South Toowoomba

An assessment of population growth drivers in South Toowoomba 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 as of Nov 2025, South Toowoomba's estimated population is around 5,652. This reflects an increase of 140 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,512. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of resident population at 5,641 following examination of ABS' latest ERP data release in June 2024 and an additional 18 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,527 persons per square kilometer, above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 81.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts 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 released in 2023 based on 2021 data are adopted, applying proportional growth weightings from ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort released in 2023 with a base year of 2022. Examining future population trends, lower quartile growth is anticipated by 2041, with the area expected to expand by 266 persons reflecting an increase of 5.8% over the 17 years based on aggregated SA2-level projections.

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

South Toowoomba saw approximately 7 new homes approved annually, with 38 approved between FY21-FY25 and 30 in FY26. Each dwelling built resulted in an average of 2.7 new residents yearly over the past five financial years.

The average construction cost was $380,000 per dwelling. Compared to the rest of Queensland, South Toowoomba had significantly lower building activity, at 76.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties, though recent development activity has increased. Nationally, it is also below average, indicating maturity and possible planning constraints. New developments consisted of 33.0% detached houses and 67.0% medium to high-density housing, reflecting a shift from the current housing mix of 70.0% houses. South Toowoomba has a population density of around 598 people per dwelling approval, indicating a highly mature market. By 2041, AreaSearch projects an addition of 325 residents.

At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases.

South Toowoomba 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 a total of 19 projects that are likely to impact the area. Notable projects include Grants for Growth Infrastructure Plan, Retirement Village (86 Units) - Single Storey, Mater Dei Primary School Early Years Precinct, and Ruthven Street Social and Affordable Housing Development. The following list details those projects 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.

South Toowoomba shows employment indicators that trail behind approximately 70% of regions assessed across Australia

South Toowoomba has a skilled workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 5.6% as of September 2024, with an estimated employment growth of 5.1% over the past year, according to AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation.

As of September 2025, 2975 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.5% higher than Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation stands at 62.7%, slightly above Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, education & training, and retail trade. Notably, health care & social assistance has a high concentration with levels at 1.4 times the regional average.

Conversely, mining is under-represented, with only 0.8% of South Toowoomba's workforce compared to Rest of Qld's 3.6%. The worker-to-resident ratio was 0.7 as per the Census, indicating a higher level of local employment opportunities than usual. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 5.1% while labour force grew by 3.5%, leading to a 1.4 percentage point decrease in unemployment rate. In comparison, Rest of Qld saw employment grow by 1.7%, labour force expand by 2.1%, and unemployment rise by 0.3 percentage points. State-level data from 25-Nov-25 shows Queensland's employment contracted by 0.01% (losing 1210 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%, closely aligned with the national rate of 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to South Toowoomba's employment mix suggests local employment should grow by 7.0% over five years and 14.5% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

The suburb of South Toowoomba has a median income among taxpayers of $53,135 and an average income of $65,289 in the financial year 2023, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data. These figures are slightly lower than the national averages for Rest of Qld, which are $53,146 and $66,593 respectively. By September 2025, estimates based on a 9.91% Wage Price Index growth suggest median income will be approximately $58,401 and average income will be around $71,759. The 2021 Census data shows South Toowoomba's personal income ranks at the 41st percentile with weekly earnings of $763, while household income is at the 24th percentile. Income distribution reveals that 31.3% (1,769 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, aligning with broader regional trends where 31.7% are in the same category. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 82.6% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 23rd percentile.

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

South Toowoomba's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 69.6% houses and 30.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Non-Metro Qld's 81.4% houses and 18.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in South Toowoomba was at 22.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 28.2% and rented ones at 49.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,405, lower than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,517. The median weekly rent in South Toowoomba was $290, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $310. Nationally, South Toowoomba's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,405 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households compose 56.5% of all households, including 18.9% couples with children, 23.0% couples without children, and 13.1% single parent families. Non-family households account for 43.5%, with lone person households at 37.6% and group households comprising 5.6%. The median household size is 2.1 people, smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.5.

Educational attainment in South Toowoomba aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 26.8%, higher than the Rest of Qld average of 20.6%. This rate exceeds that of the SA3 area at 23.1%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 18.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.5%) and graduate diplomas (2.9%).

Vocational credentials are held by 35.2% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 9.5% and certificates at 25.7%. Educational participation is high, with 29.3% currently enrolled in formal education. Primary education enrollment stands at 8.8%, secondary at 7.6%, and tertiary at 5.3%.

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

South Toowoomba has 36 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by six different routes that together facilitate 706 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of the transport system is excellent, with residents on average located just 188 meters from their nearest stop.

On average, there are 100 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 19 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

South Toowoomba faces significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups.

Private health cover stands at approximately 53%, higher than the average SA2 area but still lower than the total population (~2,999 people). Mental health issues affect 12.0% of residents, while arthritis impacts 9.0%. A majority, 64.3%, report no medical ailments, slightly below Rest of Qld's 65.3%. The area has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 13.6% (768 people), compared to Rest of Qld's 18.8%. Senior health outcomes present challenges similar to the general population's health profile.

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

South Toowoomba's cultural diversity was comparable to the wider region, with 83.7% being citizens, 81.4% born in Australia, and 86.7% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, making up 51.3%. The most significant overrepresentation was seen in Other religions (4.8%, compared to 2.2% regionally).

Top ancestry groups were English (26.9%), Australian (24.9%), and Irish (9.8%). Notably, German ancestry was slightly overrepresented at 7.6% (vs regional 8.0%), while Australian Aboriginal was at 3.6% (vs regional 3.3%) and Maori at 0.5% (vs regional 0.3%).

South Toowoomba's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in South Toowoomba is 35 years, which is lower than the Rest of Qld's average of 41 years and also under the national average of 38 years. The 25-34 age cohort is notably higher at 20.5% locally compared to the Rest of Qld's average. Conversely, the 65-74 year-olds are under-represented at 7.3%. This concentration of the 25-34 age group is well above the national average of 14.5%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 25 to 34 age group has grown from 17.6% to 20.5%, while the 0 to 4 cohort increased from 5.8% to 7.0%. Meanwhile, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 12.5% to 11.0%, and the 65 to 74 group dropped from 8.7% to 7.3%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in South Toowoomba, with the 25 to 34 age group expected to grow by 24% (277 people), reaching 1,436 from 1,158. Conversely, both the 65 to 74 and 5 to 14 age groups are projected to decrease in numbers.