Median house price
—
No data available
QLD · Townsville Council
Railway Estate, 4810
Est. population · Jun 2025
3,071
Growth (1 yr)
+1.1%
Growth (5 yr)
+4.5%
Median age
36
Median income
$1,529/wk
Employment rate
63.4%
Languages at home
6.6%non-English
Most common: German, Australian Indigenous languages, French
2021 Census · usual residence
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- Education hub
- National parks
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Railway Estate is a regional mid-sized suburb in Townsville Council, oriented around local life rather than the metro orbit of Brisbane. Day-to-day life leans on nearby towns and local hubs rather than the metro area. Residents are mostly families and working professionals, with plenty of young families in the mix.
The town centre holds its own, with enough local flavour to make staying close to home appealing. There is enough green space nearby for walks, picnics and after-school play. A car helps for most daily errands, though buses still link the suburb further afield.
Housing sits above the suburban middle: not the top of the market, but clearly pricier than average. The streetscape feels settled and established, with older homes giving the area a familiar, lived-in look.
The desirability picture is below average, weighed down by softer local dining and lifestyle amenities relative to similar regional towns. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
At a glance
Railway Estate snapshot
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median rent
$520/wk
Population (ERP)
3,071
+1.1% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
13.4%
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
#116
among Country & regional · Established
Safety
97th
percentile in state (higher = safer)
Pop. growth
50th
percentile in QLD
Advantage (IRSAD)
5/10
national SEIFA decile
School ICSEA
13th
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
- 39.4/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 3887th in Australia
- State rank
- 832nd in QLD
- Peer rank
- #116 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #400 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 66%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
Housing
- All types (Mar 2026)
- $520
Median weekly rent from Queensland RTA rental bond data. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.
Contributes to desirability score · Housing (15%) · Future Growth (7%)
Median price, rental yield and vacancy Recent price momentum
Data sources & freshness
- RTA bond statistics — Residential Tenancies Authority (Queensland) · Mar 2026 · Updated · Quarterly releases
Population
Estimated resident population
3,071(June 2025)
+1.1% annual · +4.5% over 5 years · 50th percentile in QLD
Growth figures & methodology
- Annual growth
- +1.1%
- 5-year growth
- +4.5%
- Change in 1 year
- +35
- Change in 5 years
- +133
- Growth rank in QLD
- 50th 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 (~3,150), extrapolated at +0.5% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
- Population
- 2,871
- Median age
- 36
- Median household income / week
- $1,529
- Dwelling vacancy
- 13.4%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 189 of 1,412
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,430
- Employment rate
- 63.4%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 866 / 283 / 68 (+ 5 other)
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)
- 585
- Against the person
- 198
- Against property
- 196
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 190.5
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 14 residents
- State safety percentile
- 96.5th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate, partial year)
- +3.8%
Most common offence types
- Assault614
- Drug Offences854
- Good Order Offences789
- Other Theft (Excl. Unlawful Entry)559
- Unlawful Entry367
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
- 5
- Median school ICSEA (5 schools)
- 909
- Median ICSEA percentile
- 13th
School list
- Railway Estate State SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 916 · 14th percentile · LBOTE 13% · 179 students · Top SEA quarter 6% · 0.3 km awayView on My School →
- Townsville State High SchoolSecondary · Government · ICSEA 924 · 16th percentile · LBOTE 36% · 841 students · Top SEA quarter 7% · 1.0 km awayView on My School →
- Townsville South State SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 909 · 13th percentile · LBOTE 19% · 95 students · Top SEA quarter 6% · 1.7 km awayView on My School →
- Townsville Flexible SchoolSpecial · Catholic · ICSEA 842 · 4th percentile · LBOTE 2% · 204 students · Top SEA quarter 1% · 1.8 km awayView on My School →
- Townsville West State SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 866 · 6th percentile · LBOTE 28% · 111 students · Top SEA quarter 2% · 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
56 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
1 pubs · 2 playgrounds · 1 dog parks · 1 petrol stations
Local character & venue list
Local character
- Limited walkable amenities nearby
- Great for outdoor family life — 6 parks mapped in suburb, 2 playgrounds nearby
- Walkability proxy
- 5/100
- Cafés per 1,000 residents
- 0
- Food & drink per 1,000 residents
- 0.35
- Parks per 1,000 residents
- 2.09
Food & drink(1)
- Ross Island HotelPub
Community(2)
- Railway Estate State SchoolSchool
- Townsville State High SchoolSchool
Sport & outdoors(12)
- Dog park
- Lou Litster ParkPark
- Ninth Avenue ParkPark
- Park
- Railway Estate ParkPark
- Reid ParkPark
- Yates Street ParkPark
- Picnic area
- Playground (2)
- Cowboys Training FieldSports field
- Sports field
Entertainment(1)
- Townsville Civic TheatreTheatre
41 Boundary Street, Railway Estate
Transport(2)
2 bus stops
Other(8)
- Artwork
- Parking (28)
- Ampol FoodaryPetrol station
- Public toilets
- Shelter
- Slipway (4)
- Queensland Country Bank StadiumStadium
2 Pride Close, Railway Estate
- Taxi
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
5 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Lou Litster ParkPark
- Ninth Avenue ParkPark
- Railway Estate ParkPark
- Reid ParkPark
- Yates Street ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · current · Updated
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 11
- Parks (OSM)
- 6
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
- Weststate Private Hospital (1.8 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)
- 78
- Participants per 1,000 residents
- 25.4
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
Roadworks & transport
1 active roadworks / incidents
- Between Flinders Street and Boundary StreetNorth Townsville Road15 Aug 2026 – 15 Aug 2026
Data sources & freshness
- Road incidents & closures — State road authority open-data feeds · current · Updated
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 3.4 km away).
Coalition 55.1%Labor 44.9%
8.3 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: -2.2 pp toward Coalition
Nearest polling places
- Railway EstateLabor 44.7% · Coalition 55.3% TPP (2025)0.5 km away
- Townsville SouthLabor 46.4% · Coalition 53.6% TPP (2025)1.7 km away
- Hermit ParkLabor 46.4% · Coalition 53.6% TPP (2025)2.3 km away
- Hermit Park SouthLabor 47.8% · Coalition 52.2% TPP (2025)2.3 km away
- North WardLabor 42.8% · Coalition 57.2% TPP (2025)3.0 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)
- 4/10
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
Compare with
Similar suburbs to weigh up side by side — scores, safety, schools, and lifestyle.
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.