Thursday Island

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

Thursday Island's population, as of November 2025, is estimated at around 2,871 people. This figure reflects an increase of 66 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,805. The growth was inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 2,871, based on examination of ABS' latest ERP data release in June 2024 and validation of seven new addresses post-Census date. This results in a density ratio of 771 persons per square kilometer, comparable to averages seen across other locations assessed by AreaSearch. Thursday Island's growth rate of 2.4% since the Census positions it within 1.7 percentage points of the SA4 region (4.1%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Natural growth contributed approximately 85.0% of overall population gains during recent periods in the area.

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 are used, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. However, these state projections lack age category splits; hence proportional growth weightings aligned with ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data) are applied when utilized. Future population trends anticipate lower quartile growth for regional areas nationwide. Thursday Island statistical area is expected to grow by 90 persons to reach a total of 2,961 by the year 2041, reflecting an overall gain of 3.8% over the 17-year period based on aggregated SA2-level projections.

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

Thursday Island had 17 dwelling approvals over the five-year period ending in unknown date. This translates to approximately three dwelling approvals annually, reflecting the area's rural nature where development is typically driven by local housing needs rather than broad market demand. The small sample size means individual projects can significantly influence annual growth and relativity statistics.

New developments consisted of 50% standalone homes and 50% townhouses or apartments, favouring compact living for affordability and attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. As of unknown date, there were an estimated 643 people per dwelling approval in the area. By 2041, Thursday Island is forecasted to gain 109 residents according to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate.

With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Thursday Island has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 48thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified three projects likely to impact the area. Major projects include Saila Terrace Townhouses, Thursday Island Affordable Modular Homes, Victoria Parade Units, and Queensland National Land Transport Network Maintenance. The following details those 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.

Thursday Island has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Thursday Island has a skilled workforce with well-represented essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 4.9%.

Over the past year, it has shown relative employment stability. As of September 2025, 1,394 residents are employed, an unemployment rate of 4.9%, which is 0.8% higher than Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation is fairly standard at 63.6%. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and education & training.

Public administration & safety shows a notable concentration with employment levels at 3.5 times the regional average. Manufacturing employs just 0.2% of local workers, below Rest of Qld's 5.6%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census working population vs resident population count. In the year to September 2025, employment levels increased by 0.4%, labour force decreased by 0.6%, and unemployment fell by 1.0 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of Qld where employment rose by 1.7%, labour force grew by 2.1%, and unemployment rose 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%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Thursday Island's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.3% over five years and 15.0% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

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

As per AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023, the suburb of Thursday Island's median income among taxpayers is $51,667. The average income in Thursday Island was $61,586 during this period. This is below the national average. In comparison, Rest of Qld had a median income of $53,146 and an average income of $66,593 for the same year. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since financial year 2023, current estimates project Thursday Island's median income to be approximately $56,787 and the average income to be around $67,689 as of September 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, incomes in Thursday Island cluster around the 70th percentile nationally for households, families, and individuals. Income analysis shows that the $1,500 - $2,999 earnings band captures 38.4% of the community (1,102 individuals). This aligns with the region where this cohort also represents 31.7%. After housing costs, residents retain 91.4% of their income, indicating strong purchasing power.

Thursday Island displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a predominantly rental market

Thursday Island's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 57.9% houses and 42.1% other dwellings such as semi-detached units, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. Home ownership stood at 9.8%, with 3.0% of dwellings mortgaged and 87.2% rented out. The median monthly mortgage repayment amounted to $1,408, while the median weekly rent was recorded as $200. Compared nationally, Thursday Island's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, with rents substantially below the national figure of $375.

Thursday Island has a typical household mix, with a median household size of 3.2 people

Family households constitute 73.6% of all households, including 34.0% that are couples with children, 18.0% that are couples without children, and 18.9% that are single-parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 26.4%, with lone person households at 23.1% and group households making up 3.1%. The median household size is 3.2 people.

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

Thursday Island's educational qualifications trail regional benchmarks. 21.1% of residents aged 15+ hold university degrees, compared to Australia's 30.4%. Bachelor degrees lead at 14.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.6%) and graduate diplomas (2.7%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 41.5% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (9.9%) and certificates (31.6%).

Educational participation is high, with 35.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 16.8% in primary education, 10.8% in secondary education, and 3.1% pursuing tertiary education.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Thursday Island's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Health outcomes data shows excellent results across Thursday Island.

Both younger and older age groups have low prevalence of common health conditions. Approximately 52% (~1,480 people) of the total population has private health cover. The most prevalent medical conditions are diabetes (7.1%) and asthma (5.4%). About 80.1% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 0% in the rest of Queensland. Around 9.2% (~264 people) of residents are aged 65 and over. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than those in the broader population.

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

Thursday Island has a higher than average cultural diversity with 7.2% of its population born overseas and 53.6% speaking a language other than English at home. The dominant religion is Christianity, practiced by 75.0% of the island's population, contrasting with 0% in the rest of Queensland. In terms of ancestry, the top groups are Other (51.3%), Australian Aboriginal (15.4%), and Australian (11.9%).

Notably, Samoan and Maori ethnicities are overrepresented on Thursday Island at 0.8% and 0.5%, respectively, compared to 0% regionally.

Thursday Island hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Thursday Island's median age is 30 years, which is considerably lower than the Rest of Queensland average of 41 years and Australia's average of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of Queensland, Thursday Island has a higher proportion of residents aged 5-14 (18.2%), but fewer residents aged 75-84 (2.1%). This proportion of 5-14 year-olds is well above the national average of 12.2%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the population aged 65 to 74 has grown from 5.0% to 6.5%, while the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 10.3% to 8.9%, and the 5 to 14 group has decreased from 19.5% to 18.2%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes for Thursday Island. The 25 to 34 age group is projected to grow by 27%, adding 119 residents to reach a total of 567. Conversely, population declines are forecast for the 55 to 64 and 5 to 14 age groups.