suburb.guide

QLD · Townsville Council

Shaw, 4818

Est. population · Jun 2025

922

Growth (1 yr)

+5.0%

Growth (5 yr)

+26.5%

Median age

28

Median income

$2,016/wk

Employment rate

77%

University qualified

23%

Work from home

5.3%

Languages at home

12.3%non-English

Most common: Tagalog, Punjabi, Filipino

2021 Census · usual residence

Desirability score

38.7/100
Below average

904th in QLD

Verified 85% confidence

How this score is calculated
  • Rural living
What Shaw is known for: Rural living

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Shaw, QLD suburb snapshot — Suburb Guide

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Shaw, QLD suburb snapshot — Suburb Guide

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Suburb Guide, “Shaw, QLD Suburb Guide”, updated 2 October 2026, https://suburb.guide/qld/shaw

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Suburb profile

Shaw is a rural locality in Queensland, in Townsville Council.

Employment is a strong feature of the suburb, with employment 37% above the peer median. Local amenities is an exceptional strength, well above typical levels for rural localities. School access is strong, with school access 100% above the peer median, and open-space access is better than in most comparable places. University qualifications are among the highest in the peer group, and population growth is an exceptional strength.

Overall, the suburb suits people prioritising employment and university qualifications.

Generated from the official metrics on this page. It can omit nuance or contain errors — check the tables and source notes before relying on it.

Strengths and weaknesses

Rural locality · compared with rural localities in Queensland (1448)

Strengths

  • Employment is a relative strength
  • University qualifications are among the highest in the peer group
  • Population growth is a relative strength
  • School access is strong
  • Open-space access is better than in most comparable places
  • Local amenity access is stronger than in most comparable places

Weaknesses

No relative weaknesses against comparable places.

What stands out

Nothing distinctive beyond the usual profile.

Who it suits

  • Families
  • Professionals
  • Retirees
  • StudentsInsufficient data
  • Budget buyersInsufficient data

Housing, growth and risk

How Shaw compares

A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk

Median house price

—

No data available

Median rent (Census)

$322/wk

2021 Census median weekly rent

Population (ERP)

922

+5.0% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

9.0%

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

#18

among Country & regional · Growth area

Crime rate

43rd

percentile in state (higher = more crime)

Pop. growth

96th

percentile in QLD

Rented dwellings

51%

2021 Census tenure

Advantage (IRSAD)

7/10

national SEIFA decile

School ICSEA

48th

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
38.7/100 — Below average
National rank
4750th in Australia
State rank
904th in QLD
Peer rank
#18 among Country & regional · Growth area suburbs
Cohort rank
#463 among Country & regional suburbs
Data confidence
85%

Data sources & freshness

  • Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated

Population

Estimated resident population

922(June 2025)

+5.0% annual · +26.5% over 5 years · 96th percentile in QLD

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+5.0%
5-year growth
+26.5%
Change in 1 year
+44
Change in 5 years
+193
Growth rank in QLD
96th 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 (~1,150), extrapolated at +4.5% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
760
Median age
28
Median household income / week
$2,016
Dwelling vacancy
9%
Unoccupied private dwellings
29 of 321
Median monthly mortgage
$1,733
Median weekly rent (2021 Census)
$322
Tenure (owned / mortgaged / rented)
8.4% / 40.4% / 51.2%
Employment rate
77%
Travel to work (WFH / public transport / car)
5.3% / 0% / 82.3%
Walked or cycled to work
0.7%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
274 / 9 / 0 (+ 3 other)

Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%) · Accessibility (12%) · Future Growth (6%)

Employment, household income and owned-outright tenure (2021 Census) Work-from-home and public-transport commute shares (2021 Census) Five-year population change as a healthy-growth band, not a boom bonus

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census was conducted 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

Qualifications

23% of adults have a university degree, compared with 21.9% across Queensland. 22.5% have a trade or vocational qualification.

  • University qualified23% · 21.9% QLD
  • Diploma qualified8% · 9.4% QLD
  • Trade / vocational22.5% · 18.9% QLD
  • Year 12 or below46.5% · 49.8% QLD

Highest qualification field

Main field of the highest non-school qualification (2021 Census).

