Pomona (Qld)

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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, the suburb of Pomona's population is estimated at around 3095 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 164 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2931 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 3085, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025 and an additional 33 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 57 persons per square kilometer. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by interstate migration, contributing approximately 72% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and for years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections, released in 2023 and based on 2021 data, are adopted. It is expected that the suburb will expand by 289 persons to reach a population of 3384 by 2041, reflecting a gain of 9% over the 16-year period.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Pomona according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

AreaSearch analysis indicates Pomona recorded approximately 13 residential properties granted approval annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 66 homes. As of FY26, 5 approvals have been recorded. On average, 2.5 people moved to the area per new home constructed between FY21 and FY25, indicating healthy demand supporting property values. New homes were built at an average expected construction cost value of $859,000, targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties.

This financial year, $3.1 million in commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting Pomona's primarily residential nature. Compared to the rest of Queensland, Pomona has similar development levels per person, supporting market stability aligned with regional patterns. All new construction comprised standalone homes, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers.

The estimated population count of 415 people per dwelling approval reflects its quiet development environment. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Pomona is expected to grow by 279 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

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

The performance of an area can significantly be influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified two projects that are expected to have an impact on the area. Notable projects include the Noosa Trail Network Upgrade (Wahpunga and Woondum Trails), Lake Macdonald Dam Improvement Project, Noosa Biosphere Trails Upgrade Program, and Gympie Water Resilience and Augmentation Project - Phase 1. The following list provides details of those projects that are most likely to be 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.

While Pomona retains a healthy unemployment rate of 3.2%, recent employment declines have impacted its national performance ranking

Pomona has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well-represented. Its unemployment rate was 3.2% as of December 2025, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. In this month, 1,379 residents were employed at an unemployment rate of 0.9% below Regional Qld's rate of 4.0%.

However, workforce participation lagged significantly, at 54.2% compared to Regional Qld's 64.5%. Based on Census responses, a moderate 16.2% of residents worked from home, with Covid-19 lockdown impacts considered. Key industries for employment among residents were health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training. Pomona had particular employment specialization in construction, with an employment share of 1.3 times the regional level.

In contrast, transport, postal & warehousing employed just 2.0% of local workers, below Regional Qld's 4.3%. The area appeared to offer limited employment opportunities locally, indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over a 12-month period ending in December 2025, labour force decreased by 4.1%, with employment decreasing by 3.9%, causing unemployment to fall by 0.2 percentage points. This contrasted with Regional Qld where employment rose by 0.7%, the labour force grew by 1.0%, and unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offered further insight into potential future demand within Pomona. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, estimated that national employment should expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. However, growth rates differed significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Pomona's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.4% over ten years. It was noted that this was a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and did not take into account localised population projections.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

The suburb of Pomona had an income level below the national average according to ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year ending June 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Pomona was $41,837 and the average income stood at $56,881. For Regional Qld, these figures were $53,146 and $66,593 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% since June 2023, estimated incomes for March 2026 would be approximately $46,590 (median) and $63,343 (average). The 2021 Census showed household, family, and personal incomes in Pomona fell between the 18th and 27th percentiles nationally. Income analysis revealed that 30.9% of residents (956 people) earned within the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket, similar to the regional figure of 31.7%. Housing affordability pressures were severe, with only 83.9% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 27th percentile nationally. Pomona's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 5th decile.

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

In Pomona, as per the latest Census evaluation, 98.2% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 1.7% being other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This differs from Regional Queensland's dwelling structure, which comprised 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Pomona stood at 45.0%, with mortgaged dwellings accounting for 41.3% and rented dwellings making up the rest at 13.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,733, which is higher than Regional Queensland's average of $1,655. Meanwhile, the median weekly rent figure in Pomona was recorded at $420, compared to Regional Queensland's $345. Nationally, Pomona's median monthly mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while median weekly rents were substantially higher than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 77.2% of all households, including 29.1% couples with children, 36.5% couples without children, and 10.6% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 22.8%, with lone person households at 19.4% and group households comprising 3.5%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is larger than the Regional Queensland average of 2.5.

Pomona performs slightly above the national average for education, showing competitive qualification levels and steady academic outcomes

Pomona's educational qualifications trail Australian benchmarks, with 22.3% of residents aged 15 and over holding university degrees compared to the national average of 30.4%. This indicates potential for educational development and skills enhancement in Pomona. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 15.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.7%) and graduate diplomas (2.9%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 44.4% of residents aged 15 and over holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas account for 13.0%, while certificates make up 31.4%.

Educational participation is high in Pomona, with 25.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.6% in primary education, 9.3% in secondary education, and 2.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Pomona has five active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by eleven routes that collectively facilitate 107 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is limited, with residents on average located 1673 meters from the nearest stop. As primarily residential, most residents commute outward, with car being the dominant mode at 93%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.8 per dwelling, exceeding the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, 16.2% of residents work from home, which may be reflective of COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency across all routes averages 15 trips per day, equating to approximately 21 weekly trips per stop.

The level of general health in Pomona is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Pomona demonstrates above-average health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both young and old age cohorts show low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is relatively low at approximately 50% of the total population, around 1,539 people.

This compares to 52.5% across Regional Qld, with a national average of 55.7%. The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 9.1 and 8.7% of residents respectively. 68.8% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 67.6% across Regional Qld. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. The area has 25.5% of residents aged 65 and over, around 789 people, which is higher than the 20.4% in Regional Qld. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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

Pomona's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 82.4% of its population born in Australia, 91.0% being citizens, and 97.1% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Pomona, comprising 42.4% of the population. Notably, Judaism is not represented in Pomona's population, compared to Regional Qld where it makes up 0.1%.

The top three ancestry groups based on parents' country of birth are English (33.0%), Australian (29.3%), and Irish (11.3%). However, there are notable differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Welsh is overrepresented at 0.8% compared to Regional Qld's 0.5%, Scottish at 9.0% versus 7.8%, and German at 4.4% compared to 4.7%.

Pomona hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Pomona's median age in 2021 was 49 years, which is significantly higher than Regional Queensland's average of 41 and exceeds the national average of 38 years. The age profile showed that those aged 55-64 were particularly prominent, making up 16.6% of the population, compared to 11.2% nationally. Meanwhile, the 25-34 age group was smaller at 7.0%, compared to Regional Queensland's average. Between 2021 and the present day, the 75-84 age group has grown from 6.7% to 8.6% of the population, while the 15-24 cohort increased from 9.3% to 10.9%. Conversely, the 55-64 age group declined from 18.2% to 16.6%, and the 5-14 age group dropped from 12.2% to 10.8%. By 2041, Pomona's age composition is expected to shift notably. The 85+ age group is projected to grow by 102%, reaching 131 people from 64, while the 15-24 cohort is expected to decline by 29 people.