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Living in Townsville

Townsville is a city in Australia. In August 2021, Townsville had a population of 142,163. For Townsville, median rent was A$310 per week, and median monthly mortgage repayment was A$1,517 in August 2021.

Higher unemployment than 67% of Australian cities that publish it and dirtier air than 68% of Australian cities that publish it.

Which Australia-wide rules apply when you move to Townsville?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Visa and entry rulesPassport-specific entry and national residence context.BenefitsCountry-wide eligibility and official application routes.Taxes in AustraliaNational rates and thresholds that apply in Townsville.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

What recurs every month6 published recurring costs, € per month
Townsville recurring monthly costs, € per month€1819Private kindergarten€91Utilities, 85 m² flat€51Transport pass€48Internet, 60 Mbps€41Fitness club€31Mobile plan, 10 GB€ / month

Supplemental estimate lane; these items are not official statistics.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Fitness club membership, monthly41.18 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v211Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited48.14 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v211Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Private kindergarten, monthly1,819 EUR/month31 Jul 2026Cost of Living in Townsville. Jun 2026. Prices in Townsville9Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Meal at an inexpensive restaurant12.83 EUR31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v211Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Mobile plan, 10 GB31.27 EUR/month31 Jul 2026Cost of Living in Townsville. Jun 2026. Prices in Townsville9Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Monthly transport pass51.35 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v211Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Basic utilities, 85 m² home91.46 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v211Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Dwellings57,867 dwellings31 Dec 2021Australian Bureau of Statistics4Official
G05 Main Residential Dwellings53,468 dwellings31 Dec 2021Australian Bureau of Statistics4Official
Median Weekly Rent Aud310 AUD/week10 Aug 20212021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia4Official

Work and income

The unemployment rate was 5.1% in March 2026. Median personal income was A$766 per week in August 2021. Median household income was A$1,504 per week in August 2021.

What is the unemployment rate in Townsville?

The unemployment rate is 5.1 % (March 2026). Source: DEWR — Small Area Labour Markets, smoothed unemployment rate by LGA, March quarter 202610

Unemployment across cities in AustraliaUnemployment in Townsville is 5.1%. Of 100 cities with data, 29 have unemployment of 4 to under 5%.
unemployment rate, % · measured cities in Australia per band4 cities: 1% to under 2%41–29 cities: 2% to under 3%92–323 cities: 3% to under 4%233–429 cities: 4% to under 5%294–518 cities: 5% to under 6%185–6Townsville 5.1%9 cities: 6% to under 7%96–73 cities: 7% to under 8%37–82 cities: 8% to under 9%28–91 city: 9% to under 10%19–102 cities: 13% to under 14%213–14

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Employment Full Time Count40,071 people31 Dec 2021Australian Bureau of Statistics4Official
Employment rate58 %31 Dec 2021Australian Bureau of Statistics4Official
Median Household Income Aud Week1,504 AUD/week10 Aug 20212021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia4Official
Median Personal Income Aud Week766 AUD/week10 Aug 20212021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia4Official
Median gross salary (regional)1,738 EUR/month31 Dec 2021www.abs.gov.au8Official
Unemployment rate5.1 %country median 4.4%31 Mar 2026DEWR — Small Area Labour Markets, smoothed unemployment rate by LGA, March quarter 202610Independent

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Townsville. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.

Country-level information

Workforce Australia — Public employment service

Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations

Job Search
Open official service
Open the Australia service overview

Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Townsville. Sources checked through 11 Aug 2026.

Family and education

MetricValuePeriodSource
Language Other Than English At Home Share Percent10.25 %10 Aug 20212021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia4Official

Language courses and integration in Townsville

1 exact course-location record is linked to this city. Check the linked source for dates, availability and enrolment.

Verified locally
1verified local records
Check courses in TownsvilleHow the country programme works
Exact city-linked record checked 2026-08-10. Provider-supplied records are supplemental and are not presented as official accreditation.

Climate and air quality

Is the air quality good in Townsville?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 7 µg/m³ (2019) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: cdn.who.int3

Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.

Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C
Townsville average monthly daytime high and night-time low temperature, °C0°10°20°30°40°JFMAMJJASOND32°14°Daytime highNight-time low
Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm
Townsville average monthly precipitation, mm0851702553402533381575426171420102461122JFMAMJJASONDmm
Sunshine through the yearAverage monthly sunshine, hours
Townsville average monthly sunshine, hours05101520888888991010109JFMAMJJASONDhours
Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits
Townsville annual air pollutant levels against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limitsCity valueWHO guidelineEU limit5257.0PM2.5µg/m³

City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.

PM2.5 across cities in AustraliaAnnual PM2.5 in Townsville is 7.0 µg/m³. Of 25 cities with data, 7 have annual PM2.5 of 5 to under 6 µg/m³.
annual PM2.5, µg/m³ · measured cities in Australia per band4 cities: 4 µg/m³ to under 5 µg/m³44–57 cities: 5 µg/m³ to under 6 µg/m³75–66 cities: 6 µg/m³ to under 7 µg/m³66–74 cities: 7 µg/m³ to under 8 µg/m³47–8Townsville 7.02 cities: 8 µg/m³ to under 9 µg/m³28–92 cities: 9 µg/m³ to under 10 µg/m³29–10

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

MetricValuePeriodSource
PM2.5 — annual mean7 µg/m³country median 6.131 Dec 2019cdn.who.int3Official
Average daytime high by monthJan 31.9 · Feb 31.7 · Mar 31.3 · Apr 30.2 · May 28.2 · Jun 26.2 · Jul 25.7 · Aug 26.5 · Sep 28.4 · Oct 29.8 · Nov 31.1 · Dec 31.9 °C31 Dec 2020BOM monthly climate statistics — TOWNSVILLE AERO, 1991-20202Official
Average night-time low by monthJan 24.7 · Feb 24.7 · Mar 23.5 · Apr 21.1 · May 18 · Jun 15.3 · Jul 14 · Aug 14.8 · Sep 17.9 · Oct 21.1 · Nov 23.1 · Dec 24.5 °C31 Dec 2020BOM monthly climate statistics — TOWNSVILLE AERO, 1991-20202Official
Average temperature by monthJan 28.4 · Feb 28.3 · Mar 27.5 · Apr 25.8 · May 23.3 · Jun 20.8 · Jul 20 · Aug 20.7 · Sep 23.2 · Oct 25.6 · Nov 27.2 · Dec 28.4 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station TOWNSVILLE AERO7Official · nearest-station reading
Average precipitation by monthJan 252.6 · Feb 338.1 · Mar 156.7 · Apr 54.3 · May 26.3 · Jun 17.1 · Jul 13.9 · Aug 20.3 · Sep 9.9 · Oct 24.3 · Nov 60.6 · Dec 122.2 mm31 Dec 2020BOM monthly climate statistics — TOWNSVILLE AERO, 1991-20202Official
Average sunshine by monthJan 8.2 · Feb 7.5 · Mar 7.9 · Apr 8.1 · May 7.9 · Jun 7.7 · Jul 8.5 · Aug 9 · Sep 9.7 · Oct 9.9 · Nov 9.7 · Dec 9.3 hours31 Dec 2020BOM monthly climate statistics — TOWNSVILLE AERO, 1991-20202Official

Cities of a similar size in Australia

Closest published populations, for a like-for-like comparison.

All Australia cities
Darwin127,215 residentsBallarat111,973 residentsBendigo103,034 residentsAlbury - Wodonga97,793 residentsLaunceston90,953 residentsHobart226,653 residents

Population and city profile

The city covered 693.3 km² in 2016. Population density was 262 people per km² in 2021.

How many people live in Townsville?