  • Health21.5%
  • Management and commerce21.5%
  • Engineering and related technologies15.8%
  • Society and culture13.3%
  • Education9.8%
  • Food, hospitality and personal services7.3%
How these groups are defined
MeasureDefinition
University qualifiedBachelor degree or higher
Diploma qualifiedAdvanced Diploma / Diploma
Trade / vocationalCertificate III + IV
Year 12Year 12 as highest attainment
Below Year 12Year 11 / 10 / 9 or below

People aged 15 years and over, 2021 Census. University, diploma and trade shares match ABS highest educational attainment (HEAP). Year 12 and below Year 12 are combined in the chart because the General Community Profile reports school-only attainment as a residual.

Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%)

University qualifications from the 2021 Census

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Tax & income

Median taxable income (2023–24)
$69,270

89th percentile in QLD · +18% vs Australia

Median salary / wages (2023–24)
$72,776

87th percentile in QLD · +12% vs Australia

Residents with rental investments
8.0%

12th percentile in QLD · -42% vs Australia

Median super balance (2023–24)
$82,886

74th percentile in QLD · +31% vs Australia

Residents with business income
7.0%

8th percentile in QLD · -33% vs Australia

Australian Taxation Office Taxation Statistics 2023–24, individuals Table 25. Figures describe taxpayers who live in postcode 4818 — not a suburb-level official statistic. Rental investment is the share of local taxpayers reporting rental income or loss, not the share of local properties owned by investors.

Counts, net rent & state comparison
Taxpayers in this postcode
21,288
Taxpayers reporting net rent
1,766
Median net rent
-$1,972
Taxpayers reporting business income
1,439
Taxable income vs state median
+25%
Salary / wages vs state median
+19%
Rental investment vs state median
-27%
Super vs state median
+20%
Business income vs state median
-30%

Percentiles rank this postcode among unique postcodes in QLD, so suburbs that share a postcode are not counted twice. Dollar figures are compared with Australia-wide ATO medians from the same release. Median net rent is among taxpayers who reported the rent label and can be negative.

Data sources & freshness

  • Taxation Statistics 2023–24 — individuals by postcode (Table 25) — Australian Taxation Office · Updated · Annual release; taxpayer residential postcode, not suburb boundary

Community & culture

12.3% speak a language other than English at home; 18.5% born overseas

Language at home
632 English only · 89 other
Non-English at home
12.3%
Born overseas
135 (18.5%)
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
48 (6.3%)
Australian citizens
672
Languages spoken at home (other than English)
4

Top languages other than English

Share of residents who speak a language other than English at home (2021 Census).

  • Tagalog10 · 34.5%
  • Punjabi9 · 31%
  • Filipino7 · 24.1%
  • Afrikaans3 · 10.3%

Religion

47.6%Most common religion · Christianity

Christianity is the most common response at 47.6%, while 40% reported no religion.

MeasureSuburbState
No religion40%40.7%
Christianity47.6%45.7%
Other / not stated12.4%13.6%
Christian denominations
DenominationSuburbState
Catholic20.3%18.6%
Anglican10.5%11.3%
Christian (not further defined)4.5%3.1%
Baptist3.4%1.7%
Uniting Church3.3%3.6%
Lutheran2.2%0.9%

2021 Census — languages spoken at home, birthplace, Indigenous status, and religious affiliation (usual residence). Religion is optional on the Census form.

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Crime & safety

Offence counts are estimated for this suburb from postcode 4818, which is shared with other suburbs.

Reported offences are running higher than the same point last year.

Offence counts & rates
Total offences (Jan 2026 to Sep 2026)
45
Against the person
8
Against property
22
Rate per 1,000 residents (annualised)
65.2
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 95 residents
State crime-rate percentile
42.8th (higher = more crime)
Increase (daily rate, partial year)
+2%

Most common offence types

  • Other Property Damage5
  • Drug Offences7
  • Other Theft (Excl. Unlawful Entry)8
  • Unlawful Entry6
  • Traffic And Related Offences5

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)

Crime rate, offences against the person, year-on-year trend and recorded road crash rates

Data sources & freshness

  • QPS Online Crime Map — Queensland Police Service · Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 → Jan 2026 to Sep 2026; Jan 2026 to Sep 2026 · Updated · Calendar-year aggregates

Family & Lifestyle

Schools & preschools

Schools within 2 km
2
Median school ICSEA (2 schools)
1,002
Median ICSEA percentile
48th
Primary catchments overlapping suburb
2
Secondary catchments overlapping suburb
3
School list
  • Mary Help of Christians Catholic CollegeSecondary · Catholic · ICSEA 990 · 42th percentile · LBOTE 7% · 127 students · Top SEA quarter 11% · 1.3 km awayView on My School →
  • St Benedict's Catholic SchoolPrimary · Catholic · ICSEA 1014 · 53th percentile · LBOTE 7% · 613 students · Top SEA quarter 13% · 1.4 km awayView on My School →
School catchments
  • Bohlevale SSGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
  • Kirwan SHSGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundarysecondary_catchment
  • Northern Beaches SHSGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundarysecondary_catchment
  • The Willows SSGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
  • Thuringowa SHSGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundarysecondary_catchment

Government school intake zones that overlap this suburb boundary. Living in a catchment does not guarantee enrolment; check the education authority.

