Queanbeyan West

Queanbeyan West is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

As of November 2025, the population of the Queanbeyan West statistical area (Lv2) is estimated at around 3,168 people. This figure reflects an increase of 22 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,146 people. The change was inferred from the resident population of 3,166, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, and an additional 4 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,107 persons per square kilometer. Natural growth contributed approximately 52.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends indicate an increase just below the median of Australian non-metropolitan areas, with the Queanbeyan West (SA2) expected to expand by 218 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 7.0% over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Queanbeyan West is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Queanbeyan West has seen minimal construction activity with an average of two new dwelling approvals per year over the five years from 2016 to 2020, totaling ten approvals. This low development level reflects the rural nature of the area, where housing needs typically drive development rather than broad market demand. The small sample size means that individual projects can significantly influence annual growth statistics.

Compared to the Rest of NSW and national patterns, Queanbeyan West has much lower development activity. Recent building activity consists entirely of detached houses, reflecting the area's rural character and ongoing robust demand for family homes despite increasing density pressures. With approximately 1267 people per approval, Queanbeyan West indicates a mature, established area. By 2041, Queanbeyan West is expected to grow by 222 residents according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate.

At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting price increases.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified four projects likely affecting this region: Queanbeyan Sewage Treatment Plant Upgrade, Poplars Innovation Precinct, Jerrabomberra High School Upgrade Stage 2, and DCI Poplars Data Centre. The following list details those most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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AreaSearch analysis reveals Queanbeyan West significantly outperforming the majority of regions assessed nationwide

Queanbeyan West has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate was 2.3% as of September 2025, according to AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation.

In this month, 1,833 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 1.5% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%. The workforce participation rate was higher at 69.5%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key industries for employment among residents were public administration & safety, construction, and health care & social assistance. Public administration & safety had a particularly strong presence with an employment share 3.8 times the regional level.

However, health care & social assistance had limited presence with 9.7% employment compared to the regional figure of 16.9%. The area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census working population versus resident population data. Over the 12 months to September 2025, labour force levels decreased by 5.5%, accompanied by a 5.7% decrease in employment, causing unemployment to rise by 0.2 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of NSW saw an employment decline of 0.5%, labour force decline of 0.1%, and an unemployment increase of 0.4 percentage points. State-level data up to 25-Nov showed NSW employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. Nationally, the unemployment rate was 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggested potential future demand within Queanbeyan West. These projections estimated a 6.6% expansion in national employment over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Queanbeyan West's employment mix indicated local employment should increase by 5.9% over five years and 12.3% over ten years, though this was a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and did not account for localised population projections.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows Queanbeyan West's median income among taxpayers is $63,392. The average income is $77,192. These figures are higher than the national averages and compare favourably to Rest of NSW's median of $52,390 and average of $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Queanbeyan West would be approximately $69,009 (median) and $84,031 (average) as of September 2025. Census data indicates household, family, and personal incomes in Queanbeyan West rank between the 72nd and 85th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that 38.4% of locals fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 income category, with this pattern also seen in surrounding regions where 29.9% occupy this range. Housing accounts for 14.8% of income, and residents rank highly for disposable income at the 74th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

Queanbeyan West is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Queanbeyan West's dwellings, as per the latest Census, were 71.4% houses and 28.6% other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This compares to Non-Metro NSW's figures of 74.5% houses and 25.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Queanbeyan West stood at 24.2%, with mortgaged properties at 41.5% and rented ones at 34.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, below Non-Metro NSW's average of $2,167. The median weekly rent was $350, similar to Non-Metro NSW's figure of $355. Nationally, Queanbeyan West's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were lower than the national figure of $375.

Queanbeyan West has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 71.1% of all households, including 30.2% couples with children, 23.8% couples without children, and 15.3% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 28.9%, with lone person households at 26.1% and group households making up 3.4%. The median household size is 2.5 people, smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.6.

Queanbeyan West shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Queanbeyan West's residents aged 15+ have a university degree qualification rate of 23.8%, compared to NSW's 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 15.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.7%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%). Vocational credentials are held by 37.6% of residents, with advanced diplomas at 10.3% and certificates at 27.3%. Current educational participation is high at 28.2%, including primary education (9.6%), secondary education (7.6%), and tertiary education (5.2%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 28.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.6% in primary education, 7.6% in secondary education, and 5.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

The analysis of public transport in Queanbeyan West shows that there are currently 28 active transport stops operating. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, totalling 25 individual routes. Together, these routes provide a combined total of 246 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of transport is rated as excellent, with residents typically located approximately 167 meters from the nearest transport stop. On average, service frequency across all routes is 35 trips per day, which equates to roughly 8 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Queanbeyan West are marginally below the national average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Queanbeyan West shows below-average health outcomes, with common conditions affecting both younger and older residents. Approximately 57% (~1,819 people) have private health cover, compared to 61.9% across Rest of NSW.

The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma (9.5%) and mental health issues (9.0%). Around 67.7% of residents report no medical ailments, slightly lower than the 68.7% in Rest of NSW. The area has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, at 10.6% (335 people), compared to 13.4% in Rest of NSW. Senior health outcomes present challenges similar to those seen across the general population.

In terms of cultural diversity, Queanbeyan West records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Queanbeyan West's cultural diversity was found to align with the broader regional average. Its population breakdown showed that 88.5% were citizens, 82.5% were born in Australia, and 86.3% spoke English only at home. Christianity dominated Queanbeyan West's religious landscape, comprising 54.6% of its population, compared to the regional average of 52.1%.

The top three ancestry groups in Queanbeyan West were Australian (28.1%), English (25.5%), and Irish (8.4%). Notably, Macedonian (1.8%) and Serbian (0.9%) ethnicities were overrepresented compared to the regional averages of 1.5% and 0.6%, respectively, while Hungarian ethnicity was slightly higher at 0.4%.

Queanbeyan West's population is younger than the national pattern

Queanbeyan West has a median age of 34, which is lower than the Rest of NSW figure of 43 and significantly lower than Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of NSW average, individuals aged 25-34 are notably over-represented in Queanbeyan West at 17.1%, while those aged 75-84 are under-represented at 2.7%. Between 2021 and the present day, the population aged 35 to 44 has grown from 13.7% to 15.5%. Conversely, the age group of 45 to 54 has declined from 13.5% to 10.8%. Demographic modeling suggests that by 2041, Queanbeyan West's age profile will evolve significantly. The 25-34 age cohort is projected to expand by 119 people (22%), growing from 541 to 661 individuals. Conversely, both the 85+ and 15-24 age groups are expected to see reduced numbers.