Fastest growing Townsville suburbs (2016-2021)
Cosgrove grew fastest in percentage terms, at +133%. Mount Low added the most residents, 832. Both figures are the change between the 2016-2021 Censuses, the most recent per-suburb measurement available. These 30 suburbs came from a field of 43 eligible Townsville suburbs.
This ranking shows which Townsville suburbs grew fastest between the 2016 and 2021 Censuses — once by percent change, and once by the sheer number of residents added, because those two questions have very different answers.
Percent growth and headcount growth are both real and they rarely agree. A suburb going from 100 residents to 5,000 has grown 4,900%, and a suburb going from 35,000 to 56,000 has grown 63% — but the second one added four times as many people. The first list finds the greenfield estates, the second finds the established corridors absorbing most of the actual growth. Both are ranked within Townsville's own pool. Note the period: the 2021 Census is the most recent per-suburb population count available in Australia, so this measures the five years to 2021 rather than the present day. Growth corridors tend to persist, but a suburb that has since filled up will still appear here.
Townsville suburbs that grew fastest, 2016-2021
Ranked on percent population change between the 2016 and 2021 Censuses. Percent growth favours suburbs starting from a small base, so greenfield estates built on former farmland dominate the top.
Cosgrove
QLD 4818 · 665 residents379 residents added · +133% · 665 residents in 2021
Shaw
QLD 4818 · 760 residents209 residents added · +38% · 760 residents in 2021
Bohle Plains
QLD 4817 · 3,989 residents783 residents added · +24% · 3,989 residents in 2021
Oonoonba
QLD 4811 · 2,050 residents375 residents added · +22% · 2,050 residents in 2021
Jensen
QLD 4818 · 1,797 residents321 residents added · +22% · 1,797 residents in 2021
Mount Low
QLD 4818 · 5,488 residents832 residents added · +18% · 5,488 residents in 2021
Murray
QLD 4814 · 1,739 residents247 residents added · +17% · 1,739 residents in 2021
Stuart
QLD 4811 · 1,576 residents190 residents added · +14% · 1,576 residents in 2021
Alice River
QLD 4817 · 2,685 residents259 residents added · +11% · 2,685 residents in 2021
Rosslea
QLD 4812 · 1,903 residents170 residents added · +10% · 1,903 residents in 2021
Bushland Beach
QLD 4818 · 6,641 residents459 residents added · +7% · 6,641 residents in 2021
Rasmussen
QLD 4815 · 4,669 residents212 residents added · +5% · 4,669 residents in 2021
Mount Louisa
QLD 4814 · 9,227 residents402 residents added · +5% · 9,227 residents in 2021
Pimlico
QLD 4812 · 2,557 residents96 residents added · +4% · 2,557 residents in 2021
Castle Hill
QLD 4810 · 972 residents30 residents added · +3% · 972 residents in 2021
Ranked from 43 qualifying suburbs.
Townsville suburbs that added the most residents, 2016-2021
Ranked on the NUMBER of residents added between the 2016 and 2021 Censuses rather than the percentage, which surfaces the established growth corridors instead of small suburbs multiplying from near zero.
Mount Low
QLD 4818 · 5,488 residents832 residents added · +18% · 5,488 residents in 2021
Bohle Plains
QLD 4817 · 3,989 residents783 residents added · +24% · 3,989 residents in 2021
Bushland Beach
QLD 4818 · 6,641 residents459 residents added · +7% · 6,641 residents in 2021
Mount Louisa
QLD 4814 · 9,227 residents402 residents added · +5% · 9,227 residents in 2021
Cosgrove
QLD 4818 · 665 residents379 residents added · +133% · 665 residents in 2021
Oonoonba
QLD 4811 · 2,050 residents375 residents added · +22% · 2,050 residents in 2021
Jensen
QLD 4818 · 1,797 residents321 residents added · +22% · 1,797 residents in 2021
Alice River
QLD 4817 · 2,685 residents259 residents added · +11% · 2,685 residents in 2021
Murray
QLD 4814 · 1,739 residents247 residents added · +17% · 1,739 residents in 2021
Rasmussen
QLD 4815 · 4,669 residents212 residents added · +5% · 4,669 residents in 2021
Shaw
QLD 4818 · 760 residents209 residents added · +38% · 760 residents in 2021
Stuart
QLD 4811 · 1,576 residents190 residents added · +14% · 1,576 residents in 2021
Rosslea
QLD 4812 · 1,903 residents170 residents added · +10% · 1,903 residents in 2021
Idalia
QLD 4811 · 4,563 residents125 residents added · +3% · 4,563 residents in 2021
Condon
QLD 4815 · 5,894 residents115 residents added · +2% · 5,894 residents in 2021
Ranked from 43 qualifying suburbs.
100% population growth, ranked within Townsville's candidate pool — once by percent change and once by residents added, because those two questions have different answers. Nothing else is blended in: a suburb that grew is not thereby better or worse to live in. The figures are the 2016 and 2021 Censuses, the most recent per-suburb population counts published in Australia, so this measures the five years to 2021 rather than today. Suburbs missing either count are excluded rather than ranked as no-growth. See how we calculate for the full methodology.
Common questions about this ranking
What are the fastest growing Townsville suburbs (2016-2021)?
Cosgrove grew fastest in percentage terms, at +133%. Mount Low added the most residents, 832. Both figures are the change between the 2016-2021 Censuses, the most recent per-suburb measurement available. These 30 suburbs came from a field of 43 eligible Townsville suburbs.
What period does this cover?
The 2016-2021 Censuses. The 2021 Census is the most recent per-suburb population count published in Australia, so this measures the five years to 2021 rather than the present day. Growth corridors tend to persist, but a suburb that has since filled up will still appear here, and one that took off after 2021 will not.
Why are there two different lists?
Because percent growth and headcount growth rarely agree, and both are real. A suburb going from 100 residents to 5,000 grew 4,900%; one going from 35,000 to 56,000 grew 63% but added four times as many people. The percent list finds greenfield estates built on former farmland; the headcount list finds the established corridors absorbing most of the actual growth. Presenting only one would hide half the answer.
Does fast growth make a suburb a good place to live?
This ranking does not say so, and deliberately blends nothing else in. Rapid growth can mean new housing, new schools and rising demand, or it can mean construction, strained roads and services that have not caught up — often both at once in the same suburb. Check the walkability, transport, schools and risk figures on each suburb's own page.
Which suburbs are eligible?
Suburbs in Townsville with at least 500 residents and a population figure in both Censuses. A suburb missing either count is left out rather than ranked as no-growth, and the top 15 are shown in each list.
Same list in other cities
- Fastest growing Sydney suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Melbourne suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Brisbane suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Perth suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Adelaide suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Hobart suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Darwin suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Canberra suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Newcastle suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Central Coast suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Sunshine Coast suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Gold Coast suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Wollongong suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Geelong suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Toowoomba suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Busselton suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Ballarat suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Cairns suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Albany suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Ballina suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Geraldton suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Warragul suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Bundaberg suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Launceston suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Bendigo suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Rockhampton suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Mackay suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Albury – Wodonga suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Camden Haven suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Burnie suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Wagga Wagga suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Coffs Harbour suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Alice Springs suburbs (2016-2021)
- Fastest growing Mount Isa suburbs (2016-2021)
Related
Rankings last computed 28 September 2026. Recomputed after each ACARA schools data refresh.
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