Parkhurst

Parkhurst lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

Parkhurst's population, as of November 2025, is estimated at around 3,585. This reflects an increase of 542 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,043. The growth is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 3,457 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, and an additional 245 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 171 persons per square kilometer. The suburb's growth rate of 17.8% since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA4 region (6.6%) and the SA3 area, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 66.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. 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. These state projections do not provide age category splits; hence proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data) are applied for each age cohort. Looking ahead, a significant population increase is forecast for the top quartile of locations outside capital cities, with Parkhurst expected to increase by 1,343 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 27.8% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Parkhurst among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

Parkhurst has received around 45 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 229 homes. In FY-26 so far, 17 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.2 people moved to Parkhurst annually for each dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25. New properties are constructed at an average value of $567,000.

This year, there have been $8.3 million in commercial approvals. Compared to the Rest of Qld, Parkhurst has 285% higher new home approvals per person. Recent development has consisted entirely of standalone homes, maintaining low density and attracting space-seeking buyers with around 76 people per dwelling approval. By 2041, Parkhurst is projected to add 998 residents. At current development rates, housing supply should meet demand comfortably, supporting buyer conditions and potential growth beyond projections.

Future projections show Parkhurst adding 998 residents by 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 17 projects likely impacting the area. Notable ones include Living Gems Rockhampton, Ellida Estate, Parkhurst Residential Enabling Infrastructure Project, and Riverside Waters Estate. The following 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 Parkhurst has been broadly consistent with national averages

Parkhurst has a skilled labour force with notable representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 4.1% as of the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 4.3%.

As of June 2025, 1,952 residents are employed, while the unemployment rate is 0.2% higher than Rest of Qld's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation in Parkhurst stands at 73.6%, compared to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. The dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, education & training, and retail trade. Notably, the area specializes in education & training, with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing has a limited presence at 0.3% compared to the regional average of 4.5%. The area functions as an employment hub, hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas, with a ratio of 1.3 workers per resident as recorded in the Census. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 4.3% while labour force grew by 5.3%, leading to an unemployment rate rise of 0.9 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of Qld saw employment growth of 1.8%, labour force growth of 2.0%, and a 0.2 percentage point increase in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Parkhurst's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 13.4% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

AreaSearch reports median taxpayer income in Parkhurst was $65,111 in financial year 2022, with an average of $77,276. These figures are among the highest in Australia, compared to $50,780 and $64,844 respectively for Rest of Qld. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.99% since FY2022, estimated median and average incomes as of September 2025 are approximately $74,220 and $88,087 respectively. Census data shows household, family, and personal incomes in Parkhurst rank between the 77th and 79th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile indicates that 36.6% of residents (1,312 people) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 weekly income bracket. A substantial proportion, 31.7%, earn above $3,000 per week. Housing accounts for 14.0% of income, with residents ranking in the 81st percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

Parkhurst is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

The dwelling structure in Parkhurst, as per the latest Census, consisted of 95.7% houses and 4.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro Qld's 88.5% houses and 11.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Parkhurst was at 22.2%, with the rest of dwellings either mortgaged (50.1%) or rented (27.7%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,842, higher than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,517. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $360, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $300. Nationally, Parkhurst's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were less than the national figure of $375.

Parkhurst features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 79.4% of all households, including 43.1% couples with children, 25.4% couples without children, and 10.0% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 20.6%, with lone person households at 17.1% and group households at 3.5%. The median household size is 2.9 people, larger than the Rest of Qld average of 2.5.

Parkhurst shows below-average educational performance compared to national benchmarks, though pockets of achievement exist

The area's university qualification rate is 19.9%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 14.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.9%) and graduate diplomas (2.3%). Vocational credentials are also common, with 42.6% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (10.0%) and certificates (32.6%).

Educational participation is high, with 35.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.3% in primary education, 10.4% in secondary education, and 4.8% pursuing tertiary education. Parkhurst State School serves the local area, enrolling 415 students as of a recent report. The school focuses exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in surrounding areas. School places per 100 residents are lower than the regional average (11.6 vs 17.6), indicating some students may attend schools outside the area.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Parkhurst's residents are extremely healthy with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Parkhurst shows strong health metrics with low prevalence of common conditions among its general population. However, older, at-risk cohorts have higher rates than the national average.

Private health cover is exceptionally high, at approximately 58% (2,072 people), compared to 53.2% across the rest of Queensland. The most common medical conditions are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 8.6 and 8.5% of residents respectively. 72.8% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 64.7% in the rest of Queensland. Parkhurst has 8.6% (308 people) of residents aged 65 and over, lower than the 18.5% in the rest of Queensland. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than those of the broader population.

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

Parkhurst's population was found to be predominantly culturally homogeneous, with 90.7% being citizens, 90.9% born in Australia, and 94.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 57.1% of Parkhurst's population, compared to 56.3% across the rest of Queensland. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (33.3%), English (29.4%), and Scottish (7.7%).

Notably, German ancestry was overrepresented at 5.4%, compared to 4.9% regionally, while Filipino ancestry was also higher at 2.2% versus 1.0%. However, Australian Aboriginal ancestry was underrepresented at 3.3%, compared to the regional average of 5.1%.

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

Parkhurst has a median age of 32, which is lower than the Rest of Qld average of 41 and also substantially under the Australian median of 38. Compared to Rest of Qld, Parkhurst has a higher proportion of residents aged 35-44 (17.5%) but fewer residents aged 65-74 (5.9%). Between the 2021 Census and present day, the 35-44 age group has increased from 15.9% to 17.5% of Parkhurst's population, while the 5-14 cohort has decreased from 17.4% to 15.1%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Parkhurst's age profile, with the strongest projected growth in the 25-34 cohort at 47%, adding 278 residents to reach a total of 866.