South Gladstone

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

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validation, as of Nov 2025, South Gladstone's estimated population is around 3,739. This reflects an increase of 263 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,476. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 3,722 residents following examination of ABS ERP data release in June 2024 and seven validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 1,133 persons per square kilometer, comparable to averages across locations assessed by AreaSearch. South Gladstone's growth rate of 7.6% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region's 6.7%, making it a growth leader in the area. Overseas migration contributed approximately 61.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, though all drivers were positive factors.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections from 2023 based on 2021 data are used. These state projections do not provide age category splits; hence proportional growth weightings in line with ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data) for each age cohort are applied when utilized. Future population trends project an above median growth of regional areas nationally, with the South Gladstone SA2 expected to expand by 498 persons to 2041, reflecting a 14.3% increase over the 17 years.

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

South Gladstone had minimal construction activity with 2 new dwellings approved annually between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2021, totaling 10 approvals over those five years. This low development level is typical of rural areas where housing needs are modest and construction activity is limited by local demand and infrastructure capacity. The small sample size means individual development projects can significantly influence annual growth and relativity statistics.

South Gladstone had less construction activity than the Rest of Qld during this period, with activity levels also below national patterns. Recent development in South Gladstone was entirely medium and high-density housing, marking a departure from existing housing patterns (currently 64.0% houses). This shift suggests diminishing developable land availability and responds to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. As of approximately mid-2021, South Gladstone had around 1242 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established market. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate (released in late 2021), South Gladstone is forecasted to gain 536 residents by 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Population forecasts indicate South Gladstone will gain 536 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

South Gladstone has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

The performance of an area can significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified six projects that are expected to impact the area. Notable projects include HPA First Project Stage 2, Hughes Road Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), Toowoomba to Gladstone Inland Rail Extension, and Port of Gladstone Gatcombe and Golding Cutting Channel Duplication Project. The following list provides details on those projects that are 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.

AreaSearch assessment indicates South Gladstone faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

South Gladstone has a skilled workforce with strong representation in manufacturing and industrial sectors. Its unemployment rate was 12.8% as of September 2025.

Over the past year, employment has been relatively stable. The area had an unemployment rate of 8.7%, which is 4.6 percentage points higher than Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation in South Gladstone was similar to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Key industries for employment among residents were manufacturing, health care & social assistance, and construction.

Manufacturing had a particularly strong presence with an employment share of 2.3 times the regional level. Health care & social assistance had limited presence at 11.2% compared to the regional average of 16.1%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over the 12 months to September 2025, labour force levels increased by 1.4%, while employment declined by 0.1%, resulting in a rise in unemployment rate by 1.3 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of Qld saw employment grow by 1.7% and labour force expand by 2.1%, with unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points. State-level data to 25-Nov shows QLD employment contracted by 0.01% (losing 1,210 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia indicate that national employment is expected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to South Gladstone's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.5% over five years and 12.1% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

South Gladstone's income level is slightly below average nationally, according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The suburb's median income among taxpayers is $53,195 and the average income stands at $65,756. These figures compare to Rest of Qld's median of $53,146 and average of $66,593 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes for September 2025 would be approximately $58,467 (median) and $72,272 (average). Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes in South Gladstone all fall between the 19th and 30th percentiles nationally. Income distribution reveals that 25.8% of the population (964 individuals) earn within the $1,500 - 2,999 range, consistent with surrounding regions at 31.7%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 83.4% of income remaining, ranking at the 19th percentile.

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

South Gladstone's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 64.5% houses and 35.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro Qld had 85.7% houses and 14.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in South Gladstone was at 22.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 28.3% and rented ones at 49.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,430, lower than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,600. The median weekly rent in South Gladstone was $240, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $275. Nationally, South Gladstone's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,430 than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 59.0% of all households, including 22.5% couples with children, 21.9% couples without children, and 13.7% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 41.0%, with lone person households at 36.6% and group households making up 4.3% of the total. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.5.

South Gladstone faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 17.0%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This indicates a need for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 12.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.0%) and graduate diplomas (1.6%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 43.1% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 7.9% and certificates at 35.2%.

Educational participation is high, with 28.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.4% in primary education, 9.8% in secondary education, and 3.0% pursuing tertiary education.

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

South Gladstone has 14 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by three different routes that together facilitate 100 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is deemed good, with residents on average being located 257 meters from the nearest stop.

On a daily basis, there are an average of 14 trips across all routes, which works out to approximately seven weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in South Gladstone is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

South Gladstone faces significant health challenges. Common health conditions are prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts.

The rate of private health cover is approximately 53% of the total population (~1,991 people), leading that of the average SA2 area but lower than Rest of Qld's 56.8%. Mental health issues impact 11.0% of residents, while asthma affects 8.6%. Approximately 65.5% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.4% across Rest of Qld. The area has 14.2% of residents aged 65 and over (530 people), which is lower than the 15.2% in Rest of Qld. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

South Gladstone ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

South Gladstone showed lower cultural diversity, with 85.0% citizens, 82.2% born in Australia, and 90.2% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion at 47.7%. The 'Other' religion category was overrepresented at 0.8%, compared to 0.4% regionally.

For ancestry, the top groups were English (29.2%), Australian (29.1%), and Scottish (7.3%). Notably, Filipino, Australian Aboriginal, and Maori populations were higher than regional averages: Filipino at 3.5% vs 1.4%, Australian Aboriginal at 5.0% vs 4.3%, and Maori at 0.9% vs 0.8%.

South Gladstone's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in South Gladstone is 38 years, which is slightly below Rest of Qld's average of 41 but aligns with Australia's median age of 38. The 25-34 age group constitutes 13.7% of South Gladstone's population, higher than Rest of Qld's percentage, while the 75-84 cohort makes up 4.3%, which is lower compared to Rest of Qld. According to data from the 2021 Census, the 25-34 age group has increased from 12.6% to 13.7% of South Gladstone's population. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort has decreased from 14.6% to 13.1%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in South Gladstone. Notably, the 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 39%, reaching 712 people from 512. However, the 15-24 cohort is expected to decline by 27 people.