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Local economic profile

Ipswich

A closer look at Ipswich’s people, working lives and homes, from population change to the skills and businesses that shape local life.

Jobs in Ipswich

Local labour force

146,975

March quarter 2026

Residents working or looking for work.

01
People & future demand

Population & growth

How Ipswich has grown, the ages of its residents and the population projected for the years ahead.

Population over time

Estimated residents at 30 June

2015
194,274
2020
226,778
2025 · provisional
268,272

Projected population

Published projection series, including its base year

2021
233,314
2026
275,154
2031
315,513
2036
360,007
2041
411,439
2046
480,856
Past estimates. Future projections.

Both charts use the same scale. Estimates describe the population in past years; projections show how it could change under the assumptions in the source report.

Age profile

Share of residents · age groups in years

30 June 2025 · provisional

Bar: IpswichMarker: Queensland

0–14
22.4%QLD 17.7%
15–24
13.7%QLD 13.1%
25–44
31.4%QLD 28.0%
45–64
20.9%QLD 23.8%
65+
11.6%QLD 17.4%
People in Ipswich

A community of different generations.

11.6% of Ipswich residents are aged 65 or over, compared with 17.4% across Queensland.

30 June 2025 · provisional

Children, working-age adults and older residents all contribute to local life. Their age profile offers a picture of the people using local homes, schools and services.

02
Employment & education

Workforce & skills

Employment, qualifications and incomes among people living in Ipswich.

Unemployment rate

4.2%

March quarter 2026

Queensland 4.1%

The share of the local labour force that is unemployed.

Unemployed residents

6,180

March quarter 2026

Residents counted as unemployed in the labour force estimate.

Median weekly personal income

$795 / week

Census · 2021

Queensland $787 / week

The midpoint of personal incomes reported in the Census.

Qualifications of residents

Share of residents aged 15 and over

2021

Bar: IpswichMarker: Queensland

Bachelor degree or higher
15.5%QLD 21.9%
Advanced diploma or diploma
9.6%QLD 9.4%
Certificate
25.7%QLD 22.1%
Working life

Local residents, wherever they work.

The local labour force includes residents who work outside Ipswich as well as those who work within it.

The qualifications chart shows the education and training residents have completed. Income and qualification figures come from the Census; labour force estimates have their own reporting date.

03
Enterprise & investment

Business

The businesses registered in Ipswich, from enterprises without employees to larger employers.

Businesses by number of employees

Share of registered businesses

30 June 2025

Bar: IpswichMarker: Queensland

Non-employing
63.4%QLD 62.0%
1–4 employees
26.4%QLD 25.9%
5–19 employees
8.0%QLD 9.3%
20–199 employees
2.0%QLD 2.7%
200+ employees
0.1%QLD 0.2%

Businesses by turnover

Share of registered businesses in each turnover range

30 June 2025

Bar: IpswichMarker: Queensland

$0 to less than $200k
61.1%QLD 54.2%
$200k to less than $5m
36.6%QLD 42.2%
$5m to less than $10m
1.2%QLD 1.8%
$10m or more
1.2%QLD 1.8%
Enterprise in Ipswich

63.4% of Ipswich businesses have no employees, compared with 62.0% across Queensland.

30 June 2025

04
Homes & development

Housing

Home ownership, rents and recent housing development in Ipswich.

Homes approved

3,522

12 months ending 30 June 2026

Approved homes may still be awaiting construction.

Residential lots registered

3,194

12 months ending 30 June 2026

New residential land and unit or townhouse lots registered during the period.

Average household size

2.8 people

Census · 2021

Queensland 2.5 people

The average number of people living in a household.

Home ownership and renting

Share of occupied private dwellings

2021

Bar: IpswichMarker: Queensland

Fully owned
20.2%QLD 29.1%
Being purchased
38.1%QLD 34.4%
Rented
39.4%QLD 33.1%
Other
0.8%QLD 1.9%

The rental market

Median weekly rent for new bonds lodged during the source period.

Three-bedroom house

$560 / week

12 months ending 30 June 2026

Queensland $620 / week

Four-bedroom house

$650 / week

12 months ending 30 June 2026

Queensland $710 / week

The median is the middle rent among new bonds lodged. Existing tenancies may have different rents.

05
Liveability & participation

Community services

Schools, early childhood services and volunteering in Ipswich.

Early childhood services

198

31 August 2026

Regulated early childhood education and care services.

Schools

80

April 2025

Schools recorded in the area.

Residents volunteering

11.1%

Census · 2021

Queensland 14.1%

People aged 15 and over who reported voluntary work in the Census.

