Stuart (Qld)

Population growth drivers in Stuart are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validation, the estimated population of the suburb of Stuart (Qld) is around 1,609 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 33 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,576. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 1,609 residents following examination of ABS ERP data released in June 2025 and additional validation of 43 new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 28 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Stuart has shown resilient growth with a compound annual growth rate of 1.5%, outperforming its SA3 area. Population growth was primarily driven by natural growth contributing approximately 47.0% of overall gains, although all drivers including overseas and interstate migration were positive factors.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections released in 2023 based on 2021 data are adopted. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits, so AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings from ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data for each age cohort. Future population trends indicate a decline of 23 persons by 2041 according to this methodology, with specific age cohorts expected to grow, led by the 35 to 44 age group projected to expand by 19 people.

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

Stuart approved six new dwellings annually over the five years from 2015-2019. This low level of development is typical in rural areas due to modest housing needs and limited construction activity influenced by local demand and infrastructure capacity. It's important to note that with such a small number of approvals, individual projects can significantly impact annual growth statistics.

Stuart's development activity is notably lower than the rest of Queensland and national patterns. Population projections indicating stability or decline suggest reduced housing demand pressures in Stuart, which may benefit potential buyers.

With population projections showing stability or decline, Stuart should see reduced housing demand pressures, benefiting potential buyers.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified six projects expected to impact the area. Notable ones are Queensland Resources Common User Facility, SunHQ Hydrogen Hub, Wulguru Group Stuart Facility Expansion, and Iluka. The following details projects deemed 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 Stuart face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Stuart's workforce is balanced across white and blue collar jobs with prominent representation from essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate, as of December 2025, stands at 10.6%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of this date, 186 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 6.6% higher than Regional Qld's rate of 4.0%.

Workforce participation in Stuart lags significantly, with only 13.5% participating compared to Regional Qld's 64.5%. Census responses indicate that a low 5.5% of residents work from home. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, construction, and public administration & safety sectors. The area has a particular specialization in health care & social assistance, with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing shows lower representation at 0.0% versus the regional average of 4.5%. As per the Census, there are 1.7 workers for every resident, indicating that Stuart functions as an employment hub hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas. During the year to December 2025, the labour force increased by 0.5% while employment decreased by 2.1%, resulting in a rise of 2.4 percentage points in the unemployment rate. By comparison, Regional Qld recorded employment growth of 0.7%, labour force growth of 1.0%, with unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Stuart's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.9% over ten years.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

The suburb of Stuart's median income among taxpayers was $45,040 in financial year 2023. The average income stood at $52,978 during the same period. These figures are below those for Regional Qld, which were $53,146 and $66,593 respectively. By March 2026, estimates based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% suggest median income will be approximately $50,157 and average income $58,996 in Stuart. According to Census 2021 data, incomes in Stuart fall between the 16th and 28th percentiles nationally for households, families, and individuals. The income distribution shows that 37.2% of residents (598 people) earn within the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket, similar to the metropolitan region where 31.7% fall into this category. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Stuart, with only 84.8% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 17th percentile nationally.

Stuart is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

The latest Census evaluated dwelling structures in Stuart as 94.5% houses and 5.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Regional Queensland had 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Stuart was 29.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 41.2% and rented ones at 29.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,213, below Regional Queensland's average of $1,655. The median weekly rent figure was $250, compared to Regional Queensland's $345. Nationally, Stuart's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Stuart features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 59.1% of all households, including 18.9% couples with children, 21.3% couples without children, and 16.5% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 40.9%, with lone person households at 36.0% and group households comprising 1.8%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Regional Queensland average of 2.5.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 5.0%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 4.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 0.8% and graduate diplomas at 0.2%. Technical qualifications make up 11.3% of educational achievements for residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 2.4% and certificates at 8.9%. Educational participation is high, with 81.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 36.9% in primary education, 19.3% in secondary education, and 9.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Stuart has 11 active public transport stops, all serving buses. These stops are covered by one route, offering a total of 40 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is moderate, with residents typically located 430 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward, primarily using cars (89%), while 7% walk. On average, there are 1.5 vehicles per dwelling. Only 5.5% of residents work from home (2021 Census).

Service frequency averages five trips daily across all routes, equating to about three weekly trips per stop.

Health performance in Stuart is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Stuart faces significant health challenges, as indicated by AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. A variety of health conditions affect both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low, at approximately 48% of Stuart's total population (~775 people), compared to 52.5% in Regional Qld and the national average of 55.7%.

Mental health issues and arthritis are the most common medical conditions, affecting 10.4 and 10.2% of residents respectively. However, 57.9% of residents claim to be completely free from medical ailments, compared to 67.6% in Regional Qld. Working-age population faces notable health challenges with higher chronic condition rates. Stuart has 7.2% of residents aged 65 and over (115 people), lower than the 20.4% in Regional Qld. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, ranking even higher than the general population nationally.

The latest Census data sees Stuart placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Stuart's population had low cultural diversity, with 23.6% being citizens born outside Australia, 95.3% born locally, and 97.6% speaking English exclusively at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 55.3%. Notably, the 'Other' category comprised 3.0%, compared to Regional Qld's 0.8%.

Top ancestral groups were Australian (31.0%), English (27.5%), and Irish (10.2%). Hungarian (0.7% vs regional 0.2%) and Australian Aboriginal (5.8% vs regional 3.9%) were overrepresented, while German showed a slight divergence at 5.1% compared to Regional Qld's 4.7%.

Stuart's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Stuart has a median age of 36, which is lower than Regional Qld's figure of 41 years, and marginally lower than Australia's median age of 38 years. The 25-34 cohort is notably over-represented in Stuart at 28.7%, compared to the Regional Qld average, while the 5-14 year-olds are under-represented at 3.4%. This concentration of the 25-34 age group is well above the national average of 14.6%. Between 2021 and present, the 55 to 64 age group has grown from 8.1% to 9.2% of the population. Conversely, the 25 to 34 cohort has declined from 30.3% to 28.7%, and the 15 to 24 group has dropped from 11.6% to 10.4%. Demographic modeling suggests Stuart's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 35 to 44 age cohort is projected to expand by 11 people (3%) from 419 to 431. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 65% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Meanwhile, the 25 to 34 and 5 to 14 cohorts are projected to experience population declines.