The published population was 142,163 people in August 2021. Source: 2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia4

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population
Townsville residents by nationalityBy nationalityNational passport82.2%Foreign residents17.8%

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

MetricValuePeriodSource
City area693.3 km²1 Jul 2016Official ASGS2016 SUA area from ABS ArcGIS attributes, area_albers_sqkm. Exact queue geography; not GCCSA or LGA.5Official
Foreign-resident share19.7 %31 Dec 2021Australian Bureau of Statistics1Official
Foreign residents25,304 people10 Aug 2021Official 2021 Census GCP G01 Birthplace_Elsewhere_P: persons born outside Australia, at exact associated 2021 SUA grain. This is foreign-born, not foreign nationality.4Official
Population density262 people/km²30 Jun 2021Reproducible exact-ASGS2016-SUA density: ABS ERP at 30 June 2021 divided by ABS ASGS2016 SUA area. Existing local population baseline is only a recovered cross-check; no GCCSA/LGA observation.6Official
Population Female73,944 people31 Dec 2021Australian Bureau of Statistics4Official
Population Male68,213 people31 Dec 2021Australian Bureau of Statistics4Official
Population142,163 people10 Aug 20212021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia4Official
Population over time25 published observations, 2001–2025
Population in Townsville by year, residents104,311122,022139,734157,445200120052011201520212025153,781residents

Population rose 42.4% between 2001 and 2025, from 107,975 to 153,781.

International community in Townsville

Named groups from exact city-grain official distributions. Citizenship, birthplace, language and ancestry answer different questions and stay separate.

Country of birth

Persons usually resident in the ABS Significant Urban Area; 2021 Census G09 PERSONS total across age groups and sex · 2021 Census

Published groupPeopleShare
Total142,163100.0%
Australia114,08880.3%
Country of birth not stated6,5814.6%
Born elsewhere(d)2,7461.9%
England2,6531.9%
Iraq2,2001.5%
New Zealand2,0611.4%
India1,9461.4%
Philippines1,2780.9%
South Africa9800.7%
Nepal7170.5%
Show 41 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
China (excludes SARs and Taiwan)(c)6140.4%
Zimbabwe4940.3%
Sri Lanka4290.3%
United States of America4100.3%
Scotland3700.3%
Germany3250.2%
Papua New Guinea3070.2%
Netherlands3040.2%
Malaysia2920.2%
Canada2620.2%
Korea, Republic of (South)2460.2%
Singapore2370.2%
Taiwan2140.2%
Brazil2060.1%
Fiji1910.1%
Ireland1830.1%
Thailand1680.1%
Pakistan1650.1%
Iran1490.1%
Vietnam1450.1%
Afghanistan1220.1%
Italy1160.1%
Bangladesh1130.1%
Hong Kong (SAR of China)(c)1020.1%
Japan1010.1%
Indonesia900.1%
Wales770.1%
Egypt710.0%
France590.0%
Poland550.0%
Turkey500.0%
Croatia350.0%
Samoa330.0%
Myanmar260.0%
Chile240.0%
Greece220.0%
Cambodia200.0%
Malta190.0%
Mauritius180.0%
Lebanon140.0%
Bosnia and Herzegovina90.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source4

Country of birth

Persons usually resident in the ABS Significant Urban Area; 2021 Census G01 total persons denominator · 2021 Census

Published groupPeopleShare
Total persons142,163100.0%
Australia114,08880.3%
Elsewhere (excludes country of birth not stated)21,49515.1%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source4

Citizenship

Persons usually resident in the ABS Significant Urban Area; 2021 Census G01 total persons denominator · 2021 Census

Published groupPeopleShare
Total persons142,163100.0%
Australian citizen124,94687.9%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source4

Is Townsville a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile
Remote worker53%strong on work, weak on safety · range 44–62%
Skilled employee63%strong on work, weak on safety · range 55–71%
Student59%strong on education, weak on safety · range 51–67%
Family60%strong on family, weak on safety · range 51–69%
Retirement57%strong on air quality, weak on admin · range 46–68%
Foreign residents25,304 people10 Aug 2021Official source · Official 2021 Census GCP G01 Birthplace_Elsewhere_P: persons born outside Australia, at exact associated 2021 SUA grain. This is foreign-born, not foreign nationality.
Population142,163 people10 Aug 2021Official source · 2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia
Dwellings57,867 dwellings31 Dec 2021Official source · Australian Bureau of Statistics
Employment rate58 %31 Dec 2021Official source · Australian Bureau of Statistics
Median gross salary (regional)1,738 EUR/month31 Dec 2021Official source · www.abs.gov.au
Unemployment rate5.1 %31 Mar 2026Independent source · DEWR — Small Area Labour Markets, smoothed unemployment rate by LGA, March quarter 2026
Every value keeps its source, geographic scope and verification date · Last checked 2026-08-27

