Palm Island

Palm Island 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 November 2025, Palm Island's estimated population is around 2,312, reflecting an increase of 174 people since the 2021 Census. This growth represents an 8.1% increase from the previous census figure of 2,138 residents. AreaSearch validated new addresses and inferred this population change based on the resident population estimate of 2,323, following examination of ABS's latest ERP data release in June 2024. The suburb has a population density ratio of 26 persons per square kilometer. Palm Island's growth exceeded that of its SA3 area (3.6%) and SA4 region since the 2021 Census. Natural growth contributed approximately 99% to 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. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits, so AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings from ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data) for each age cohort. Future population trends project an above median growth for national non-metropolitan areas. By 2041, Palm Island is expected to expand by 402 persons, reflecting a total increase of 17.9% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Palm Island recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Palm Island has received approximately 13 dwelling approvals annually on average over the past five financial years, totalling about 69 homes. No approvals have been recorded so far in FY26. Each new home attracts an average of 0.2 new residents per year between FY21 and FY25.

The average construction value of these properties is $351,000. Compared to the rest of Queensland, Palm Island has 191% higher new home approvals per person. All approved constructions are detached houses, maintaining the area's low-density nature. There are around 79 people per dwelling approval on Palm Island.

By 2041, Palm Island is projected to gain approximately 414 residents. At current development rates, housing supply should comfortably meet demand.

Palm Island has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 25thth percentile nationally

No changes can significantly influence an area's performance like alterations to its local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 0 projects that could potentially impact this area. Notable projects include the Bruce Highway (Townsville-Ingham) upgrade program, North and Far North Queensland Renewable Energy Zones (REZs), Queensland National Land Transport Network Maintenance, and the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan SuperGrid. The following list details those projects likely to be most relevant.

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

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Employment conditions in Palm Island face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Palm Island's workforce comprises both white and blue-collar jobs, with essential services sectors well-represented. As of June 2025, the unemployment rate is 71.6%.

The island's unemployment rate is significantly higher than Rest of Qld's rate of 3.9%, indicating room for improvement. Workforce participation on Palm Island lags behind Rest of Qld at 27.3% compared to 59.1%. Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, education & training, and public administration & safety. Notably, health care & social assistance employment levels are 2.0 times the regional average.

However, construction is under-represented on Palm Island with only 2.4% of its workforce compared to Rest of Qld's 10.1%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population. Over the 12 months to June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 1.1%, combined with a 22.6% decrease in employment, causing unemployment to rise by 7.9 percentage points on Palm Island. 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. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 offer insight into potential future demand within Palm Island. These projections suggest national employment should expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these industry-specific projections to Palm Island's employment mix indicates local employment could increase by 7.7% over five years and 16.0% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that income in Palm Island is below the national average. The median income is $52,266 while the average income stands at $63,478. In comparison, Rest of Qld has a median income of $50,780 and an average income of $64,844. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.99% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Palm Island would be approximately $59,578 (median) and $72,359 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Palm Island all fall between the 1st and 2nd percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that the largest segment comprises 27.3% earning $400 - $799 weekly (631 residents), contrasting with the surrounding region where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket leads at 31.7%. The prevalence of lower-income residents (40.4% under $800/week) indicates constrained household budgets across much of the area. While housing costs are modest with 87.4% of income retained, the total disposable income ranks at just the 5th percentile nationally.

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

Palm Island's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 87.9% houses and 12.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro Qld had 89.5% houses and 10.5% other dwellings. Home ownership on Palm Island was at 2.2%, with the rest being mortgaged (0.0%) or rented (97.8%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, higher than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,213. The median weekly rent figure was $125, lower than Non-Metro Qld's $202 and the national average of $375. Nationally, Palm Island's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,167 compared to the Australian average of $1,863.

Palm Island has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 75.9 percent of all households, including 27.6 percent couples with children, 11.2 percent couples without children, and 30.0 percent single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 24.1 percent, with lone person households at 21.1 percent and group households comprising 3.7 percent of the total. The median household size is 3.7 people, larger than the Rest of Qld average of 2.3.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 7.3%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 4.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.4%) and graduate diplomas (1.0%). Vocational pathways account for 22.6% of qualifications among those aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 4.5% and certificates at 18.1%.

Educational participation is high, with 30.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 21.0% in primary education, 6.4% in secondary education, and 0.5% pursuing tertiary education. The area has two schools serving 459 students: Bwgcolman Community School and St Michael's Catholic School. The area's educational conditions are varied (ICSEA: 667). It offers one primary school and one K-12 school.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Palm Island's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Palm Island's health outcomes show excellent results across all age groups. Both younger and older residents have a low prevalence of common health conditions.

The rate of private health cover is approximately 52%, which is higher than the average SA2 area (49.9%) in Rest of Qld. Diabetes and heart disease are the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 7.2% and 4.3% of residents respectively. A total of 83.9% of residents reported being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 66.2% across Rest of Qld. Only 7.2% of residents are aged 65 and over (166 people), lower than the 24.3% in Rest of Qld. However, health outcomes among seniors require more attention than the broader population.

In terms of cultural diversity, Palm Island records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Palm Island's cultural diversity aligns with its region, with 93.2% citizens, 97.8% born in Australia, and 56.7% speaking English only at home. Christianity dominates Palm Island, comprising 81.7%, compared to 70.7% across Rest of Qld. The top three ancestry groups are Australian Aboriginal (72.6%), Other (16.4%), and Australian (4.6%).

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Palm Island are Australian Aboriginal, comprising 72.6% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 8.1%, Other, comprising 16.4% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 4.6%, and Australian, comprising 4.6% of the population, which is notably lower than the regional average of 27.4%.

Palm Island hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Palm Island's median age is 27 years, which is lower than the Rest of Queensland average of 41 years and the Australian median of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of Queensland, Palm Island has a higher percentage of residents aged 5-14 (19.4%) but fewer residents aged 65-74 (5.2%). This 5-14 age concentration is notably higher than the national average of 12.2%. Between 2021 and the present, the population share of those aged 35 to 44 has increased from 11.1% to 12.5%, while the 25 to 34 cohort has grown from 15.4% to 16.6%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 age group has decreased from 11.6% to 10.1% and the 5 to 14 age group has dropped from 20.8% to 19.4%. Demographic projections suggest that Palm Island's age profile will significantly change by 2041. The 25 to 34 age cohort is projected to grow steadily, increasing by 117 people (31%) from 383 to 501. Conversely, the 15 to 24 and 5 to 14 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.