Thursday Island
A 15.0% vacancy rate is the standout feature of Thursday Island's compact 3.72 sq km footprint, where 2,805 residents create a density of 754.4 people per sq km. Renting dominates at 77.0%, while the median age of 30 is 10.0 years younger than the national benchmark. That combination points to a young, mobile service-centre population with housing capacity but limited ownership. Compared with nearby Horn Island, Thursday Island is the more concentrated place for government, health and education services because its small land area supports a dense town pattern. Household income sits at the 81.5th percentile nationally, although access, supply and tenure matter more than income alone.
Local council: Torres
Population
2,805
Median Age
30.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,136/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Buyers face an unusual entry problem: no median house price is stated, so a reliable suburb-wide price point cannot anchor borrowing decisions. The $1,408 monthly mortgage reference sits beside a $200 weekly rent, but those figures are not substitutes for recent comparable sales. Housing is mostly separate houses at 57.9%, with 30.2% semi-detached stock and 10.8% apartments, while 39.8% of homes have 3 bedrooms. Renting at 77.0% is higher than the combined outright ownership and mortgage shares of 12.3%, which means resale choice may be narrower than in established mainland markets. Inspect cyclone resilience, maintenance and access because island logistics can affect total ownership cost.
For Buyers
Buyers face an unusual entry problem: no median house price is stated, so a reliable suburb-wide price point cannot anchor borrowing decisions. The $1,408 monthly mortgage reference sits beside a $200 weekly rent, but those figures are not substitutes for recent comparable sales. Housing is mostly separate houses at 57.9%, with 30.2% semi-detached stock and 10.8% apartments, while 39.8% of homes have 3 bedrooms. Renting at 77.0% is higher than the combined outright ownership and mortgage shares of 12.3%, which means resale choice may be narrower than in established mainland markets. Inspect cyclone resilience, maintenance and access because island logistics can affect total ownership cost.
For Investors
Investment conditions are shaped by strong tenant demand potential but a loose vacancy position. Thursday Island has 77.0% renting, a $200 weekly rent and a 15.0% vacancy rate; the vacancy figure is higher than a tight-market setting and can lengthen letting periods or increase incentives. Rent stress is low at 9.4% of household income, which supports affordability for tenants, while 24.5% turnover suggests a meaningful flow of new households. No development was recorded in the past 12 months, so new supply is not currently adding competition, but that also points to limited construction depth. Compare any purchase price with achievable rent, insurance, repairs and vacancy risk before relying on gross yield.
Schools in Thursday Island
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart School (Thursday Island)
Tagai State College
Demographics
Thursday Island has a young age structure, with a median age of 30, or 10.0 years below the national comparison. University attainment is 22.6%, 7.5 percentage points below the national figure, while household size averages 3.2 people, 0.7 above the national level. The largest ancestry category is Other at 1,962 people, followed by English at 313, and Christianity is recorded for 1,920 residents compared with 566 reporting no religion. Overseas-born residents make up 7.2%, 14.4 points below the national comparison. A 75.5% stay rate and 24.5% turnover indicate a settled core alongside regular movement linked to public services, employment and family networks.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
57.9%
Houses
30.2%
Townhouse
10.8%
Apartment
Tenure
The tenure profile is weighted toward renting: 77.0% of occupied dwellings are rented, compared with 8.5% owned outright and 3.8% under mortgage. That 12.3% combined ownership share is lower than the rental share, helping explain why the local market is more exposed to employer demand and rental availability than to owner-occupier trading. Separate houses account for 57.9%, semi-detached homes 30.2% and apartments 10.8%; 39.8% of dwellings have 3 bedrooms, 30.2% have 2, and 21.8% have 4 or more. The $200 weekly rent and $1,408 monthly mortgage reference suggest very different cash-flow profiles, so condition and insurance should be compared as carefully as headline tenure.
