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 and AreaSearch validations, Glenella's population was estimated at 4,620 as of Nov 2025. This reflects a growth from the 2021 Census figure of 4,545 people, an increase of 75 (1.7%). The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimated resident population of 4,587 in June 2024 and three validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 415 persons per square kilometer. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 39.0% during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections from 2023 based on 2021 data are used, applying proportional growth weightings for age cohorts as per ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 with a base year of 2022. Considering projected demographic shifts, Glenella is expected to increase by 915 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an overall increase of 22.9%.

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 between 2015 and 2019 with only two dwelling approvals. This low level of development reflects the rural nature of the area, where housing needs are typically specific to local requirements rather than broader market demand. The low number of approvals means yearly growth figures can vary significantly based on individual projects.

Compared to Rest of Qld and national patterns, Glenella had much lower development activity during this period.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified twelve 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 strong representation in manufacturing and industrial sectors. Its unemployment rate was 1.1% as of September 2025.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 4.7%. Glenella's residents have an unemployment rate of 2.9%, below Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation is high at 70.6%, compared to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, mining, and retail trade.

Mining has particularly notable concentration with levels at 3.3 times the regional average. Agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented, with only 1.3% of Glenella's workforce compared to Rest of Qld's 4.5%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by Census working population vs resident population count. Over a 12-month period ending in September 2025, employment increased by 4.7%, keeping the unemployment rate relatively stable at 2.9%. In contrast, Rest of Qld saw employment rise by 1.7% and unemployment rise to 4.1%. State-level data from QLD as of 25-Nov-25 shows employment contracted by 0.01%, with a state unemployment rate of 4.2%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.1% over ten years. 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, assuming constant population projections for illustrative purposes.

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

The suburb of Glenella had a median taxpayer income of $62,449 and an average income of $78,127 in the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. Nationally, this is high compared to Rest of Qld's median income of $53,146 and average income of $66,593. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Glenella would be approximately $68,638 (median) and $85,869 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Glenella rank highly nationally, between the 77th and 91st percentiles. In income distribution, the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket dominates with 31.8% of residents (1,469 people), consistent with broader trends showing 31.7% in the same category across the broader area. Higher earners are a substantial presence with 41.5% exceeding $3,000 weekly. After housing costs, residents retain 88.2% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and 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

The dwelling structure in Glenella, as per the latest Census, consisted of 95.4% houses and 4.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, '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 ones 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 figure in Glenella was $450, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $340. Nationally, Glenella's mortgage repayments were higher at $1,904 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and 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, consisting of 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%, 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

Glenella Trail's residents aged 15+ have a university degree attainment rate of 21.6%, compared to Australia's 30.4%. This indicates potential for educational development. Bachelor degrees are most common (15.7%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.9%) and graduate diplomas (2.0%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 39.2% of residents holding them, including advanced diplomas (9.6%) and certificates (29.6%).

Educational participation is high, with 30.9% currently enrolled in formal education, including secondary (11.6%), primary (10.9%), and tertiary (3.2%) levels.

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 one route in total, offering 59 weekly passenger trips combined. The accessibility of transport is rated as good, with residents living an average of 376 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are eight trips per day across all routes, equating to roughly eight weekly trips per 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 very high, approximately 58% of the total population (about 2,686 people). The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and arthritis, affecting 6.9% and 6.6% of residents respectively. A total of 72.2% of residents declare they are completely clear of medical ailments compared to 69.7% in the rest of Queensland. Glenella has 13.3% of residents aged 65 and over (614 people), which is lower than the 16.2% in the rest of Queensland but still requires 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 broader regional average, with 87.9% of residents being citizens, 81.7% born in Australia, and 88.9% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Glenella, accounting for 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 representation is higher at 2.8% in Glenella versus the regional average of 2.4%. South African residents comprise 1.3%, significantly higher than the regional average of 0.5%. German ancestry also stands out at 4.9% compared to the regional average of 4.7%.

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

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. The age profile shows that those aged 45-54 make up 15.7%, while those aged 65-74 are at 6.7%. Between 2021 and now, the 15-24 age group has grown from 12.9% to 14.5%, and the 25-34 cohort increased from 9.1% to 10.3%. Conversely, the 5-14 age group has declined from 15.3% to 13.6%. By 2041, demographic projections show that the 35-44 age cohort will increase by 230 people (34%), from 674 to 905. The 15-24 cohort is projected to grow by a modest 2%, adding 13 people.