings, compared to Non-Metro Qld's 85.1% houses and 14.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Glenella stood at 32.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 46.3% and rented dwellings at 21.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,904, higher than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent in Glenella was $450, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $340 and the national average of $375. Nationally, Glenella's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863.

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

Family households constitute 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 account for the remaining 15.7%, with lone person households at 13.2% and group households comprising 2.5%. The median household size is 2.9 people, larger than the Rest of Qld average of 2.6.

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

Educational qualifications in Glenella trail regional benchmarks, with 21.6% of residents aged 15+ holding university degrees compared to the national average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 15.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.9%) and graduate diplomas (2.0%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 39.2% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 9.6% and certificates at 29.6%. Educational participation is 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. Glenella State School serves the local area, enrolling 225 students as of a typical Australian school condition index (ICSEA) of 971. The school focuses exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in nearby areas due to limited local capacity (4.8 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 17.1).

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

Glenella has seven active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by a single route, offering 59 weekly passenger trips in total. The accessibility of these stops is rated as good, with residents on average being located 376 meters from the nearest stop.

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

Glenella's residents are extremely healthy with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Glenella.

Prevalence of common health conditions is low among the general population but higher than the national average among older and at-risk cohorts. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 58% of the total population, which comprises 2745 people. The most common medical conditions in the area are asthma and arthritis, impacting 6.9 and 6.6% of residents respectively. A total of 72.2% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.7% across Rest of Qld. Glenella has 13.3% of residents aged 65 and over, which totals 627 people, lower than the 16.2% in Rest of Qld but requiring more attention than the broader 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% being citizens, 81.7% born in Australia, and 88.9% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion, practiced by 61.5%, compared to 56.8% across Rest of Qld. The top three ancestry groups are English (27.2%), Australian (26.3%), and Scottish (7.8%).

Notably, Maltese are overrepresented at 2.8% (vs regional 2.4%), South African at 1.3% (vs 0.5%), and German at 4.9% (vs 4.7%).

Glenella's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Glenella is 39 years, lower than Rest of Qld's average of 41 but close to Australia's national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 45-54 are prominent, comprising 15.7% of the population, while those aged 65-74 make up a smaller proportion at 6.7%. Between 2021 and the present, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 12.9% to 14.5%, and the 25 to 34 cohort increased from 9.1% to 10.3%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 age group has declined from 15.3% to 13.6%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections indicate that the 35 to 44 age cohort is expected to increase by 213 people (31%), from 689 to 903. Meanwhile, the 15 to 24 age group is projected to decrease by 0 residents.