Region (SA4) · Area profile
Townsville
80,036 km²
Spanning over 80,000 square kilometres of North Queensland, Townsville is a major regional centre with a growing population of 234,283. It is a place where military and professional life meet, seen in the high number of Defence Force veterans and a strong full-time workforce. The community is notably young and diverse, with a significant First Nations presence and a typical resident age of 37. While the area is expanding, it remains a predominantly car-dependent region with a strong preference for detached housing.
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First Nations people make up 9.0% of the population, which is well above the national figure of 3.2%. The community is slightly younger than the state and national average, and there has been a rise in people living in de facto relationships since 2011.
The area is far less diverse than the rest of Australia, with only 12.9% of people born overseas. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, each accounting for 36.9% of residents.
English is the dominant tongue for 83.9% of residents, and the 7.7% who use another language at home is far below the national figure of 22.3%. Only 0.9% of people speak little or no English.
Half of the population identifies as Christian, while 37.7% report no religion. This figure for those with no religion has risen sharply by 17 percentage points since 2011.
Qualifications have improved, with Year 12 completion rising to 51.0% since 2011. However, the 16.4% of adults with a bachelor degree or higher is well below the national figure of 26.3%.
Typical weekly personal income is $826, which is about the same as the national figure. Weekly family income is $2,016, and the proportion of households earning $3,000 or more a week has risen significantly since 2011.
About 28.9% of residents have a long-term health condition, which is about the same as the state average. Mental health is the most commonly reported condition, affecting 9.9% of the population.
Townsville has one of the highest proportions of Defence Force veterans at 8.1%, well above the national figure of 2.8%. Volunteer rates have fallen since 2011 to 13.8%.
The First Nations community is large, with 21,180 people, and is notably young with a typical age of 22. While 13.3% speak a First Nations language, the unemployment rate of 14.5% is higher than most areas.
Homes here are larger than usual, with 2.5 people per home. One-parent families make up 17.3% of households, which is well above the national average of 14.1%.
The area is dominated by detached houses, which make up 82.5% of dwellings. Renting is common, at 35.0%, and the typical weekly rent of $300 is well below the national figure of $375.
Cars are essential here, with 69.6% of people driving to work and very few using public transport. Only 5.6% of people work from home, which is far below the national figure of 21.0%.
The population is quite mobile, with 40.4% of residents having moved in the last five years. This is similar to the national average, though lower than the Queensland figure.
The workforce is strong, with a full-time employment rate of 63.2% that is well above the national average. Most people work in health care, public administration, or education.
The population has grown by 4.9% since 2021, although this is well below the Queensland growth rate of 8.7%.
The region is hot, with average maximum and minimum temperatures among the highest in the state. Annual rainfall is 669mm, which is far above the state average.
Townsville is only somewhat walkable, as many residents live far from essential services. For example, only 46.6% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries, far below the state average of 60.6%.