Townsville City

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

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Townsville City is around 3,147, reflecting an increase of 202 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 2,945. This increase of 6.9% is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 3,145 residents following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024) and an additional 19 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density ratio is 1,520 persons per square kilometer, above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Townsville City's growth rate of 6.9% since census positions it within 0.2 percentage points of the SA4 region (7.1%). Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 86.0%. 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, with proportional growth weightings applied for age cohorts. Future population trends suggest an increase just below the median of Australian non-metropolitan areas, with an expected growth of 303 persons to 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 8.1% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Townsville City, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Townsville City averaged approximately 7 new dwelling approvals per year. Between FY-21 and FY-25, around 38 homes were approved, with another 6 approved in FY-26. Over the past five financial years, an average of 2 people moved to the area for each dwelling built. However, this figure has increased to 14.7 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, suggesting growing demand and tightening supply.

New properties are constructed at an average value of $1,213,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment. This year, there have been $65.5 million in commercial approvals, reflecting high levels of local commercial activity.

All new construction has comprised detached dwellings, preserving Townsville City's suburban nature and catering to space-seeking buyers. The city reflects a highly mature market with around 873 people per dwelling approval. Population forecasts indicate Townsville City will gain approximately 254 residents by 2041. Construction is maintaining pace with projected growth, but buyers may face increasing competition as the population grows.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 15 projects that may affect this region. Notable projects include Defence Housing Australia's Townsville New Builds Volume Leasing Program (400+ Homes), Marina Residences, The Hive - 10-15 The Strand Masterplan, and Mater Private Hospital Townsville Relocation. Below is a list of projects likely to be most relevant.

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

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

Townsville City has a highly educated workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate is 6.7%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of September 2025, there are 1,845 residents employed while the unemployment rate is 2.7% higher than Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%.

Workforce participation stands at 67.8%, slightly above Rest of Qld's 65.7%. Census responses indicate that only 7.9% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Key industries of employment among residents are public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and education & training. The area specializes in public administration & safety with an employment share 3.1 times the regional level.

Conversely, construction shows lower representation at 5.8% compared to the regional average of 10.1%. There are 3.1 workers for every resident, indicating that Townsville City functions as an employment hub hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas. Over a 12-month period ending in September 2025, labour force decreased by 0.4% while employment decreased by 1.6%, causing unemployment to rise by 1.2 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Qld experienced employment growth of 1.7% and labour force growth of 2.1%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment is expected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Townsville City's employment mix, local employment is estimated to increase by 6.8% over five years and 14.1% over ten years.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows Townsville City's median income among taxpayers is $72,139. The average income is $98,172. Nationally, this is exceptionally 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 Townsville City would be approximately $79,288 (median) and $107,901 (average) as of September 2025. Census data indicates individual earnings at the 90th percentile nationally are $1,182 weekly. In Townsville City, the income distribution shows that 36.7% of individuals earn between $1,500 and $2,999 per week (1,154 individuals), similar to the broader area where this cohort represents 31.7%. After housing expenses, 85.3% of income remains for other expenses. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Townsville City features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Townsville City's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census evaluation, consisted of 11.6% houses and 88.4% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This differs from Non-Metro Qld's structure which was 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Townsville City stood at 23.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 18.8% and rented ones at 57.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,663, higher than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,655. The median weekly rent figure for Townsville City was $390, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $345. Nationally, Townsville City's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,663 than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher at $390 than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 50.0% of all households, including 10.7% that are couples with children, 32.5% that are couples without children, and 5.3% that are single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 50.0%, with lone person households at 43.2% and group households comprising 6.6% of the total. The median household size is 1.8 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.5.

Townsville City demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Educational attainment in Townsville City is notably high, with 42.5% of residents aged 15 years and over holding university qualifications as of the latest data. This compares to 20.1% in the SA4 region and 20.6% across the rest of Queensland. Bachelor degrees are most common at 27.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (10.6%) and graduate diplomas (4.1%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 30.5% of residents aged 15 years and over holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas account for 10.8% and certificates for 19.7%.

Educational participation is high, with 27.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.2% in tertiary education, 4.8% in secondary education, and 4.6% pursuing primary education.

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

Public transport analysis shows that in Townsville City there are 20 active transport stops operating. These comprise a mix of ferry and bus services. They are serviced by 12 individual routes which collectively provide 2523 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent with residents typically located 196 meters from the nearest stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward using their cars at a rate of 76%, while 16% walk. Vehicle ownership averages 0.9 per dwelling which is below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, only 7.9% of residents work from home, a figure that may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 360 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 126 weekly trips per individual stop.

Townsville City's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Townsville City. AreaSearch's assessment indicates low prevalence of common health conditions across both young and old age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 66% of the total population (2,080 people), compared to 52.5% across Rest of Qld and 55.7% nationally.

The most common medical conditions are mental health issues impacting 8.5% of residents and arthritis affecting 7.2%. A total of 71.1% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 67.6% across Rest of Qld. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. The area has 17.2% of residents aged 65 and over (541 people), lower than the 20.4% in Rest of Qld. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Townsville City was found to be slightly above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Townsville City's population showed higher cultural diversity than most local markets, with 12.8% speaking a language other than English at home and 28.7% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion in Townsville City, accounting for 49.5% of its population. Hinduism was notably overrepresented compared to regional averages, comprising 1.4% of Townsville's population versus 0.8%.

In terms of ancestry, English was the largest group at 28.1%, followed by Australian at 20.5%, which was lower than the regional average of 26.5%. Irish ancestry made up 9.8% of the population. Some ethnic groups showed significant differences in representation: Welsh (0.8% vs 0.5%), Korean (1.0% vs 0.2%), and French (0.7% vs 0.5%) were notably overrepresented in Townsville City compared to regional averages.

Townsville City's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Townsville City was 38 years as of the 2021 Census, slightly below Rest of Qld's average of 41 but matching Australia's median age of 38. The 25-34 age group made up 25.8% of Townsville City's population compared to Rest of Qld's average, while the 5-14 cohort was less prevalent at 3.5%. This concentration in the 25-34 age group was significantly higher than the national average of 14.4%. Between the 2016 and 2021 Censuses, Townsville City's median age decreased by 1.3 years to 38 from 39. The 25-34 age group grew from 23.6% to 25.8%, while the 75-84 cohort increased from 4.1% to 5.9%. Conversely, the 45-54 age group declined from 13.6% to 10.6% and the 55-64 group dropped from 15.0% to 12.8%. By 2041, Townsville City's age composition is projected to shift notably. The 25-34 age cohort is expected to grow by 163 people (20%), increasing from 811 to 975. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 5-14 and 65-74 cohorts.