Gympie

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

As of November 2025, the estimated population for the Gympie statistical area is around 12,035. This figure reflects a growth of 680 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 11,355. The increase was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 11,709 in June 2024, based on the latest ERP data release by the ABS and an additional 253 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 760 persons per square kilometer. The Gympie area's growth rate of 6.0% since the census is within 2.8 percentage points of the non-metro area average of 8.8%, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Interstate migration contributed approximately 60.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in June 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. However, 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. Looking ahead, the Gympie area is expected to grow by approximately 1,160 persons to reach a total population of around 13,205 by 2041. This projected increase reflects a growth rate of 7.3% over the 17-year period.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers indicates Gympie has seen approximately 71 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 357 homes. As of FY-26, 81 approvals have been recorded. Over these five years, an average of 0.8 new residents per year per dwelling constructed has been observed, suggesting supply is meeting or exceeding demand. The average construction value of new homes is $331,000, in line with broader regional development figures.

This financial year, $19.3 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating balanced commercial development activity. Compared to the rest of Queensland, Gympie shows around 67% of the construction activity per person and ranks among the 83rd percentile nationally for building activity. Recent years have seen an acceleration in this activity. The new development mix consists of 67.0% standalone homes and 33.0% attached dwellings, with a growing proportion of townhouses and apartments providing options across different price points.

This marks a shift from the current housing pattern, which is 85.0% houses, potentially indicating diminishing developable land availability and responding to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. Gympie has around 123 people per dwelling approval, characteristic of a low density area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Gympie is expected to grow by 875 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 that could affect this region. Notable ones are 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.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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

Gympie has a balanced workforce comprising white and blue collar jobs, with well-represented essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 7.7% as of September 2025.

Employment growth in the past year was estimated at 8.6%. There are 5,072 employed residents, with an unemployment rate of 3.6%, which is 0.5 percentage points higher than Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation in Gympie is lower at 47.9% compared to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction.

Manufacturing has notable concentration with levels at 1.8 times the regional average, while mining shows lower representation at 1.6%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work. Over the year to September 2025, employment increased by 8.6% while labour force rose by 9.6%, leading to an unemployment rate increase of 0.8 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of Qld saw employment growth of 1.7%, labour force expansion of 2.1%, and a 0.3 percentage point rise in unemployment. State-level data as of 25-Nov-25 shows Queensland's employment contracted by 0.01% with an unemployment rate of 4.2%. National employment forecasts from May-25 project overall growth of 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, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

In AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ended June 2023, Gympie suburb had a median income among taxpayers of $40,971 and an average of $49,605. This was lower than national averages. In comparison, Rest of Qld had a median income of $53,146 and an average of $66,593. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since June 2023, estimated incomes for September 2025 would be approximately $45,031 (median) and $54,521 (average). According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Gympie fell between the 4th and 7th percentiles nationally. Income analysis showed that 31.6% of Gympie's population earned within the $400 - $799 range, unlike broader area trends where 31.7% earned within the $1,500 - $2,999 range. Housing affordability pressures were severe, with only 81.3% of income remaining, ranking at the 4th percentile nationally.

Gympie is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In Gympie, as per the latest Census evaluation, 85.0% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 14.9% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types of dwellings. This is compared to Non-Metro Qld's 91.8% houses and 8.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Gympie stood at 33.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 27.8% and rented ones at 38.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,200, lower than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,326. The median weekly rent figure in Gympie was $295, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $290. Nationally, Gympie's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,200 versus Australia's average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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 comprise the remaining 38.5%, with lone person households at 34.7% and group households making up 3.9%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.4.

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 the Australian 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, with 26.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 10.2% in primary, 8.9% in secondary, and 2.6% in tertiary education.

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 52 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These stops are served by a mix of buses along nine different routes that collectively facilitate 191 weekly passenger trips. The report notes good transport accessibility for residents, with an average distance of 278 meters to the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 27 trips per day across all routes, translating to approximately three 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, with various conditions affecting both younger and older residents. Private health cover stands at approximately 47%, covering around 5,639 people, compared to the national average of 55.7%.

Mental health issues and arthritis are the most prevalent medical conditions in Gympie, impacting 12.3% and 10.8% of residents respectively. About 57.0% of residents claim to be free from any medical ailments, slightly lower than the 60.3% reported across Rest of Qld. The region has 22.6%, or approximately 2,719 people aged 65 and over, compared to 25.4% in Rest of Qld. Health outcomes among seniors mirror those of 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 cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 90.4% of its population being citizens, 88.5% born in Australia, and 96.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Gympie, comprising 47.4% of the population. Notably, the 'Other' category comprises 0.8%, slightly higher than the Rest of Qld average of 0.6%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (31.9%), Australian (31.6%), and Irish (8.4%). Some ethnic groups show notable differences: German is overrepresented at 4.8% in Gympie compared to 5.8% regionally, New Zealanders are at 0.8% versus 0.7%, and Australian Aboriginals are at 3.8% versus 3.0%.

Gympie's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Gympie is 42 years, close to Rest of Qld's average of 41 years but well above the Australian median of 38 years. The percentage of people aged 85 and over is notably higher in Gympie at 3.8%, compared to the Rest of Qld average, while those aged 45 to 54 are under-represented at 10.6%. According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 25 to 34 has grown from 11.5% to 12.6%, whereas the percentage of people aged 65 to 74 has declined from 11.5% to 10.5%. Population forecasts for the year 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Gympie. The number of people aged 25 to 34 is projected to increase by 353 individuals, from 1,516 to 1,870, representing a growth of 23%. Conversely, the populations aged 5 to 14 and 55 to 64 are expected to decrease.