North Ward

North Ward is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

As of Nov 2025, North Ward's population is estimated at around 5,334 people, reflecting an increase of 261 people since the 2021 Census. The 2021 Census reported a population of 5,073 people in the suburb. This growth was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population as 5,330 based on ABS ERP data released June 2024 and an additional 12 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density is approximately 2,150 persons per square kilometer, above national averages assessed by AreaSearch. North Ward's growth rate of 5.1% since the census positions it within 1.8 percentage points of its SA4 region (6.9%). Overseas migration contributed around 86.0% 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 used, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. These state projections do not provide age category splits; therefore, AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort. Considering projected demographic shifts, North Ward is expected to increase by approximately 471 persons to reach a population of around 5,805 by 2041. This reflects an overall increase of about 9.3% over the 17-year period.

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

North Ward has seen minimal construction activity with two new dwellings approved annually on average over the past five years, totalling 13. This low development level reflects its rural nature where housing needs drive development rather than broad market demand. The small number of approvals can significantly impact annual growth and relativity statistics.

North Ward's development activity is much lower compared to the rest of Queensland and below national averages. Recent building activity consists solely of standalone homes, reflecting the area's rural character with larger properties being typical. Interestingly, developers are constructing more traditional houses than suggested by current mix figures (24.0% at Census), indicating strong demand for family homes despite density pressures. North Ward has a population density of around 3547 people per approval, indicating a mature, established area.

According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, North Ward is expected to grow by 498 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting stronger price growth.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 16 projects likely affecting the region. Notable initiatives include Defence Housing Australia's Townsville New Builds Volume Leasing Program (400+ Homes), Mater Private Hospital Townsville Relocation, Marina Residences, and Townsville Breakwater Master-Planned Project. 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.

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

North Ward's workforce is highly educated with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate as of June 2025 was 6.4%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

There were 2,962 residents employed at this time, with an unemployment rate 2.5% higher than Rest of Qld's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation in North Ward was 64.5%, compared to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Key industries for employment among residents were health care & social assistance, education & training, and accommodation & food. Health care & social assistance had particularly notable concentration with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average.

However, construction had limited presence with 5.5% employment compared to 10.1% regionally. The predominantly residential area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census working population vs resident population count. Between June 2024 and June 2025, labour force decreased by 1.9% while employment declined by 3.8%, causing unemployment rate to rise by 1.9 percentage points in North Ward. In contrast, Rest of Qld experienced employment growth of 1.8% and labour force growth of 2.0%, with a 0.2 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (Sep-22) projected national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to North Ward's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 7.1% over five years and 14.7% over ten years, though this was a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and did not consider localised population projections.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows North Ward has a median income of $60,848 and an average income of $82,807. This contrasts with Rest of Qld's median income of $50,780 and average income of $64,844. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.99% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of September 2025 are approximately $69,361 (median) and $94,392 (average). Census 2021 income data shows personal income ranks at the 78th percentile ($997 weekly), with household income at the 35th percentile. Income distribution in North Ward has a predominant cohort of 28.6% (1,525 people) earning $1,500 - 2,999 per week, similar to surrounding regions' 31.7%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 84.0% of income remaining, ranking at the 36th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

North Ward features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

The dwelling structure in North Ward, as per the latest Census, consisted of 23.6% houses and 76.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro Qld had 81.3% houses and 18.7% other dwellings. The home ownership level in North Ward was 23.3%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (18.0%) or rented (58.7%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in North Ward was $1,744, higher than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,517. The median weekly rent figure in North Ward was recorded at $285, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $305. Nationally, North Ward's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 46.9% of all households, including 13.4% couples with children, 24.5% couples without children, and 8.0% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 53.1%, with lone person households at 46.7% and group households comprising 6.4%. The median household size is 1.8 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.5.

The educational profile of North Ward exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

North Ward's residents aged 15 and above have a higher rate of university qualifications at 40.7% compared to the SA4 region (20.1%) and Rest of Qld (20.6%). Bachelor degrees are most common at 25.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (11.5%) and graduate diplomas (3.9%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 28.5% of residents holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (10.2%) and certificates (18.3%). Educational participation is high, with 29.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes secondary education (10.9%), tertiary education (8.5%), and primary education (5.9%). North Ward's five schools have a combined enrollment of 2,486 students, operating under typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1040) with balanced educational opportunities. Educational provision is conventional, split between two primary and three secondary institutions. The area serves as an education hub with 46.6 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 16.7, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

Transport analysis indicates 15 active stops operating within North Ward. These are served by buses via three routes, facilitating 198 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy good transport accessibility, with an average distance of 271 meters to the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 28 trips daily across all routes, resulting in approximately 13 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in North Ward is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

North Ward shows superior health outcomes for both young and elderly cohorts, with low prevalence rates for common health conditions. Approximately 60% (3,200 people) have private health cover, exceeding Rest of Qld's rate of 53.3%.

Mental health issues affect 8.6% and asthma impacts 6.6% of residents. Notably, 71.6% declare no medical ailments compared to Rest of Qld's 67.8%. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 17.2% (917 people), compared to Rest of Qld's 14.9%. Health outcomes among seniors are outstanding, outperforming the general population in health metrics.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in North Ward was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

North Ward had a higher than average cultural diversity, with 13.4% speaking a language other than English at home and 25.1% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 50.7%. Judaism was notably overrepresented at 0.3%, compared to 0.1% regionally.

The top ancestry groups were English (27.7%), Australian (21.2%) which was lower than the regional average of 27.4%, and Irish (10.2%). There were also notable differences in Spanish (0.7% vs regional 0.4%), French (0.7% vs regional 0.4%), and Scottish (8.6% vs regional 7.7%) representation.

North Ward's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in North Ward is 39 years, which is lower than Rest of Qld's average of 41 but close to the national average of 38. The age profile shows that those aged 25-34 are prominent at 18.3%, while those aged 5-14 are smaller at 7.8%. Between 2021 and present, the median age decreased by 1 year from 40 to 39, indicating a shift towards a younger demographic. Key changes include an increase in the 15-24 age group from 13.9% to 15.6%, and the 25-34 cohort from 16.8% to 18.3%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort declined from 14.1% to 11.3%, and the 55-64 group dropped from 14.7% to 13.0%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in North Ward. Notably, the 25-34 age group is expected to grow by 27% (263 people), reaching 1,240 from 976. Meanwhile, the 5-14 and 15-24 cohorts are projected to experience population declines.