Miles

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

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validation, the estimated population of Miles was around 1,972 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 98 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,874. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 1,967 following examination of ABS's latest ERP data release in June 2025 and additional validation of 79 new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 4.6 persons per square kilometer. Miles' growth of 5.2% since the 2021 Census exceeded both SA3 area (3.5%) and SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader. Natural growth contributed approximately 60.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all migration factors also positive.

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 released in 2023 based on 2021 data are adopted, with proportional growth weightings applied for age cohorts as per ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023. Considering projected demographic shifts, the suburb is expected to expand by 76 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 3.6% over the 16 years.

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

Miles has seen minimal construction activity with three new dwellings approved annually on average over the past five years, totalling 16. These 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. Given the small number of approvals, individual development projects can significantly impact annual growth and relativity statistics.

Miles has much lower development activity compared to Rest of Qld. The development pattern is also well below national averages. New building activity consists of 75% detached houses and 25% townhouses or apartments, with a focus on family homes suited to those seeking rural lifestyle and space. An estimated 556 people reside in the area per dwelling approval, reflecting its quiet, low activity development environment.

Miles is expected to grow by 71 residents through to 2041 according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Miles 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 one major project that may affect this region: the Arrow Energy Surat Gas Project North. Other notable projects include the Arrow Energy Surat Gas Project, Arrow Energy Surat Pipeline Project, and Nathan Dam and Pipelines Project. The following details those likely to have the most relevance.

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Employment performance in Miles has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Miles has a balanced workforce comprising white and blue collar jobs, with manufacturing and industrial sectors prominently represented. The unemployment rate in Miles is 5.5%, having grown by an estimated 3.9% over the past year, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, there are 980 residents employed while the unemployment rate stands at 6.5%.

This is 1.5% higher than Regional Qld's rate of 4.0%, but workforce participation aligns with Regional Qld's figure of 64.5%. Only 7.3% of Miles' residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Employment in Miles is concentrated in retail trade, health care & social assistance, and construction sectors. Notably, agriculture, forestry & fishing employment levels are at 2.0 times the regional average.

However, health care & social assistance has a limited presence with only 11.0% of employment compared to Regional Qld's 16.1%. Miles appears to offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over the 12 months to December 2025, employment in Miles increased by 3.9%, while labour force grew by 6.0%, causing unemployment to rise by 1.9 percentage points. In contrast, Regional Qld saw employment rise by 0.7%, labour force grow by 1.0%, and unemployment increase by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Miles' employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.5% over five years and 11.9% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not consider localised population projections.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

The suburb of Miles had an income level below the national average in financial year 2023, according to aggregated ATO data by AreaSearch. The median income among taxpayers was $43,638 and the average income stood at $47,610. These figures compared to Regional Qld's median of $53,146 and average of $66,593. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes for March 2026 would be approximately $48,595 (median) and $53,018 (average). Census data showed household, family, and personal incomes in Miles fell between the 17th and 31st percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicated that the largest segment comprised 28.9% earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly, with 569 residents in this category. This was consistent with broader trends across the broader area showing 31.7% in the same income bracket. While housing costs were modest, allowing for 88.5% of income to be retained, total disposable income ranked at just the 22nd percentile nationally.

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

Dwelling structure in Miles, as evaluated at the latest Census conducted in 2016, comprised 80.7% houses and 19.2% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This is compared to Regional Queensland's figures of 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings during the same period. Home ownership in Miles stood at 30.7%, with mortgaged dwellings making up 19.6% and rented dwellings comprising 49.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Miles was $1,020 as of 2016, significantly lower than the Regional Queensland average of $1,655. Meanwhile, the median weekly rent figure for Miles was recorded at $200, substantially below the Regional Queensland average of $345 during the same period. Nationally, Miles's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863 as of 2016, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375 for that year.

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

Family households compose 63.5% of all households, including 22.5% couples with children, 26.6% couples without children, and 12.1% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 36.5%, with lone person households at 34.1% and group households comprising 3.0%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Regional Queensland average of 2.5.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 14.4%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 13.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (0.7%) and graduate diplomas (0.6%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 42.8% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 9.4% and certificates at 33.4%. Educational participation is high, with 33.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 13.5% in primary, 10.3% in secondary, and 2.4% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 33.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.5% in primary education, 10.3% in secondary education, and 2.4% pursuing tertiary education.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

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

Miles faces significant health challenges as assessed by AreaSearch. Mortality rates and prevalence of chronic conditions are high, affecting both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low at approximately 46% (908 people), compared to 52.5% in Regional Qld and the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and mental health issues, impacting 10.0% and 9.5% of residents respectively. However, 62.4% of residents claim to be free from medical ailments, compared to 67.6% in Regional Qld. The working-age population faces notable health challenges due to elevated chronic condition rates. Miles has a higher proportion of seniors, with 23.4% (461 people) aged 65 and over, compared to 20.4% in Regional Qld. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, broadly in line with national rankings.

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

Miles has a lower cultural diversity, with 81.9% citizens, 88.5% born in Australia, and 93.5% speaking English only at home. The predominant religion is Christianity, at 63.6%, compared to 52.2% regionally. Top ancestry groups are Australian (34.1%), English (27.5%), and Scottish (7.3%).

Notably, Welsh (0.8%) and South Australian (0.8%) groups are higher than regional averages of 0.5%.

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

The median age in Miles is 38 years, slightly below Regional Queensland's average of 41 but equal to Australia's median age of 38 years. The proportion of people aged 85 and over is 4.6%, higher than Regional Queensland's figure. Conversely, the percentage of people aged 35-44 is lower at 10.4%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the proportion of people aged 65-74 has increased from 9.5% to 11.2%, while those aged 85 and over have risen from 3.1% to 4.6%. However, the percentage of people aged 45-54 has decreased from 12.5% to 10.1%, and the proportion of those aged 15-24 has fallen from 12.2% to 10.8%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Miles, with the 25-34 age group projected to grow by 17 people (from 291 to 341), leading a demographic shift. Conversely, the 55-64 and 5-14 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.