Townsville City

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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, as of Nov 2025, Townsville City's population is estimated at around 3,147. This reflects an increase of 202 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,945. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 3,145 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in Jun 2024 and an additional 21 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,520 persons per square kilometer. Townsville City's growth of 6.9% since census positions it within 1.9 percentage points of the non-metro area (8.8%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 86.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting 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. It should be noted that these state projections do not provide age category splits; hence proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data are applied where utilised. Examining future population trends, a population increase just below the median of Australian non-metropolitan areas is expected, with the area expected to grow by 311 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 8.0% in total 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 an additional 6 approved in FY-26. This equates to roughly 2 people moving to the area for each dwelling built over these years, indicating a balanced supply and demand. However, this has increased to approximately 14.7 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, suggesting growing demand and tightening supply.

New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $1,213,000, reflecting a focus on premium segments. Commercial approvals totaled $65.5 million in FY-26, indicating high local commercial activity.

All new construction comprised detached dwellings, preserving Townsville City's suburban nature and catering to space-seeking buyers. With around 873 people per dwelling approval, the market is highly mature. Population forecasts indicate an increase of 251 residents by 2041, potentially leading to growing competition among buyers as population grows.

Townsville City has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified fifteen projects likely to affect the area. 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 those most relevant.

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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 6.7%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

As of September 2025, there are 1,850 residents employed while the unemployment rate is 2.6% higher than Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation stands at 64.1%, compared to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. 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 has lower representation at 5.8% versus the regional average of 10.1%. There are 3.1 workers for every resident, indicating Townsville City functions as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding areas. Over a 12-month period ending in September 2025, labour force decreased by 0.4%, while employment decreased by 1.5%, causing unemployment to rise by 1.1 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Qld experienced employment growth of 1.7% and labour force growth of 2.1%. State-level data as of 25-Nov-25 shows QLD employment contracted by 0.01% (losing 1,210 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%, closely aligned with the national rate of 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth of 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, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

As per AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released on 30 June 2023, Townsville City's median income among taxpayers is $72,139. The average income in the suburb was $98,172 during this period. Nationally, these figures are exceptionally high compared to other regions. In the Rest of Qld, for instance, the median income was $53,146 with an average of $66,593. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since financial year 2023, current estimates suggest that as of September 2025, Townsville City's median income would be approximately $79,288 and the average around $107,901. Census data indicates that individual earnings in Townsville City stand out at the 90th percentile nationally, with weekly earnings of $1,182. Examining income distribution, 36.7% of the community (1,154 individuals) falls within the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band. This aligns with the broader area where this cohort represents 31.7%. After accounting for housing expenses, 85.3% of income remains for other expenses in Townsville City. The suburb's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile nationally.

Townsville City features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a predominantly rental market

Townsville City's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 11.6% houses and 88.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Home ownership in Townsville City stood at 23.6%, with 18.8% of dwellings mortgaged and 57.6% rented. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,663, while the median weekly rent was $390. Nationally, Townsville City's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, with rents exceeding the national figure of $375.

Townsville City features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a median household size of 1.8 people

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.

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 above holding university qualifications as of the latest data. This compares to a significantly lower 20.1% in the SA4 region and 20.6% in the rest of Queensland. The most common university qualification held is bachelor degrees, at 27.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (10.6%) and graduate diplomas (4.1%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent among residents aged 15 years and above, with 30.5% holding such qualifications.

This includes advanced diplomas (10.8%) and certificates (19.7%). Educational participation is notably high in the area, with 27.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education as of the latest figures. 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 indicates 21 operational public transport stops within Townsville City. These include a mix of ferry and bus services. There are 12 individual routes servicing these stops, providing a total of 2,523 weekly passenger trips.

Residential accessibility to transport is rated excellent, with residents located an average of 196 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency across all routes averages 360 trips per day, equating to approximately 120 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Townsville City is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Townsville City shows superior health outcomes for both youth and elderly populations, with low prevalence rates for common conditions. Approximately 66% of its total population (2080 people) have private health cover, exceeding the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical issues are mental health concerns affecting 8.5% of residents and arthritis impacting 7.2%, while 71.1% report no medical ailments, compared to 0% in the rest of Queensland. The area has 17.0% seniors (534 people) aged 65 and over. Health outcomes among seniors are notably strong, outperforming general population health metrics.

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 has a higher cultural diversity than most local markets, with 12.8% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 28.7% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Townsville City, accounting for 49.5% of its population. Hinduism, however, is significantly overrepresented, comprising 1.4% compared to None% across the Rest of Qld.

The top three ancestry groups are English (28.1%), Australian (20.5%), and Irish (9.8%). Notably, Welsh (0.8%), Korean (1.0%), and French (0.7%) ethnic groups are overrepresented in Townsville City compared to regional averages of None%.

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

The median age in Townsville City as of 2021 is 38 years, which is slightly below Rest of Qld's average of 41 but matches Australia's median age of 38 years. The 25-34 age group constitutes 25.2% of the population in Townsville City, higher than Rest of Qld's percentage and significantly above the national average of 14.5%. Meanwhile, the 5-14 age cohort makes up only 3.8% of the population in Townsville City. Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses, Townsville City has seen a decrease in median age from 39 to 38 years. The 75-84 age group grew from 4.1% to 5.7% of the population during this period, while the 25-34 cohort increased from 23.6% to 25.2%. Conversely, the 45-54 age group decreased from 13.6% to 11.4%, and the 55-64 age group fell from 15.0% to 13.2%. By 2041, Townsville City's age composition is projected to change significantly. The 25-34 age cohort is expected to grow by 187 people (24%), increasing from 793 to 981 individuals. Conversely, population declines are anticipated for the 65-74 and 5-14 age cohorts.