2021 update

Western Downs LGA

Chinchilla

• Local and regional population have seen a slight increase, together with non-resident worker (NRW) populations.
• Unemployment increased from 3.53% to 5.75% in 2021, the highest rate since 2005.
• Total number of businesses decreased slightly from 1055 to 1026, mainly because the total number of businesses in NPP had a slight decrease of 3.6%.
• Number of house sales rose significantly from 553 to 759 in 2021 with the median sale price increasing by 13.3%. Weekly rent increased 8.9%
• Total crime rates dropped 39%, with drug offences dropped significantly, from 58.8 to 15.7 per 1,000 persons. Traffic offences and good order offences decreased 25.1% and 20.9% respectively, while theft increased 22.3%.

Dalby

• Local population remained steady in 2021, while non-resident workers increased to 255, more than double the number in 2020.
• Unemployment increased from 4.1% to 6.7%, the highest rate since 2004.
• Total number of businesses remained stable in 2020/21. The total number of businesses in NPP had a slight decrease of 2.2%, while the number in PP had a slight increase of 2.5%.
• The number of house sales rose significantly from 953 to 1522 in 2021, but the median sale price decreased 1.9%. Weekly rent increased 4%.
• Total crime rates dropped 7.4%, with drug offences dropped significantly, from 58.8 to 33.8 per 1,000 persons. Theft, good order offences, and traffic offences increase 20.8%, 17.2% and 14.4% respectively.

Miles and Wandoan

• Regional population remained stable in Miles and Wandoan, with a slight increase of population in Miles. For non-resident workers, Wandoan has seen a significant increase from 120 to 400, while Miles has seen a slight decrease from 165 to 150.
• Unemployment in the region has increased to 5.2%, the highest rate since 2004.
• Counts of business in the region have remained stable in 2020/2021.
• House sales rose from 176 to 309 in 2021; median sale price was around $157,000, 22.2% higher than 2020. Weekly rent increased 14.2%.
• Total crime rate in Wandoan increased 82.3%, with an increase of theft, traffic offences and drug offences by 257%, 73.7% and 28.9% respectively. Total crime rate in Miles increased 9.4%, with an increase of theft and good order offences by 22.1% and 15.7% respectively.

Tara

• Local and regional population have seen a slight increase.
• Unemployment in the region increased from 7.7% to 13.9%, more than double the Queensland rate (6.4%).
• There has been an increase of 14.2% in the number of businesses for non-primary production (NPP) and 6% for primary production businesses.
• The number of house sales increased significantly from 234 to 431, with the median sale price increasing by 13.8%. Weekly rent fell 4.7%.
• Total crime rate in Tara increased 10.6%, with an increase of theft, good order offences and traffic offences by 74.7%, 15.6% and 8.3% respectively, while drug offences dropped 16.2%.

Maranoa LGA

Roma

• There was a slight increase in the population in town in 2021, while the number of NRWs in town remained unchanged.
• The unemployment rate increased from 3.5% to 5.6% in 2021, this rate was the highest since 2004.
• The total number of NPP businesses in the top two turnover brackets (500k-2m and 2m+) increased from 185 to 204 in 2020/21, while the number in the bottom two brackets (0k-100k and 100k-499k) dropped from 542 to 491. There has been little change in primary production, but followed the declining trend established in 2009.
• The number of house sales increased from 406 in 2020 to 725 in 2021. The median house sale price and median rent increased 12.9% and 8.3% respectively, to $255,000 and $276/week. Residential building approvals increased from 6 to 16.
• Total crime rate in Roma increased 17.1%, contributed by the increase of good order offences, theft, drug offences and traffic offences.

Roma Region

• While the Roma Regional population has been steadily decreasing since 2011, the local Wallumbilla population has remained steady.
• The unemployment rate in the region remains low at 2.8%, compared to 6.4% of the Queensland rate.
• There has been a slight increase in the total number of businesses in the region. The total number of NPP businesses in the middle brackets (100k-499k and 500k-2m) from 268 to 293, while the number in the bottom and top brackets (0k-100k and 2m+) dropped from 247 to 227.
• The number of house sales rose significantly from 225 to 346 in 2021, with 44.8% increase for the sale price. Rent increased 8%.
• Crime rates have always remained low compared to other towns in the area. While there has been dropped in number of offences in theft, drug offences and good order offences, traffic offences were double in 2021, compared to the number in 2020.

Toowoomba LGA

Toowoomba

• Toowoomba’s population continues to increase, largely driven by Toowoomba – West which is seeing the greatest change. NRWs are present but minimal.
• The unemployment rate dropped across Toowoomba in 2021, with Harlaxton decreased from 12.6% to 7.7%, Toowoomba-Central from 9.7% to 6.3%, and Toowoomba-West from 3.65% to 2.65%.
• The total count of businesses did see a small decrease (-1.32%). For NPP the number in the bottom two brackets (0k-100k and 100k-499k) dropped from 3465 to 3358 and from 3083 to 2994 respectively, while the number in the 500k-2m bracket increased from 1419 to 1483. There is a small increase for primary production from 527 to 536.
• The number of house sales rose from 11,237 to 16,508 in 2021, while the sale price increased by 8.15%. Weekly rent increased from $250 to $339.
• Total crime rate increased 8.8%, with an increase of 22.4% in good order offences and 10.5% increase in theft, while there was 13.5% less in drug offences.

Isaac LGA

Moranbah

• There has been little change in the Moranbah local or regional population in 2021 and a slight decrease in the number of NRWs.
• The unemployment rate dropped to 1.3%, the lowest since 2014.
• The count of NPP businesses has seen little change. For primary production, there was an increase from 15 to 25 in the 100k-499k bracket.
• House sales increased from 497 to 644 in 2021, with an 8.0% increase of sale price to about $291,500. Rent increased 9.1% to $393.
• Total crime rate increased 26.5%, with an increase of 14.3% in good order offences, 11.4% in theft and 7.7% in drug offences, while there was 15.3% less in traffic offences.

Dysart

• Regional and local populations appear to remain stable this year. NRWs in town follow the six-year stable trend.
• The unemployment rate dropped to 1.6%, well below Queensland’s 6.4% in 2021.
• The total count of businesses increased slightly from 644 to 670 in 2021. NPP and PP businesses increased 6.9% and 1.5% respectively.
• The number of house sales increased from 269 to 419, with an average increase in sale price of 22.5%. Rent increased 14.3% to $280.
• The theft offence rate has continued its six-year decline, with drug offences dropped 56.6%, and both theft and good order offences dropped 20.3%. Traffic offences increased by 20.4%.