Townsville City

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

The population of Townsville City is estimated at around 3,143 as of May 2026, reflecting an increase of 198 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 2,945. This change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of resident population at 3,141 following examination of ABS's latest ERP data release (June 2025) and validation of additional 21 new addresses since the Census date. The population density is 1,518 persons per square kilometer, above the national average assessed by AreaSearch. Townsville City's growth rate of 6.7% since census is close to the SA4 region's growth rate of 7.1%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 86.0% of overall population gains during recent periods. For future projections until 2032, AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022.

Post-2032 projections for areas not covered by this data use Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections released in 2023 and based on 2021 data, applying proportional growth weightings from ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Future population trends suggest a median increase for non-metropolitan areas, with Townsville City expected to grow by 289 persons to 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 9.1% over the 16 years.

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

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, Townsville City has averaged around 7 new dwelling approvals per year. Between FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 37 homes were approved, with another 8 approved in FY-26 so far. This indicates a demand outpacing supply, with an average of 3.7 new residents arriving per dwelling constructed over the past five financial years.

The average construction value of these dwellings is $1,213,000, suggesting a focus on premium segment properties. Additionally, there have been $65.5 million in commercial approvals this financial year.

All new constructions have been detached dwellings, preserving Townsville City's suburban nature and attracting space-seeking buyers despite increasing density pressures. With around 1037 people per dwelling approval, Townsville City reflects a highly mature market. Population forecasts indicate an expected gain of 287 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

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 identified 15 projects likely affecting the region. Notable initiatives 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 most relevant projects.

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 well-represented essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 6.4%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, 1,870 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 2.4% higher than Regional Qld's rate of 4.0%.

Workforce participation stands at 67.6%, slightly above Regional Qld's 64.5%. Census responses show that only 7.9% of residents work from home, but Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Key industries for 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% versus Regional Qld's 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 December 2025, the labour force increased by 0.1% while employment decreased by 0.8%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.8 percentage points. In contrast, Regional Qld experienced employment growth of 0.7% and labour force growth of 1.0%, with a 0.3 percentage point rise in unemployment. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, published in May-25, suggest that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Townsville City's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 14.1% over ten years. However, it is important to note that these are simple weighting extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not take into account localised population projections.

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 released for financial year 2023 indicates that Townsville City's median income among taxpayers is $72,139. The average income in this suburb was $98,172 during the same period. Nationally, these figures are exceptionally high compared to Regional Qld's median of $53,146 and average of $66,593. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Townsville City would be approximately $80,334 (median) and $109,324 (average) as of March 2026. Census data reveals that individual earnings at the 90th percentile nationally are $1,182 weekly. In terms of income distribution, the $1,500 - $2,999 earnings band captures 36.7% of Townsville City's community (1,153 individuals), which aligns with the broader area where this cohort likewise represents 31.7%. After housing costs, 85.3% of income remains for other expenses in Townsville City. The suburb'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

The latest Census evaluated dwelling structures in Townsville City as 11.6% houses and 88.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Regional Qld had 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Townsville City was 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 Regional Qld's average of $1,655. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $390, compared to Regional Qld's $345. Nationally, Townsville City's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded 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 constitute 50.0% of all households, including 10.7% couples with children, 32.5% couples without children, and 5.3% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 50.0%, with lone person households at 43.2% and group households comprising 6.6%. The median household size is 1.8 people, which is smaller than the Regional Queensland 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

Townsville City's educational attainment is notably higher than regional averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 42.5% have university qualifications, compared 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 holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 10.8% and certificates at 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

Transport analysis shows 20 operational stops in Townsville City, consisting of both ferry and bus services. These stops are served by 12 routes, facilitating a total of 2523 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 196 meters to the nearest stop. In this predominantly residential area, outward commuting is prevalent, with cars being the primary mode at 76%, followed by walking at 16%. The average vehicle ownership per dwelling stands at 0.9, lower than the regional norm. According to the 2021 Census, a relatively low 7.9% of residents work from home, which may be reflective of COVID-19 conditions.

Across all routes, service frequency averages 360 trips daily, 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, based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were low across both young and old age cohorts. Private health cover was found to be exceptionally high at approximately 66% of the total population (2,077 people), compared to 52.5% across Regional Qld and 55.7% nationally.

The most common medical conditions were mental health issues impacting 8.5% of residents and arthritis impacting 7.2%. A total of 71.1% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 67.6% across Regional Qld. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. The area has 17.5% of residents aged 65 and over (550 people), which is lower than the 20.4% in Regional 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 had a 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 dominant religion in Townsville City, comprising 49.5%. Hinduism showed overrepresentation in Townsville City at 1.4%, compared to Regional Qld's 0.8%.

For ancestry, the top groups were English (28.1%), Australian (20.5%), and Irish (9.8%). Notable divergences existed for Welsh (0.8% vs regional 0.5%), Korean (1.0% vs 0.2%), and French (0.7% vs 0.5%).

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 Regional Queensland's average of 41 but matching Australia's median age of 38. The 25-34 age group constituted 25.4% of the population, higher than Regional Queensland's percentage and significantly above the national figure of 14.6%. Conversely, the 5-14 age group made up only 3.6% of Townsville City's population. Post-Census data indicated a decrease in median age from 39 to 38 years between 2016 and 2021, with notable changes in specific age groups: the 75-84 cohort grew from 4.1% to 6.0%, while the 25-34 group increased from 23.6% to 25.4%. Meanwhile, the 45-54 cohort decreased from 13.6% to 10.9%, and the 55-64 age group fell from 15.0% to 12.9%. By 2041, Townsville City's age composition is projected to shift significantly, with the 25-34 cohort expected to grow by 168 people (21%), from 798 to 967. Conversely, population declines are forecast for the 5-14 and 15-24 age groups.