Contributes to desirability score · Education (14%)

Median school ICSEA first, then school and catchment counts

Data sources & freshness

Amenities

5 mapped amenities

1 sports centres

Local character & venue list

Local character

  • Limited walkable amenities nearby
  • Great for outdoor family life — 2 parks mapped in suburb
Walkability proxy
0/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
0
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
0
Parks per 1,000 residents
2.63
Community(1)
  • St Benedict's Kindergarten and Catholic SchoolSchool

    890 Dalrymple Road

Sport & outdoors(4)
  • Greater Ascot Adventure ParkPark
  • Maidens Green ParkPark
  • Townsville Kart ClubSports centre
  • Sports field

Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually. Campgrounds, beaches, wineries and local trails are included when they sit inside the suburb boundary.

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (12%)

Food, shopping, recreation and sport per 1,000 residents (OpenStreetMap)

Data sources & freshness

  • Local amenity insights — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
  • OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated

Parks & reserves

2 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Greater Ascot Adventure ParkPark
  • Maidens Green ParkPark

Data sources & freshness

Green cover

Green cover of suburb area
0.4%
Woodland / forest cover
0%
Parks & woodland features (OSM)
2
Parks (OSM)
2
Typical summer maximum
30°C

Green cover is the share of this suburb's boundary overlapping OpenStreetMap parks, woodland and forest polygons — not a satellite tree-canopy product. Summer maximum is the WorldClim / Open-Meteo seasonal normal already collected for Weather.

Contributes to desirability score · Environment (12%)

Tree canopy first, then green-cover area and parks per 1,000

Data sources & freshness

  • OpenStreetMap green cover and tree canopy — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated · Park/woodland polygons intersected with suburb boundaries

Health access

Nearest hospital
Kirwan Health Campus (4.6 km)
Nearest hospital type
Hospital
Nearest hospital emergency
Emergency department
GP clinics in suburb
0

GP clinic counts from OpenStreetMap. Bulk-billing figures only include clinics tagged in OSM (sparse and unofficial — not a Medicare list).

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (12%)

Hospitals, GPs and aged care

Data sources & freshness

NDIS participation

NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
31
Participants per 1,000 residents
33.6

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

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 (12%)

Temperature and humidity comfort

Data sources & freshness

  • Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Updated

Future & Planning

Roadworks & transport

3 active roadworks / incidents

  • Near Dalrymple RoadShaw Road07 Oct 2026 – 07 Oct 2026
  • Near Dalrymple RoadShaw Road15 Oct 2026 – 15 Oct 2026
  • Near Dalrymple RoadShaw Road26 Oct 2026 – 26 Oct 2026

Data sources & freshness

  • Road incidents & closures — State road authority open-data feeds · current · Updated

Hazards

Bushfire planning zone
No overlay at centroid
Flood / inundation overlay
No mapped inundation on suburb boundary

Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via Queensland Bushfire Prone Area mapping. Flood cover uses floodplain overlay polygons against the suburb boundary where published.

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)

Bushfire and flood hazard overlays

Data sources & freshness

  • Bushfire and flood 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 4.7 km away).

Coalition 65.5%Labor 34.5%

2.1 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: -1.8 pp toward Coalition

Nearest polling places

  • ShawLabor 33.9% · Coalition 66.1% TPP (2025)1.5 km away
  • North ShoreLabor 30.9% · Coalition 69.2% TPP (2025)2.2 km away
  • KirwanLabor 39.4% · Coalition 60.6% TPP (2025)3.6 km away
  • Mount LouisaLabor 36.1% · Coalition 63.9% TPP (2025)3.9 km away
  • Kirwan EastLabor 38.1% · Coalition 61.9% TPP (2025)4.0 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

Socio-economic

IRSAD decile (2021)
7/10
IRSD decile (2021)
7/10

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 (12%)

Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD and IRSD deciles)

Data sources & freshness

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.