Median house price
—
No data available
QLD · Townsville Council
Arcadia, 4819
Est. population · Jun 2025
265
Growth (1 yr)
+1.5%
Growth (5 yr)
+9.1%
Median age
63
Median income
$1,008/wk
Employment rate
39.4%
Languages at home
5.3%non-English
Mostly English at home
2021 Census · usual residence
Desirability score
- Coastal
- National parks
- Education hub
- Café precinct
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Life in Arcadia revolves around the coast at a genuine remove from Brisbane. A mature community gives the area a calm, settled social fabric, with families and grandchildren still a visible part of community life. For coastal suburbs, the café and dining scene is notably rich, with locals returning to favourite spots.
Local green pockets are modest, with bigger outdoor outings usually found in neighbouring areas. Day-to-day life is more car-oriented here, with buses covering longer trips across the wider area. Homes are neither a bargain nor a premium buy against the wider market.
Crime trends have improved of late compared with the previous period. This is a mature, settled pocket where the existing streetscape still defines the local character.
Desirability sits below average overall, with parks and green space the main drag compared with similar coastal suburbs. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
At a glance
Arcadia snapshot
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median rent
—
No data available
Population (ERP)
265
+1.5% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
51.0%
Census unoccupied dwellings
Livability profile
Desirability pillars vs the peer median (50th percentile)
How it compares
Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles
Desirability
#49
among Coastal & beach · Mature
Safety
18th
percentile in state (higher = safer)
Pop. growth
64th
percentile in QLD
Advantage (IRSAD)
5/10
national SEIFA decile
School ICSEA
59th
percentile among schools with ICSEA
Population growth
Recent ERP change over 1 and 5 years
Housing mix
Dwelling types from the 2021 Census
Risks & flags
Quick scan — open a section below for full context
Living here
Desirability
Ranks & confidence
- Desirability score
- 35.2/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 4646th in Australia
- State rank
- 992nd in QLD
- Peer rank
- #49 among Coastal & beach · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #100 among Coastal & beach suburbs
- Data confidence
- 66%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
Population
Estimated resident population
265(June 2025)
+1.5% annual · +9.1% over 5 years · 64th percentile in QLD
Growth figures & methodology
- Annual growth
- +1.5%
- 5-year growth
- +9.1%
- Change in 1 year
- +4
- Change in 5 years
- +22
- Growth rank in QLD
- 64th percentile
ABS Estimated Resident Population allocated to this suburb from SA2-level data. Not an official ABS suburb count.
Methodology
Figures are allocated from ABS Estimated Resident Population at Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2), using 2021 Census share within overlapping SA2 regions. Where Census data is unavailable, area overlap is used instead.
The dashed chart line is a simple growth-trend estimate to June 2030 (~300), extrapolated at +1.1% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
- Population
- 246
- Median age
- 63
- Median household income / week
- $1,008
- Dwelling vacancy
- 51%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 129 of 253
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,400
- Employment rate
- 39.4%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 90 / 24 / 9
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
- Estimated Resident Population — Australian Bureau of Statistics · 2025 · Updated · SA2 ERP allocated to suburb boundaries
Community & culture
No 2021 Census cultural diversity data for this suburb yet.
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Crime & safety
Reported offences are running lower than the same point last year.
Offence counts & rates
- Total offences (Jan 2026 to Aug 2026)
- 7
- Against the person
- 1
- Against property
- 4
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 26.4
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 246 residents
- State safety percentile
- 18.2th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate, partial year)
- -24.3%
Most common offence types
- Other Property Damage10
- Other Theft (Excl. Unlawful Entry)14
- Traffic And Related Offences10
- Good Order Offences9
- Unlawful Entry12
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Crime rate and year-on-year trend
Data sources & freshness
- QPS Online Crime Map — Queensland Police Service · Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 → Jan 2026 to Aug 2026; Jan 2026 to Aug 2026 · Updated · Calendar-year aggregates
Family & Lifestyle
Schools & preschools
- Schools within 2 km
- 1
- Median school ICSEA
- 1,027
- Median ICSEA percentile
- 59th
School list
- Magnetic Island State SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 1027 · 59th percentile · LBOTE 18% · 123 students · Top SEA quarter 20% · 1.8 km awayView on My School →
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA
Data sources & freshness
- ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · 2025 · Updated · Annual release
- School ICSEA scores — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · 2025 · Updated · Annual release
Amenities
70 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
4 restaurants · 2 cafes · 1 pubs · 2 playgrounds · 2 swimming pools · 1 petrol stations
Local character & venue list
Local character
- Limited walkable amenities nearby
- Decent local green space — 0 parks in suburb, 2 playgrounds nearby
- Walkability proxy
- 25/100
- Cafés per 1,000 residents
- 8.13
- Food & drink per 1,000 residents
- 28.46
- Parks per 1,000 residents
- 0
Food & drink(7)
- GilligansCafe
- TamarindCafe
- Pub
- BistroRestaurant
- Pip'sRestaurant
- Pips Pies - Fish & ChipsRestaurant
- Stagedoor Theatre RestaurantRestaurant
Shopping(1)
- Arcadia storeConvenience store
Community(1)
- RSLCommunity centre
Sport & outdoors(5)
- Alma BayPicnic area
- Playground (2)
- Swimming pool (2)
Entertainment(5)
- Arcadia LookoutViewpoint
- Olympus LookoutViewpoint
- Sphinx LookoutViewpoint
- Viewpoint (2)
Transport(7)
7 bus stops
Other(26)
- BottlemartAlcohol
- ATM
- Wednesday Night Toad RacingAttraction
- Bbq
- Free BBQBbq
- Bench (9)
- The ThroneBench
- Car Rental
- Drinking water
- Fitness Station
- Arcadia Beach Guest HouseGuest House
- Magnetic RetreatGuest House
- Arcadia Hotel ResortHotel
- Rock WallabiesNature Reserve
- Arcadia NewsagencyNewsagent
- Parking (5)
- Petrol station
- Picnic Table (4)
- Public toilets
- Pleasure DiversScuba Diving
- Shelter
- Shower
- Bowles ClubSocial Facility
- Telephone (2)
- Waste Basket (3)
- Bottle ShopWine
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually.
