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 was estimated at 9,138 as of May 2026, reflecting a 3.4% increase from the 2021 Census figure of 8,837 people. This change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 9,135 residents based on the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025 and eight validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density was 1,643 persons per square kilometer, above the national average assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 78% of recent population gains. AreaSearch uses 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 adopted, applying proportional growth weightings from ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data. By 2041, the suburb of Parkwood (Qld) is projected to increase by just below the median of Australia's regional areas, with an expected population increase of 1,149 persons, reflecting a 12.5% total increase over the 16 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis indicates Parkwood averaged approximately 43 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling around 216 homes. As of FY-26, 3 approvals have been recorded. The average new residents per year arriving per new home in Parkwood between FY-21 and FY-25 was 0.5, suggesting supply meets or exceeds demand. New homes are constructed at an average value of $398,000.

In FY-26, $87,000 in commercial development approvals have been recorded. Parkwood's construction rates per person are similar to the rest of Queensland, indicating market stability aligned with regional patterns. Recent construction comprises 7% detached dwellings and 93% attached dwellings, a shift from the current 91% houses, suggesting diminishing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences. With around 1824 people per dwelling approval, Parkwood reflects a mature market. AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate projects Parkwood to gain 1,146 residents by 2041.

At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing favourable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

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

A total of 32 infrastructure projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Notable projects include Coomera Connector Stage 1 - Central Section, Palm Valley Gold Coast Resort, Griffith University Village Student Accommodation Tower, and 2 Uplands Drive Aged Care Facility. The following list details those expected to be 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 Parkwood has been broadly consistent with national averages

Parkwood has a skilled workforce with notable representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 4.2% as of December 2025. This rate is 0.2% higher than Regional Qld's rate of 4.0%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 1.8%. As of December 2025, 5,236 residents were employed, with a workforce participation rate of 70.4%, compared to Regional Qld's 64.5%. According to Census responses, 12.4% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns.

Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance (38%), retail trade (22%), and construction (17%). Agriculture, forestry & fishing employs just 0.3% of local workers, below Regional Qld's 4.5%. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment levels increased by 1.8%, while the labour force grew by 2.4%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Regional Qld experienced employment growth of 0.7% and labour force growth of 1.0%, with a 0.3 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall employment growth of 6.6% 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, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows Parkwood's median taxpayer income is $48,663 and average is $63,270. These figures are lower than the national average. Regional Qld has a median of $53,146 and average of $66,593. With an 11.36% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023, current estimates for Parkwood would be approximately $54,191 (median) and $70,457 (average) by March 2026. Census 2021 income data ranks household income at the 69th percentile ($2,064 weekly) and personal income at the 35th percentile. The $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 37.5% of Parkwood's community (3,426 individuals), similar to regional levels where 31.7% occupy this range. High housing costs consume 16.8% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income 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 ownership patterns similar to the broader region

In Parkwood, as per the latest Census, 90.7% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 9.3% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This differs from Regional Queensland's figures of 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Parkwood stood at 27.7%, with mortgaged properties accounting for 41.9% and rented dwellings making up 30.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,894, exceeding Regional Queensland's average of $1,655. Weekly rent in Parkwood was recorded at $538, compared to Regional Queensland's $345. Nationally, Parkwood's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and 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 comprise 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 account for the remaining 19.4%, with lone person households at 12.8% and group households comprising 6.8%. The median household size is 3.0 people, which is larger than the Regional Queensland average of 2.5.

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 at 26.8%, surpassing the Rest of Qld average of 20.6%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 18.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.7%) and graduate diplomas (2.0%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 36.4% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas at 11.9% and certificates at 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.

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 offering a mix of lightrail and bus services. These are served by five routes that facilitate 1,628 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is deemed good with residents, on average, located 209 meters from their nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most commuters travel outward, with cars being the primary mode of transport at 89%. On average, there are 1.9 vehicles per dwelling, exceeding the regional norm. According to the 2021 Census, only 12.4% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 232 trips daily across all routes, equating to roughly 39 weekly trips per individual stop.

Parkwood's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low across both younger and older age cohorts

Parkwood's health data shows positive outcomes, matching national benchmarks for mortality rates and health conditions.

Prevalence of common health issues is low across all age groups. Private health cover stands at 52%, slightly higher than the SA2 average. Asthma and arthritis are the most prevalent conditions, affecting 7.4% and 7.3% respectively. 71.5% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 67.6% in Regional Queensland. Under-65s have better health outcomes than average. The area has 14.6% of residents aged 65 and over (1,334 people), lower than the regional average of 20.4%. Senior health outcomes are above average, aligning with national rankings for the general population.

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

Parkwood's population was found to have higher cultural diversity than most local markets, with 17.9% speaking a language other than English at home and 33.3% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion in Parkwood, accounting for 47.2% of its population. Islam was overrepresented compared to Regional Qld, comprising 2.6% versus 0.6%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (29.0%), Australian (21.9%), and Other (9.9%). Notably, New Zealand (1.7%) and Maori (2.0%) were overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.9% and 0.8%, respectively. Russian ethnicity was also notably higher at 0.5%.

Parkwood's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Parkwood has a median age of 36, which is lower than the Regional Queensland figure of 41 years and marginally lower than Australia's median age of 38 years. The 15-24 cohort in Parkwood is notably over-represented at 18.9%, compared to the Regional Queensland average, while those aged 75-84 are under-represented at 4.4%. This concentration of the 15-24 age group is well above the national average of 12.7%. Between 2021 and present, the proportion of Parkwood's population in the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 17.2% to 18.9%, while those aged 25 to 34 increased from 13.3% to 15.0%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort declined from 13.6% to 11.7%, and the 5 to 14 age group dropped from 11.8% to 10.1%. Demographic modeling suggests that Parkwood's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041, with the 25 to 34 age cohort projected to expand notably, increasing by 460 people (34%) from 1,370 to 1,831. Conversely, both the 55 to 64 and 15 to 24 age groups are expected to see reduced numbers.