Additional context

MetricValuePeriodSource
Residents born abroad15.12 %10 Aug 20212021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia4Official
Households53,468 households31 Dec 2021Australian Bureau of Statistics4Official
Labour force participation rate61.1 %31 Dec 2021Australian Bureau of Statistics4Official
Median age37 years10 Aug 20212021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia4Official
Median Monthly Mortgage Repayment Aud1,517 AUD/month10 Aug 20212021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia4Official

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Townsville when the national insurance or residence conditions are met.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide
Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

How many people live in Townsville?

The published population was 142,163 people in August 2021. Source: 2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia.

Is the air quality good in Townsville?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 7 µg/m³ (2019) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: cdn.who.int.

What is the unemployment rate in Townsville?

The unemployment rate is 5.1 % (March 2026). Source: DEWR — Small Area Labour Markets, smoothed unemployment rate by LGA, March quarter 2026.

What is the typical salary around Townsville?

The median gross salary is 1,738 EUR/month. Source: www.abs.gov.au.

How many foreign residents live in Townsville?

25,304 people residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: Official 2021 Census GCP G01 Birthplace_Elsewhere_P: persons born outside Australia, at exact associated 2021 SUA grain. This is foreign-born, not foreign nationality..

How much is public transport in Townsville?

A monthly transport pass is 51.35 EUR/month. This is a supplemental estimate, not an official municipal measurement. Source: Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v2.

Is Townsville a good place to live?

Townsville may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

How many people born in Afghanistan live in Townsville?

The official country of birth distribution records 122 people (0.1%) in the source-defined population for 2021 Census. This is a country of birth measure, not a general estimate of ethnicity or migration status.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation
ImmigrationDB. (2026, September 12). Townsville, Australia: rent, salary, jobs [ImmigrationDB compilation; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/au/townsville/ Retrieved 2026-09-12. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_townsville-australia-rent-salary-jobs_6acb4418a031,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Townsville, Australia: rent, salary, jobs},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-09-12},
  version = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  snapshot = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/au/townsville/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-09-12. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Townsville, Australia: rent, salary, jobs](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/au/townsville/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; retrieved 2026-09-12; built 2026-09-12.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown
  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics abs.gov.au · checked 2026-08-03
  2. BOM monthly climate statistics — TOWNSVILLE AERO, 1991-2020 BOM monthly climate statistics · bom.gov.au · checked 2026-07-26
  3. cdn.who.int cdn.who.int · checked 2026-08-26
  4. Official 2021 Census GCP G01 Birthplace_Elsewhere_P: persons born outside Australia, at exact associated 2021 SUA grain. This is foreign-born, not foreign nationality. abs.gov.au · checked 2021-08-10
  5. Official ASGS2016 SUA area from ABS ArcGIS attributes, area_albers_sqkm. Exact queue geography; not GCCSA or LGA. geo.abs.gov.au · checked 2016-07-01
  6. Reproducible exact-ASGS2016-SUA density: ABS ERP at 30 June 2021 divided by ABS ASGS2016 SUA area. Existing local population baseline is only a recovered cross-check; no GCCSA/LGA observation. abs.gov.au · checked 2021-06-30
  7. WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 — station TOWNSVILLE AERO WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 · ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-07-31
  8. www.abs.gov.au abs.gov.au · checked 2026-08-27
  9. Cost of Living in Townsville. Jun 2026. Prices in Townsville numbeo.com · checked 2026-07-27
  10. DEWR — Small Area Labour Markets, smoothed unemployment rate by LGA, March quarter 2026 DEWR · dewr.gov.au · checked 2026-07-26
Show 1 more source
  1. Global Cost of Living — Kaggle snapshot v2 Global Cost of Living · kaggle.com · checked 2026-07-27

Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.