Tully

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

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validation, as of May 2026, Tully's estimated population is around 2,482. This reflects an increase of 114 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,368. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 2,466 residents following their examination of ABS' June 2025 ERP data release and validation of 20 new addresses since the Census date. Tully's population density is approximately 190 persons per square kilometer. Since the Census, Tully has grown by 4.8%, positioning it within 1.0 percentage point of its SA3 area's growth rate of 5.8%. Overseas migration contributed around 63% of Tully's recent population gains.

AreaSearch uses 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 from 2023 are adopted, applying proportional growth weightings based on ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 using 2022 data. Future population trends suggest Tully will grow by approximately 278 persons to reach a total of around 2,760 by 2041, reflecting a gain of 10.6% over the 16-year period.

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

Tully has seen approximately 9 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling around 48 homes. As of FY26, 6 approvals have been recorded. On average, each dwelling constructed between FY21 and FY25 accommodates about 0.6 new residents per year. The average construction cost value for new properties is approximately $371,000.

This financial year has seen around $6.0 million in commercial approvals. Tully maintains similar construction rates per person compared to the rest of Queensland, preserving its low-density nature with a focus on detached housing. With about 324 people per dwelling approval, it shows characteristics of a low density area.

According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Tully is expected to grow by around 262 residents by 2041.

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

No infrastructure changes or major projects are anticipated in the area, as AreaSearch has identified zero relevant projects. Key initiatives previously considered include the North Queensland Super Hub, Draft Far North Queensland Regional Plan 2025, North and Far North Queensland REZs, and Queensland National Land Transport Network Maintenance.

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Employment drivers in Tully are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Tully has a balanced workforce with diverse sector representation. As of December 2025, its unemployment rate is 5.2%. The AreaSearch aggregation shows 1,266 residents are employed, which is 1.2% higher than Regional Qld's rate of 4.0%.

Workforce participation is similar to Regional Qld at 64.5%. Census responses indicate that only 4.4% of residents work from home. Employment is concentrated in agriculture, forestry & fishing (8 times the regional average), retail trade, and manufacturing. Health care & social assistance has lower representation at 7.3%, compared to Regional Qld's 16.1%.

The area may have limited local employment opportunities, as shown by the working population vs resident population count. In the 12 months prior, labour force decreased by 1.4% and employment by 3.6%, causing unemployment to rise by 2.1 percentage points. This contrasts with Regional Qld where employment grew by 0.7%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Tully's employment should increase by 4.2% over five years and 10.0% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation of industry-specific projections against Tully's employment mix.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023, Tully had a median income among taxpayers of $49,460 with an average level standing at $60,007. This is lower than average on a national basis and compares to levels of $53,146 and $66,593 across Regional Qld respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $55,079 (median) and $66,824 (average) as of March 2026. From the 2021 Census, personal income ranks at the 34th percentile ($727 weekly), while household income sits at the 18th percentile. Income analysis reveals 30.6% of the population (759 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, mirroring the region where 31.7% occupy this bracket. While housing costs are modest with 87.4% of income retained, the total disposable income ranks at just the 22nd percentile nationally.

Tully is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Tully's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, comprised 83.8% houses and 16.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Regional Qld had 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Tully's home ownership level was higher than Regional Qld's at 36.2%. The remaining dwellings were either mortgaged (22.8%) or rented (41.0%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,100, lower than Regional Qld's average of $1,655. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $250, compared to Regional Qld's $345. Nationally, Tully's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 61.7% of all households, including 21.5% couples with children, 26.3% couples without children, and 11.8% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 38.3%, with lone person households at 32.1% and group households comprising 6.4%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Regional Queensland average of 2.5.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 12.7%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 9.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.6%) and graduate diplomas (1.3%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 37.8% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (9.8%) and certificates (28.0%). Educational participation is high at 29.0%, with 11.2% in primary education, 10.0% in secondary education, and 2.1% pursuing tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 29.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.2% in primary education, 10.0% in secondary education, and 2.1% pursuing tertiary education.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Health performance in Tully is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Tully faces significant health challenges based on AreaSearch's assessment.

Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are high for common health conditions across both younger and older age cohorts. Private health cover is relatively low at approximately 51% of the total population (~1,265 people). The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 9.0 and 6.1% of residents respectively. 70.5% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 67.6% across Regional Qld. The under-65 population demonstrates better than average health outcomes. The area has 23.1% of residents aged 65 and over (573 people), which is higher than the 20.4% in Regional Qld. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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

Tully's cultural diversity was found to be above average, with 21.8% of its population born overseas and 17.7% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the main religion in Tully, comprising 58.3% of its population. The most notable overrepresentation was in the 'Other' category, which comprised 4.5% of Tully's population compared to 0.8% across Regional Qld.

In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups were Australian (23.3%), English (21.0%), and Other (13.1%). Notably, Australian was lower than the regional average of 29.6%, while Other was substantially higher than the regional average of 6.9%. There were also notable divergences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Australian Aboriginal was notably overrepresented at 7.6% compared to the regional average of 3.9%, Italian at 7.1% versus 2.4%, and Filipino at 2.0% compared to 0.9%.

Tully's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Tully is 38 years, which is slightly below Regional Queensland's average of 41 but aligns with Australia's median age of 38. The age group of 25-34 has a strong representation at 17.8%, compared to Regional Queensland, while the 5-14 cohort is less prevalent at 8.7%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 75-84 age group grew from 6.8% to 8.0% of the population, and the 65-74 cohort increased from 10.0% to 11.2%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort declined from 11.8% to 10.3%, and the 5-14 group dropped from 10.0% to 8.7%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Tully. Leading this shift, the 85+ age group is expected to grow by 93%, reaching 187 people from 96. Notably, combined age groups of 65 and above will account for 57% of total population growth, reflecting Tully's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 5-14 and 55-64 cohorts are projected to experience population declines.