Parkwood (Qld)

An assessment of population growth drivers in Parkwood reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Parkwood's population, as of November 2025, is estimated at around 9,154 people. This figure reflects an increase of 317 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 8,837. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of 9,145 residents following examination of the latest ABS ERP data release in June 2024, along with validation of five new addresses post-Census date. This results in a density ratio of 1,646 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 78% 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 and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections from 2023 based on 2021 data are used. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits; hence proportional growth weightings aligned with ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 and based on 2022 data are applied. Considering projected demographic shifts, an above median population growth is projected for the suburb of Parkwood (Qld), with an expected increase of 1,343 persons by 2041. This reflects a total increase of 14.6% over the 17-year period based on aggregated SA2-level projections.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Parkwood, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Parkwood averaged approximately 43 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 216 homes. No approvals have been recorded so far in FY-26. On average, 0.4 new residents arrived per new home built between FY-21 and FY-25. This indicates that supply is meeting or exceeding demand, offering more housing choices while supporting potential population growth above projections.

The average construction cost value of new homes was $398,000, which is below regional levels, suggesting more affordable housing options for buyers. In the current financial year, $87,000 in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating a predominantly residential focus. Compared to the Rest of Qld, Parkwood demonstrates similar building activity per person, maintaining market equilibrium with surrounding areas. The new building activity shows 7.0% standalone homes and 93.0% townhouses or apartments, reflecting a shift towards denser development that appeals to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. This trend differs from the area's existing housing composition, which is currently 91.0% houses, suggesting decreasing availability of developable sites and changing lifestyles requiring more diverse, affordable housing options.

Parkwood has around 1824 people per dwelling approval, indicating a highly mature market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the area is expected to grow by 1,334 residents through to 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Parkwood has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 31 projects that could affect the region. Major initiatives include New Coomera Hospital, Griffith University Gold Coast Campus Expansion, Coomera Connector Stage 1 - Central Section, and Urbana (Coomera Urban Village) Stage 3. 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.

The labour market in Parkwood demonstrates typical performance when compared to similar areas across Australia

Parkwood's workforce is skilled with well-represented essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 3.8% in the past year, showing an estimated employment growth of 1.5%.

As of June 2025, 5,262 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 3.6%, 0.2% below Rest of Qld's rate. Workforce participation was 64.8%, compared to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Dominant employment sectors included health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction, while agriculture, forestry & fishing was under-represented at 0.3% vs Rest of Qld's 4.5%.

Employment opportunities locally appear limited based on Census data comparison. From June 2024 to June 2025, employment increased by 1.5%, labour force by 2.1%, and unemployment rose by 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Qld recorded employment growth of 1.8% and unemployment rise of 0.2 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Sep-22 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Parkwood's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

Parkwood's median taxable income in financial year 2022 was $48,663. The average was $63,270. These figures are slightly lower than the national averages. Rest of Qld had a median of $50,780 and an average of $64,844. By September 2025, estimates suggest Parkwood's median income will be approximately $55,471 and the average will be around $72,121, based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.99%. Census data shows household income ranks at the 69th percentile ($2,064 weekly), with personal income at the 35th percentile. The $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band includes 37.5% of Parkwood's population (3,432 individuals). High housing costs consume 16.8% of income. Despite this, disposable income ranks at the 68th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

Parkwood is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Parkwood's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 90.7% houses and 9.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro Qld had 44.5% houses and 55.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Parkwood was at 27.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 41.9% and rented ones at 30.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,894, higher than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,750. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $538, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $420. Nationally, Parkwood's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 80.6% of all households, including 38.1% couples with children, 27.5% couples without children, and 13.3% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 19.4%, with lone person households at 12.8% and group households at 6.8%. The median household size is 3.0 people, larger than the Rest of Qld average of 2.3.

Parkwood demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

The area's educational profile is notable regionally, with university qualification rates of 26.8% among residents aged 15+, exceeding the Rest of Qld average of 20.6%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 18.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 6.7% and graduate diplomas at 2.0%. Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 36.4% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas account for 11.9% and certificates for 24.5%.

Educational participation is high, with 32.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.6% in tertiary education, 9.0% in primary education, and 7.8% pursuing secondary education. Educational facilities appear to be located outside the immediate catchment boundaries, requiring families to access schools in neighboring areas.

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

Parkwood has 41 active public transport stops, a mix of lightrail and buses. These are served by 5 routes, offering 1755 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents have good accessibility, averaging 209 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency is 250 trips daily across all routes, about 42 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Parkwood is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions quite low across both younger and older age cohorts

Parkwood shows better-than-average health results. The prevalence of common health conditions is low across both younger and older age groups.

Approximately 52% (~4,784 people) have private health cover, slightly higher than the average SA2 area's 49.3%. Asthma and arthritis are the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 7.4% and 7.3% of residents respectively. About 71.5% report having no medical ailments, compared to 69.4% in Rest of Qld. Around 14.2% (1,299 people) are aged 65 and over, lower than the 17.1% in Rest of Qld. Seniors' health outcomes align with the general population's profile, both being above average.

Parkwood was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Parkwood's population was found to be more linguistically diverse than most local markets, with 17.9% speaking a language other than English at home as of the latest data. Born overseas, 33.3% of Parkwood residents were recorded. Christianity was the predominant religion in Parkwood, accounting for 47.2%.

However, Islam's representation was notably higher at 2.6%, compared to the regional average of 1.8%. In terms of ancestry, English (29.0%), Australian (21.9%), and Other (9.9%) were the top three groups in Parkwood. Notably, New Zealanders comprised 1.7% of Parkwood's population, higher than the regional average of 1.4%. Maori representation was also higher at 2.0%, compared to the region's 1.6%. Russian ancestry was present at 0.5%, matching the regional figure.

Parkwood's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Parkwood's median age is 36, which is lower than the Rest of Qld figure of 41 and Australia's median age of 38. The 15-24 cohort in Parkwood is notably over-represented at 18.7%, compared to the Rest of Qld average, while the 75-84 year-olds are under-represented at 4.3%. This concentration of the 15-24 age group is well above the national average of 12.5%. Between 2021 and the present, the 25 to 34 age group has grown from 13.3% to 15.2%, while the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 17.2% to 18.7%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort declined from 11.8% to 10.0%, and the 45 to 54 group dropped from 13.6% to 12.1%. Demographic modeling suggests that Parkwood's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 25 to 34 age cohort is projected to expand notably, increasing by 579 people (42%) from 1,391 to 1,971. Conversely, both the 55 to 64 and 15 to 24 age groups are projected to see reduced numbers.