Types of households

Share of households in occupied private dwellings

2021

Bar: IpswichMarker: Queensland

One family households
72.4%QLD 69.0%
Multiple family households
2.4%QLD 2.0%
Group households
3.2%QLD 4.3%
Lone person households
22.0%QLD 24.7%
Everyday life

Homes and connections.

22.0% of Ipswich households have one resident, compared with 24.7% across Queensland.

2021

Families, shared households and people living alone are all part of Ipswich. Local services and community groups help people stay connected.

Service counts show how many facilities are recorded, rather than available places.

Find funding for a community project

Prepared using Queensland Government Statistician’s Office (QGSO) Regional Profile information for Ipswich. Reporting periods and original sources are provided with each measure.

Source information

Table 1: Estimated resident population by LGA, RDAIWM region and Queensland

Source: ABS, Regional population, various editions

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Source information

Table 40: Unemployment and labour force(a) by LGA, RDAIWM region and Queensland, March quarter 2026

(a) Based on a 4-quarter smoothed series.

Source: Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, Small Area Labour Markets, various editions

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Source information

Table 48: Registered businesses by employment size and LGA, RDAIWM region and Queensland, 30 June 2025

Source: ABS, Counts of Australian Businesses, including Entries and Exits, various editions

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Source information

Table 14: Household composition by LGA, RDAIWM region and Queensland, 2021

(a) Excludes visitors only and other not classifiable households.

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2021, unpublished data (occupied private dwellings)

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Source information

Table 4: Projected population by LGA, RDAIWM region and Queensland

(a) 2021 data are final rebased estimated resident population (ERP).

Source: Queensland Government Population Projections, 2025 edition (medium series)

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Source information

Table 2: Estimated resident population by age and LGA, RDAIWM region and Queensland, 30 June 2025p

Source: ABS, Regional population by age and sex, 2025

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Source information

Table 36: Selected medians and averages by LGA, RDAIWM region and Queensland, 2021

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2021, General Community Profile - G02

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Source information

Table 23: Non-school qualifications(a) by level of education by LGA, RDAIWM region and Queensland, 2021

(a) Includes persons aged 15 years and over with a qualification within the scope of the Australian Standard Classification of Education.

(b) Includes bachelor degree, graduate diploma, graduate certificate and postgraduate degree.

(c) Includes Certificate, I, II, III and IV and Certificates not further defined responses.

(d) Includes inadequately described and not stated level of education responses.

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2021, General Community Profile - G43 and G49

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Source information

Table 49: Registered businesses by turnover range and LGA, RDAIWM region and Queensland, 30 June 2025

Source: ABS, Counts of Australian Businesses, including Entries and Exits, various editions

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Source information

Table 44: Residential and non-residential building approvals by LGA, RDAIWM region and Queensland, 12 months ending 30 June 2026

(a) Other residential buildings include: semidetached, row or terrace houses or townhouses; and flats, units or apartments.

Source: ABS, Building Approvals, Australia, various editions

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Table 47: Residential lot registrations by LGA, RDAIWM region and Queensland, 12 months ending 30 June 2026

(a) Includes land area unknown.

(b) Lots on a building format plan or standard format plan that represent attached dwellings within a community title scheme. Excludes common property land parcels.

Source: Queensland Government Statistician's Office, Queensland Treasury estimates; Titles Queensland; Department of Natural Resources and Mines, Manufacturing and Regional and Rural Development

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Table 16: Occupied private dwellings(a) by tenure type and LGA, RDAIWM region and Queensland, 2021

(a) Excludes visitors only and other not classifiable households.

(b) Includes dwellings being purchased under a shared equity scheme.

(c) Includes renting from a real estate agent, state housing authority, person not in the same household, community housing provider, other and not stated.

(d) Includes dwellings being occupied under a life tenure scheme and occupied rent-free.

(e) Includes tenure type not stated.

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2021, General Community Profile - G37

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Table 37: Lodgements and median rent by dwelling type by LGA, RDAIWM region and Queensland, 12 months ending 30 June 2026

Source: Residential Tenancies Authority, Rental Bonds data (Queensland Government Statistician's Office derived)

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Table 20: Regulated early childhood education and care services by LGA, RDAIWM region and Queensland, 31 August 2026

(a) Total includes Other service types (for example Occasional care).

Source: Department of Education

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Table 32: Emergency services, schools and hospitals by LGA, RDAIWM region and Queensland, April 2025

Source: Department of Education; Queensland Ambulance Service; Queensland Fire and Emergency Services; Queensland Health; Queensland Police

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Source information

Table 30: Voluntary work by LGA, RDAIWM region and Queensland, 2021

(a) Includes voluntary work not stated.

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2021, General Community Profile - G23

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