South Townsville

South Townsville has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

As of February 2026, the population of South Townsville is estimated at around 2,581 people. This figure reflects an increase of 157 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,424 people in the suburb. The latest estimate is based on AreaSearch's validation of new addresses and examination of the ABS's ERP data release from June 2024, indicating a resident population of 2,572 plus an additional 12 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 522 persons per square kilometer, providing significant space per person and potential room for further development. South Townsville's 6.5% growth since the census positions it within 0.6 percentage points of the SA4 region (7.1%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth in the suburb was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 62.0% 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 are adopted, based on 2021 data and released in 2023. Future population trends indicate an expected increase just below the median of Australian non-metropolitan areas. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, South Townsville is expected to expand by 303 persons to reach a total population of 2,884 by 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 10.6% over the 17-year period.

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

South Townsville had minimal construction activity with 3 new dwelling approvals annually on average between 2016 and 2020 (total of 16 approvals). This low development level reflects the rural nature of South Townsville, where housing needs rather than market demand typically drive development. The small sample size means individual projects can significantly influence annual growth statistics.

Compared to the rest of Queensland and national patterns, South Townsville has much lower development activity. Recent building activity consists solely of detached houses, reflecting the area's rural character with a preference for larger properties. This favours detached housing more than current patterns suggest (52.0% at Census), indicating robust demand for family homes despite increasing density pressures. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 1013 people, reflecting South Townsville's quiet development environment.

By 2041, the area is expected to grow by 274 residents according to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting price increases.

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

Twelve projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Key among these are The Hive at 10-15 The Strand Masterplan, Weststate Private Hospital, Defence Housing Australia's Townsville New Builds Volume Leasing Program involving over four hundred homes, and Marina Residences.

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

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AreaSearch analysis reveals South Townsville recording weaker employment conditions than most comparable areas nationwide

South Townsville has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate is 6.1%, as per AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of September 2025, 1,444 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 2.0% higher than Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%.

Workforce participation in South Townsville is similar to Rest of Qld's 65.7%. According to Census responses, only 6.7% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Employment among residents is concentrated in public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and accommodation & food sectors. Public administration & safety has notably high employment levels at 2.3 times the regional average, while agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence with only 0.7% employment compared to 4.5% regionally.

The ratio of 0.9 workers per resident indicates substantial local employment opportunities. Between September 2024 and September 2025, labour force decreased by 0.3%, employment decreased by 1.4%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 1.1 percentage points in South Townsville. In comparison, Rest of Qld recorded employment growth of 1.7% and labour force growth of 2.1%, with unemployment rising by only 0.3 percentage points during the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that over five years, national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6%, and over ten years by 13.7%. Applying these projections to South Townsville's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.2% over ten years.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023, South Townsville had a median income among taxpayers of $55,782 and an average income of $75,913. Nationally, these figures are high compared to the Rest of Qld's median of $53,146 and average of $66,593. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since financial year 2023, current estimates for South Townsville would be approximately $61,310 (median) and $83,436 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census figures, personal income ranks at the 69th percentile ($914 weekly), while household income sits at the 36th percentile. The predominant income cohort spans 31.0% of locals (800 people) with incomes between $1,500 and $2,999. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 83.8% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 37th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

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

The dwelling structure in South Townsville, as per the latest Census, consisted of 52.0% houses and 47.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro Qld had 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in South Townsville was at 22.7%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (26.8%) or rented (50.5%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in South Townsville was $1,517, lower than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,655. The median weekly rent figure in South Townsville was recorded at $300, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $345. Nationally, South Townsville's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households comprise 53.7% of all households, including 15.1% couples with children, 27.6% couples without children, and 8.9% single parent families. Non-family households make up 46.3%, consisting of 40.2% lone person households and 6.4% group households. The median household size is 2.0 people, smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.5.

Educational outcomes in South Townsville fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's educational profile is notable regionally with university qualification rates at 27.3%, exceeding the SA4 region average of 20.1% and Rest of Qld's rate of 20.6%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 18.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.4%) and graduate diplomas (2.8%). Vocational skills are prominent with 38.9% of residents aged 15+ holding credentials, including advanced diplomas (10.2%) and certificates (28.7%).

Educational participation is high at 30.7%, comprising tertiary education (9.4%), primary education (9.0%), and secondary education (7.2%).

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

South Townsville has 15 active public transport stops, all serving buses. These stops are covered by two routes, offering a total of 145 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents living an average of 195 meters from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential zone, most commuters travel outward, primarily by car (86%), with 8% walking. On average, there are 1.1 vehicles per dwelling, below the regional norm. In 2021 Census data, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions, only 6.7% of residents worked from home.

Service frequency averages 20 trips daily across all routes, translating to about 9 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

South Townsville faces significant health challenges based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are high, with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts.

Private health cover is very high at approximately 57% of the total population (~1,478 people), compared to 52.5% across Rest of Qld. The most common medical conditions in the area were mental health issues and arthritis, impacting 10.5 and 8.5% of residents respectively. 67.1% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 67.6% across Rest of Qld. Working-age population faces notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 15.6% of residents aged 65 and over (402 people), lower than the 20.4% in Rest of Qld. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

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

South Townsville's cultural diversity was below average, with 78.9% of its population being citizens born in Australia speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 51.1%. Judaism, at 0.1%, was slightly overrepresented compared to Rest of Qld's 0.1%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (28.1%), Australian (22.7%), and Irish (12.4%). Notably, Scottish (10.1%) and French (1.0%) were overrepresented, while New Zealand (0.9%) was equally represented compared to the regional average.

South Townsville's median age exceeds the national pattern

South Townsville's median age is 40, close to Rest of Qld's 41 but exceeding the national norm of 38. The 25-34 age group is strongly represented at 20.1%, compared to Rest of Qld, while the 5-14 cohort is less prevalent at 5.5%. This 25-34 concentration is above the national figure of 14.4%. Following the Census in 2021, younger residents have reduced the median age by 1.3 years to 40. The 25-34 age group grew from 16.1% to 20.1%, while the 5-14 cohort declined from 7.8% to 5.5%. By 2041, South Townsville's age composition is expected to shift notably. The 25-34 cohort shows strong projected growth of 27%, adding 140 residents to reach 659. Meanwhile, the 5-14 and 15-24 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.