Queanbeyan East

Population growth drivers in Queanbeyan East are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

The population of Queanbeyan East is estimated at around 4,312 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 72 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,240. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 4,295 in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,024 persons per square kilometer. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 59.0% of overall population gains.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections are used, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population dynamics anticipate an above median growth for non-metropolitan areas. Queanbeyan East is projected to increase by 708 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 16.3% in total over the 17 years.

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

Queanbeyan East has seen approximately 21 dwelling approvals per year based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS data. Around 106 homes were approved between FY-21 to FY-25, with another 8 approved in FY-26 so far. Each new home attracts an average of 0.2 new residents annually over the past five financial years.

This suggests supply is meeting or exceeding demand, offering more buyer choices and potential for population growth above projections. The average construction cost value of new homes is $459,000, indicating a focus on premium developments. In FY-26, $16.1 million in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting balanced commercial development activity. Compared to the rest of NSW, Queanbeyan East records about 63% of building activity per person and ranks among the 86th percentile nationally.

Recent construction comprises 25.0% standalone homes and 75.0% medium and high-density housing. This shift towards higher-density living creates more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. With around 102 people per dwelling approval, Queanbeyan East shows characteristics of a low-density area. Future projections estimate an addition of 702 residents by 2041 (latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Building activity is keeping pace with growth projections, though heightened competition among buyers may arise as the population grows.

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

Local infrastructure changes significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 10 projects likely affecting this region. Notable ones include Celesse Apartments, Spotlight Queanbeyan Retail Redevelopment, Queanbeyan East Public Preschool, and Yass Road, Bungendore Road, Ellerton Drive Intersection Upgrade. 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.

Employment conditions in Queanbeyan East demonstrate exceptional strength compared to most Australian markets

Queanbeyan East has a well-educated workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate as of September 2025 was 2.0%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. There were 2,642 residents in work at this time, with an unemployment rate 1.8% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%.

Workforce participation was high at 76.4%, compared to Rest of NSW's 61.5%. Census responses showed that a low 7.5% of residents worked from home. Employment is concentrated in public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and construction. Public administration & safety has notably high employment levels, at 3.3 times the regional average.

In contrast, agriculture, forestry & fishing employs only 0.4% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 5.3%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Between September 2024 and September 2025, the labour force decreased by 5.4%, employment decreased by 5.6%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.3 percentage points. Rest of NSW recorded an employment decline of 0.5% during this period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Queanbeyan East's employment mix, local employment is estimated to increase by 6.2% over five years and 12.9% over ten years.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ended June 2023, Queanbeyan East had a median income among taxpayers of $62,781 and an average income of $73,913. These figures are higher than the national averages of $52,390 and $65,215 respectively for Rest of NSW. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% from financial year ended June 2023 to September 2025, estimated median income is approximately $68,343 and average income is around $80,462 as of September 2025. Census data indicates individual earnings rank at the 84th percentile nationally with a weekly income of $1,079, while household income ranks lower at the 46th percentile. Income analysis shows that 38.4% of residents (1,655 people) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 weekly earnings bracket, which is similar to the regional pattern where 29.9% occupy this range. Housing affordability pressures are severe with only 83.7% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 46th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Queanbeyan East displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Queanbeyan East's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 28.3% houses and 71.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Queanbeyan East was at 18.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 31.4% and rented ones at 50.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,647, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent figure for Queanbeyan East was $310, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $330. Nationally, Queanbeyan East's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,647 than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Queanbeyan East features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 50.8% of all households, including 19.9% couples with children, 19.7% couples without children, and 9.7% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 49.2%, with lone person households at 44.8% and group households comprising 4.4%. The median household size is 2.0 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

The educational profile of Queanbeyan East exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Queanbeyan East has a notably high level of educational attainment among its residents aged 15 and above. A total of 31.6% hold university qualifications, which is significantly higher than the broader benchmarks of 21.3% in Rest of NSW and 24.1% in the SA4 region. This indicates a substantial educational advantage for the area, potentially positioning it well for knowledge-based opportunities. The distribution of these university qualifications shows that bachelor degrees are the most common at 19.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 9.5% and graduate diplomas at 3.0%.

However, trade and technical skills also feature prominently in Queanbeyan East, with 34.6% of residents aged 15 and above holding vocational credentials. This includes advanced diplomas held by 10.9% of residents and certificates by 23.7%. Educational participation is notably high in the area, with 26.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.0% in primary education, 5.5% in tertiary education, and 4.3% pursuing secondary education.

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

Queanbeyan East has 29 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 36 different routes that collectively provide 281 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 163 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to its residential nature. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport at 91%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.0 per dwelling, which is below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, only 7.5% of residents work from home, a figure that may reflect COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 40 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 9 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Queanbeyan East is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Queanbeyan East faces significant health challenges, as indicated by AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both younger and older age cohorts exhibit high prevalence of common health conditions.

Approximately 56% (~2,420 people) of Queanbeyan East residents have private health cover, compared to 51.9% across the Rest of NSW. Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 10.9 and 8.5% of residents respectively. However, 68.5% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.3% in the Rest of NSW. The working-age population in Queanbeyan East faces notable health challenges due to elevated chronic condition rates. Only 10.2% (439 people) of residents are aged 65 and over, lower than the 23.4% in the Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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

Queanbeyan East, as per the 2016 Census, exhibited higher cultural diversity compared to most local areas, with 27.8% of its residents born overseas and 24.7% speaking languages other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Queanbeyan East, accounting for 45.6% of the population. The 'Other' religious category showed significant overrepresentation in Queanbeyan East, comprising 3.4% compared to 0.8% across the rest of NSW.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (24.6%), Australian (23.8%), and Other (12.7%). Notably, Macedonian (1.7%), Serbian (0.6%), and Croatian (1.0%) ethnicities were overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.4%, 0.2%, and 0.3% respectively.

Queanbeyan East hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

The median age in Queanbeyan East is 33 years, which is considerably lower than the Rest of NSW average of 43 years and substantially under the national average of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of NSW average, the 25-34 cohort is notably over-represented at 27.3% locally, while the 65-74 year-olds are under-represented at 6.0%. This concentration of the 25-34 age group is well above the national average of 14.4%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the area has become younger, with median age dropping by 1.4 years to 33 from 34 between 2016 and 2021. Notably, the 25 to 34 age group grew from 23.9% to 27.3% of the population during this period. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort declined from 12.5% to 10.4%, and the 55 to 64 group dropped from 10.7% to 8.7%. By 2041, Queanbeyan East is expected to see notable shifts in its age composition. Leading this demographic shift, the 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 23%, reaching 1,452 people from 1,177. In contrast, the 15-24 and 65-74 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.