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- Local amenity insights — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Parks & reserves
1 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Rock WallabiesNature reserve
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · current · Updated
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 1
- Parks (OSM)
- 0
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Contributes to desirability score · Environment (10%)
Parks and green cover (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Health access
- Nearest hospital
- Townsville Private Clinic (13.7 km)
- Nearest hospital type
- Hospital
- Nearest hospital emergency
- Emergency department
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · current · Updated
NDIS participation
- NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
- 4
- Participants per 1,000 residents
- 15.1
Active NDIS participants allocated from NDIA Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2, ASGS 2016) counts to this suburb boundary. Not an official suburb-level NDIS figure · as at 31 March 2026.
For NDIS spend and service-demand exploration by SA2 or postcode, see the Care Sector Demand Map.
Data sources & freshness
- NDIS participants by SA2 — National Disability Insurance Agency · 2026-Q1 · Updated · Quarterly SA2 counts allocated to suburb boundaries
Weather
Typical conditions by season for suburbs in the same ~44 km climate area. Rainfall totals are summed from monthly WorldClim layers; rainy-day counts are approximate.
Summer (Dec–Feb)
- Usual max / min
- 30° / 24°
- Rainfall
- 680 mm · ~85 rainy days
Autumn (Mar–May)
- Usual max / min
- 28° / 21°
- Rainfall
- 277 mm · ~35 rainy days
Winter (Jun–Aug)
- Usual max / min
- 23° / 16°
- Rainfall
- 56 mm · ~7 rainy days
Spring (Sep–Nov)
- Usual max / min
- 27° / 20°
- Rainfall
- 125 mm · ~16 rainy days
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Temperature and humidity comfort
Data sources & freshness
- Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Updated
Future & Planning
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- No overlay at centroid
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via Queensland Bushfire Prone Area mapping.
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Bushfire hazard overlays
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · current · Updated
Politics & representation
- Federal electorate
- Herbert
- Member of Parliament
- Phillip THOMPSON (Liberal National Party of Queensland)
- Results from
- 2025 federal election
- Electorate enrolment (2025)
- 121,280
- Turnout (2025)
- 85.5%
- Swing since 2022 (2025)
- -1.6 pp toward Coalition
Two-party preferred (2025)
Coalition 63.4%Labor 36.6%
Estimated suburb voting profile
Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 15.9 km away).
Coalition 49.9%Labor 50.1%
13.5 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: +1.3 pp toward Labor
Nearest polling places
- ArcadiaLabor 48.8% · Coalition 51.2% TPP (2025)1.0 km away
- Nelly BayLabor 54.0% · Coalition 46.0% TPP (2025)1.6 km away
- North WardLabor 42.8% · Coalition 57.2% TPP (2025)13.0 km away
- Townsville SouthLabor 46.4% · Coalition 53.6% TPP (2025)13.8 km away
- Belgian GardensLabor 44.1% · Coalition 55.9% TPP (2025)13.9 km away
Federal electorate from AEC federal division boundaries (2025 redistribution). Division-level results are official AEC figures from the latest general election, with by-election updates where applicable. The estimated suburb profile blends up to eight nearest ordinary polling booths in the same electorate using inverse-distance weighting from the suburb centroid — an approximation, not official AEC data. Nearest polling places are shown for reference.
Data sources & freshness
- Federal election results — Australian Electoral Commission · Updated · 2025 election with by-election overlays
Socio-economic
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 5/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 5/10
ABS Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), 2021 release — the latest available, derived from the 2021 Census. Deciles rank suburbs nationally from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).
What do IRSAD and IRSD measure?
IRSAD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage. Combines indicators of advantage (e.g. high income, skilled occupations) and disadvantage. Higher decile = more advantaged relative to other Australian areas.
IRSD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage. Focuses on disadvantage only (e.g. low income, unemployment, limited education). Higher decile = less disadvantage nationally.
A new SEIFA edition typically follows each census; the ABS has not announced a release date beyond 2021.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
More in Townsville Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Queensland.