173,724 ▲ +10.1%
Higher than 86% of urban centre areas.
- 2011: 157,748
- 2016: 100,032
- 2021: 173,724
The number of people who usually live in the area, counted on Census night.
Townsville · Urban Centre
Demographics & Identity in Townsville
Who lives here — how many people, how old they are, and how communities identify.
A typical resident in Townsville is noticeably younger than the national figure at just 35 years old. This youthful energy is reflected in a population of 173,724 people that grew by 10% over the last decade, creating a community where young adults and children are well represented.
173,724
▲ +10.1%
- 1–2: 3 areas
- 2–3: 0 areas
- 3–5: 0 areas
- 5–9: 0 areas
- 9–16: 2 areas
- 16–27: 1 area
- 27–47: 2 areas
- 47–81: 2 areas
- 81–139: 14 areas
- 139–241: 145 areas
- 241–418: 340 areas
- 418–723: 351 areas
- 723–1,252: 304 areas
- 1,252–2,168: 191 areas
- 2,168–3,752: 181 areas
- 3,752–6,495: 107 areas
- 6,495–11,242: 69 areas
- 11,242–19,459: 44 areas
- 19,459–33,683: 31 areas
- 33,683–58,304: 17 areas
- 58,304–100,921: 8 areas
- 100,921–174,689: 8 areas
- 174,689–302,378: 4 areas
- 302,378–523,401: 5 areas
- 523,401–905,982: 2 areas
- 905,982–1,568,210: 1 area
- 1,568,210–2,714,494: 2 areas
- 2,714,494–4,698,656: 2 areas
All urban centre areas, 2021. The marker is Townsville — higher than 86% of areas.
| Townsville | 173,724 |
|---|---|
| 4814, QLD | 46,193 |
| Queensland | 5,156,138 |
| Australia | 25,422,788 |
Population
How many people, and the typical age.
The population has grown by about 15,976 people since 2011, making it one of the largest areas at this level. While the typical age rose to 35 in 2021, residents remain much younger than those in most other areas.
35 yrs ▲ +9.4%
Younger than 86% of urban centre areas.
- 2011: 32 yrs
- 2016: 38 yrs
- 2021: 35 yrs
Half the population is older than this age, and half younger.
Age profile
How the population splits across age groups.
Young adults aged 25 to 44 make up the largest group at 28.1%, while seniors aged 65 and over are well below the state and national figures at 13.7%. Children under 15 account for 19.3% of the population, which is higher than most areas.
13.7% ▲ +43.1%
Lower than 79% of urban centre areas.
- 2011: 9.6%
- 2016: 18.3%
- 2021: 13.7%
Share of the population aged 65 years and over.
19.3% ▼ -9.2%
Higher than 64% of urban centre areas.
- 2011: 21.3%
- 2016: 19.1%
- 2021: 19.3%
Share of the population aged under 15 years.
Age structure
View on map →Townsville splits fairly evenly between Young adults (25–44) (28%) and Older adults (45–64) (24%), with Children (0–14) at 19%.
Identity & relationships
First Nations identity and marital status.
Indigenous identity is much more common here than in most areas, with 8.9% of people identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. Additionally, 15.1% of residents are in a de facto relationship, a figure well above the national average.
8.9% ▲ +37.3%
Higher than 75% of urban centre areas.
- 2011: 6.5%
- 2016: 4.3%
- 2021: 8.9%
Share of people who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
15.1% ▲ +10.1%
Higher than 71% of urban centre areas.
- 2011: 13.7%
- 2016: 10.0%
- 2021: 15.1%
Share of people aged 15+ who are in a de facto marriage (registered marriages excluded).
Marital status
View on map →Townsville splits fairly evenly between Never married (43%) and Married (40%), with Divorced at 9%.
Age & sex structure
Sources
- Census of Population and Housing — Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 (CC BY 4.0).
More for Townsville
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Demographics & Identity in Townsville [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/ucl/UCL303003/townsville/topic/demographics-identity