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, the population of the North Ward statistical area (Lv2) is estimated at around 5,303, reflecting an increase of 230 people since the 2021 Census. This growth represents a 4.5% increase from the previous figure of 5,073 people. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 5,292 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 12 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2,138 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The North Ward's 4.5% growth positions it within 2.4 percentage points of the SA4 region (6.9%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 86.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting 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. Considering the projected demographic shifts, a population increase just below the median of Australian non-metropolitan areas is expected for the North Ward (SA2), with an estimated increase of 469 persons to 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 9.9% over the 17 years.

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 over the past five years, totalling twelve. This low level of development reflects the rural nature of the area, where housing needs are typically specific and locally driven rather than broadly market-driven. Notably, due to the small number of approvals, individual projects can significantly impact annual growth statistics.

Compared to Rest of Qld and national averages, North Ward has much lower development activity. 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 currently represented (24.0% at Census), indicating strong demand for family homes despite density pressures. With approximately 1774 people per approval, North Ward is a mature and established area.

According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the ward is expected to grow by 527 residents by 2041. If current development rates persist, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

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

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 16 projects potentially impacting the area. Key projects 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 prominent representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate stands at 6.1%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

As of September 2025, 2,978 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 2.0% higher than Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation in North Ward is 64.5%, compared to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Key industries of employment among residents include health care & social assistance, education & training, and accommodation & food. Notably, health care & social assistance has an employment concentration 1.3 times the regional average.

Conversely, construction has a limited presence with 5.5% employment compared to the regional average of 10.1%. The predominantly residential area offers limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, North Ward's labour force increased by 0.4% while employment declined by 0.7%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 1.1 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Qld experienced employment growth of 1.7% and labour force growth of 2.1%, with an unemployment rate increase of 0.3 percentage points. State-level data as of 25-Nov-25 shows Queensland's employment contracted by 0.01% (losing 1,210 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%, closely aligned with the national rate of 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years for national employment. Applying these projections to North Ward's employment mix suggests local employment should grow by 7.1% over five years and 14.7% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that income in North Ward is extremely high nationally. The median assessed income is $60,848 while the average income stands at $82,807. This contrasts with Rest of Qld's figures where the median income is $53,146 and the average income is $66,593. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since financial year 2023, current estimates for North Ward would be approximately $66,878 (median) and $91,013 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows personal income ranks at the 78th percentile ($997 weekly), while household income sits at the 35th percentile. In North Ward, 28.6% of locals (1,516 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 income category, which is consistent with broader trends across the surrounding region showing 31.7% in the same category. Housing affordability pressures are severe in North Ward, 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

In North Ward, as per the latest Census evaluation, 23.6% of dwellings were houses while 76.4% were other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This contrasts with Non-Metro Qld's figures of 81.3% houses and 18.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in North Ward stood at 23.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 18.0% and rented ones at 58.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,744, higher than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,517. The median weekly rent figure in North Ward was $285, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $305. Nationally, North Ward's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and 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 percent of all households, including 13.4 percent couples with children, 24.5 percent couples without children, and 8.0 percent single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 53.1 percent, with lone person households at 46.7 percent and group households comprising 6.4 percent of the total. 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 educational attainment significantly exceeds broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15 and above, 40.7% hold university qualifications, compared to 20.1% in the SA4 region and 20.6% in the Rest of Qld. Bachelor degrees are most common at 25.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (11.5%) and graduate diplomas (3.9%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 28.5% of residents holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 10.2% and certificates at 18.3%.

Educational participation is notably high, with 29.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.9% in secondary education, 8.5% in tertiary education, and 5.9% pursuing primary education.

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

The analysis of public transport in North Ward shows that there are currently 17 active transport stops operating. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with a total of 3 individual routes providing service to the area. The combined weekly passenger trips across these routes amount to 198.

The accessibility of transport in North Ward is rated as good, with residents typically located approximately 269 meters from their nearest transport stop. On average, there are 28 trips per day across all routes, which equates to around 11 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 above-average health outcomes with both younger and older age groups experiencing low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 60% of the total population (3,182 people), compared to 53.9% across the rest of Queensland.

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, affecting 8.6 and 6.6% of residents respectively, while 71.6% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 67.8% across the rest of Queensland. The area has 17.2% of residents aged 65 and over (912 people), which is higher than the 14.9% in the rest of Queensland. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in North Ward was found to be slightly 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, comprising 50.7%. Judaism was overrepresented at 0.3%, compared to 0.1% regionally.

Top ancestry groups were English (27.7%), Australian (21.2%), and Irish (10.2%). Spanish (0.7%) and French (0.7%) were notably overrepresented, while Scottish was slightly higher at 8.6%.

North Ward's population is slightly older than 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 a prominent group of 25-34 year-olds at 18.3%, while the 5-14 year-old group is smaller at 7.8%. Between 2021 and present, the median age has decreased by 1.0 years from 40 to 39, indicating a shift towards a younger demographic. Key changes include an increase in the 15 to 24 age group from 13.9% to 15.6%, and the 25 to 34 cohort from 16.8% to 18.3%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 14.1% to 11.3%, and the 55 to 64 group has dropped from 14.7% to 12.9%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in North Ward, with the 25-34 age group expected to grow by 28% (270 people), reaching 1,241 from 970. In contrast, the 5-14 and 15-24 cohorts are forecasted to experience population declines.