Mortgage / mo
$1,408
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$200
Census 2021
HH Size
3.2
Personal Income / wk
$902
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
15.0%
Unoccupied
131
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
9.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
15.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
43.1%
Couples with children
24.8%
Couples, no children
28.4%
Single parent
624
Total families
Economy & Employment
Employment is concentrated in essential services. Healthcare accounts for 30.6% of industry employment, ahead of Public Administration at 20.6% and Education at 15.8%; Construction contributes 8.6% and Hospitality 4.7%. Healthcare is therefore higher than every other listed industry, making public and community services central to local resilience. The labour-force participation rate is 63.9%, unemployment is 4.7% and full-time work is 64.7%, with 806 full-time and 292 part-time workers. Occupations are led by Professionals at 295, Community and Personal Service at 206, and Clerical and Administrative work at 185. Household income sits at the 81.5th percentile, above the national midpoint, but no socioeconomic decile is stated, so income should not be read as uniform prosperity across households.
Unemployment
4.7%
Labour Force
1,306
Unemployed
61
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.7%
Part-time
23.5%
Participation
63.9%
Employed
1,245
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
22.6%
Postgraduate
4.4%
Born Overseas
7.2%
Dwellings
732
Transport to Work
Daily life is relatively self-contained. Walking or cycling accounts for 31.5% of commuting, compared with 48.2% driving and only 0.6% public transport; work from home is 4.6%. That pattern fits a compact 3.72 sq km town where short trips can substitute for car use, although ferry and air connections remain important for regional access. Families have 2 nearby schools, with one Catholic non-state school and one government state college; check the exact enrolment zone and travel arrangements before choosing an address. The 15.2% volunteering rate supports local participation. No crime rate or IRSAD decile is stated, so assess safety and service access at street level rather than inferring them from transport or school location.
Drive
48.2%
Public Transport
0.6%
Walk / Cycle
31.5%
Work from Home
4.6%
Growth Outlook
Thursday Island's current growth picture is more about turnover and capacity than a measured construction surge. The population is 2,805, resident turnover is 24.5%, and 75.5% stayed at the same address, indicating a settled base with regular movement. Vacancy is 15.0% and development activity was 0 projects in the past 12 months, so additional residents could be absorbed through existing homes rather than new building. No annual growth rate, primary migration driver, gentrification score or trajectory is stated, which makes a confident forward ranking weaker than a mainland corridor forecast. Compared with a construction-led growth area, change here is more likely to follow public-sector employment, service demand and island transport links.
Population trend: Torres council area
Thursday Island sits in the Torres council area. These are the council area's residents, not Thursday Island's.
Residents 2025
3,490
Growth, 5 yr average
-0.6%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.1%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Thursday Island compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Thursday Island a good suburb to live in?
Thursday Island can suit households prioritising local services, walkability and a younger population, but renting is the dominant tenure at 77.0% and vacancy is 15.0%. Check cyclone resilience, transport links, household costs and the exact address before deciding.
What is the median house price in Thursday Island?
A reliable median house price is not stated. The $200 weekly rent should not be used as a sale-price proxy; with 77.0% of households renting and only 8.5% owning outright, buyers should review recent comparable sales, insurance and maintenance costs before making an offer.
What schools are in Thursday Island?
There are 2 schools in Thursday Island: Our Lady of the Sacred Heart School, a Catholic non-state school, and Tagai State College, a government state school. Confirm enrolment zones, year levels and transport arrangements for the exact address.
Is Thursday Island safe?
No crime total or crime rate is stated, so a definitive safety assessment cannot be made from the available indicators. The compact 3.72 sq km area has 2,805 residents; inspect lighting, access, flood and cyclone exposure, and seek current local advice before renting or buying.
Is Thursday Island good for property investment?
It may suit an investor seeking service-based rental demand, but the risk profile needs care. Rents are $200 per week, 77.0% of dwellings are rented and vacancy is 15.0%, which can reduce occupancy certainty. With 0 recorded development projects in 12 months, compare insurance, repairs, resale depth and vacancy costs rather than relying on gross yield alone.
How is Thursday Island's population changing?
Thursday Island has 2,805 residents today. Its population profile appears stable but mobile: 75.5% stayed at the same address and 24.5% moved, while the 15.0% vacancy rate and 0 development projects suggest change can occur through turnover rather than new construction. No annual growth rate or migration driver is stated.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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