Gympie

Gympie has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Gympie is around 12,064, reflecting an increase of 709 people since the 2021 Census. The population was reported as 11,355 in the 2021 Census. This increase is inferred from AreaSearch's estimated resident population of 11,709, based on examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024), and an additional 275 validated new addresses since the Census date. The current population density ratio is approximately 762 persons per square kilometer. Gympie's growth rate of 6.2% since the census positions it within 2.9 percentage points of the Rest of Qld (9.1%). Interstate migration contributed approximately 60.0% of overall population gains 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 by this data and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections are adopted, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. These state projections do not provide age category splits, so AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort, released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Future population dynamics anticipate a median increase similar to national non-metropolitan areas, with an expected growth of 1,154 persons by 2041, reflecting a total increase of 7.0% over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Gympie when compared nationally

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Gympie had approximately 71 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling around 357 homes. As of FY26, 81 approvals have been recorded. The average number of new residents per year per dwelling constructed between FY21 and FY25 was 0.8, indicating supply meeting or exceeding demand. New homes are being built at an average construction cost value of $331,000.

In FY26, $19.3 million in commercial approvals have been registered. Compared to the Rest of Qld, Gympie shows around 67% of the construction activity per person and is among the 83rd percentile nationally. New development consists of 67.0% standalone homes and 33.0% attached dwellings, marking a shift from existing housing patterns which are currently 85.0% houses. Gympie has around 123 people per dwelling approval, indicating characteristics of a low density area.

According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Gympie is expected to grow by 844 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Gympie has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 15 projects likely to affect this region. Notable ones include Gympie Civic Centre Revitalisation (Civic Centre Remediation), Gympie Regional Housing Action Plan Implementation, Gympie Region Planning Scheme Review, and Cooroy To Curra - Section D - Southern Contract. The following list details those most relevant.

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Gympie shows employment indicators that trail behind approximately 70% of regions assessed across Australia

Gympie's workforce is balanced across white and blue-collar jobs with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 7.7% as of a certain period, with an estimated employment growth of 8.6% over the past year, according to AreaSearch data aggregation. As of September 2025, 5,076 residents were employed, and the unemployment rate was 3.6% higher than Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%.

Workforce participation in Gympie lagged at 57.1%, compared to Rest of Qld's 65.7%. Census data showed that only 6.0% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. The dominant employment sectors were health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. Manufacturing stood out with employment levels at 1.8 times the regional average, while mining had lower representation at 1.6%.

Many residents commuted elsewhere for work based on Census data. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment increased by 8.6%, labour force by 9.6%, leading to an unemployment rise of 0.8 percentage points in Gympie. In comparison, Rest of Qld saw employment growth of 1.7%, labour force expansion of 2.1%, and a 0.3 percentage point increase in unemployment. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, released in May-25, project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Gympie's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.0% over five years and 12.9% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 reports Gympie's median income among taxpayers as $40,971 and average at $49,605. These figures are lower than national averages. Rest of Qld has a median of $53,146 and average of $66,593. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes for September 2025 would be approximately $45,031 (median) and $54,521 (average). The 2021 Census shows household, family, and personal incomes in Gympie falling between the 4th and 7th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals 31.6% of Gympie's population (3,812 individuals) earn within the $400 - $799 range, unlike broader trends where 31.7% fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 range. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Gympie, with only 81.3% of income remaining, ranking at the 4th percentile nationally.

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

Dwelling structure in Gympie, as evaluated at the latest Census held on 28 August 2016, comprised 85.0% houses and 14.9% other dwellings including semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This is compared to Non-Metro Queensland's structure of 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Gympie was at 33.6%, similar to Non-Metro Qld, with mortgaged properties at 27.8% and rented dwellings at 38.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,200, lower than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,655. Median weekly rent in Gympie was recorded at $295, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $345 and Australia's national figure of $375. Nationally, Gympie's mortgage repayments are significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863.

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

Family households constitute 61.5% of all households, including 19.5% couples with children, 23.7% couples without children, and 17.2% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 38.5%, with lone person households at 34.7% and group households comprising 3.9%. The median household size is 2.3 people, smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.5.

Gympie faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 12.5%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 9.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.0%) and graduate diplomas (1.5%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 41.3% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (9.1%) and certificates (32.2%). Educational participation is high at 26.6%, comprising primary education (10.2%), secondary education (8.9%), and tertiary education (2.6%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 26.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.2% in primary education, 8.9% in secondary education, and 2.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Gympie has 78 active public transport stops, served by a mix of buses along 9 routes. These routes provide 191 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents have good access to transport, with an average distance of 278 meters to the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward daily, with cars being the primary mode of transport at 92%. The average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 1.1, lower than the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, only 6% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

On average, there are 27 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 2 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Gympie is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Gympie faces significant health challenges, as assessed by AreaSearch through mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Multiple health conditions impact both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low at approximately 47% of Gympie's total population (~5,653 people), compared to 52.5% in the rest of Queensland and the national average of 55.7%.

Mental health issues and arthritis are the most prevalent conditions, affecting 12.3% and 10.8% of residents respectively, while 57.0% report no medical ailments, compared to 67.6% in the rest of Queensland. The working-age population faces notable health challenges due to elevated chronic condition rates. Gympie has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 22.6% (2,726 people), compared to 20.4% in the rest of Queensland. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Gympie is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Gympie's population, as per the 2016 Census, was predominantly Australian-born with 90.4% citizens and 88.5% born in Australia. English was spoken at home by 96.0%. Christianity was the primary religion, practised by 47.4%.

The 'Other' religious category comprised 0.8%, similar to the Rest of Queensland average. Ancestry-wise, English (31.9%) and Australian (31.6%) were the most common, with Irish at 8.4%. Notable differences included German ancestry at 4.8% (vs regional 4.7%), New Zealand at 0.8% (vs 0.9%), and Australian Aboriginal at 3.8% (vs 3.9%).

Gympie's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Gympie is 41 years, which matches Rest of Qld's average but is higher than Australia's average of 38 years. Compared to Rest of Qld, Gympie has a higher proportion of residents aged 85 and above (3.9%) but fewer residents aged 45 to 54 (10.4%). According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 25 to 34 grew from 11.5% to 12.9%, while the 35 to 44 age group increased from 10.8% to 12.0%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 age group declined from 11.5% to 10.4%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Gympie's age structure. The 25 to 34 age group is expected to grow by 20%, reaching 1,872 people from the current 1,556. Conversely, the 5 to 14 and 55 to 64 age groups are projected to experience population declines.