Suburbs Palm Island

Queensland · Suburb Profile

Palm Island QLD — Suburb Profile

Population, median income, rent prices, housing costs and demographics for Palm Island, Queensland. ABS Census 2021.

The population of Palm Island QLD is 2,138 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Palm Island is $384 per week ($19,968 per year). Median rent in Palm Island is $125 per week ($542 per month). Palm Island has a median age of 27 years, younger than the national median of 38. Palm Island has a population density of 24.1 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Palm Island is England. The most common religion is Catholic (47% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Australian Indigenous. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Palm Island is $2,167.

There were 1,352 recorded offences in Palm Island in 2025-26, a rate of 632 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was assault (564 offences).

Palm Island Map

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📍 Palm Island, Queensland — 18.6934°S, 146.5878°E

Crime: Low Med High

Palm Island Population

0
residents (Census 2021)

Palm Island Median Income & Rent

💰
Median Income
$384/wk
$19,968 per year
#8793 of 14,663
🏠
Median Rent
$125/wk
$542 per month
#8470 of 14,663
👤
Median Age
27years
11 years younger than national median
🏡
Mortgage
$2,167/mo
Avg household size: 3.7 · 1.2 per bedroom

Palm Island Demographics

Gender Split

Male 48.1% (1,027) Female 51.9% (1,106)

Population Density

24.1
people per km²
2,138 people · 88.9 km²

Households

3.7
Avg household size
1.2
Persons per bedroom
$898
Family income/wk

Palm Island Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
♂ Male ♀ Female

Source: ABS Census 2021 — Suburb & Locality (SAL)

Palm Island Housing Tenure

🏠
Owned outright
100.0% 8 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021 — Suburb & Locality (SAL)

Palm Island Country of Birth

Australia
98.8%
England
0.7%
Fiji
0.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G09 — Country of Birth by SAL

Palm Island Religion

Catholic
46.7%
No Religion
16.8%
Anglican
15.4%
Othr Protestnt
8.1%
Not stated
7.8%
Pentecostal
2.2%
Baptist
2.2%
Christian (other)
0.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G14 — Religion by SAL

Palm Island Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
34.0%
Year 10 or equivalent
33.4%
Year 11 or equivalent
19.3%
Year 9 or equivalent
13.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G16 — Highest Year of School by SAL

Palm Island Languages Spoken at Home

Australian Indigenous
51.5%
Other
48.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G13 — Language Spoken at Home by SAL

Palm Island Employment

💼
Employed full-time
15.0% 197 people
⏰
Employed part-time
9.1% 119 people
🔍
Unemployed
3.1% 40 people
🏠
Not in labour force
72.8% 955 people

Source: ABS Census 2021 G46 — Labour Force Status by SAL

Palm Island Qualifications

Certificate III/IV
52.3%
Bachelor Degree
17.4%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
15.5%
Certificate I/II
8.0%
Postgraduate Degree
4.5%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
2.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G49 — Non-School Qualification by SAL

Palm Island Occupation

Community & Personal Service
37.3%
Professionals
28.5%
Clerical & Administrative
10.9%
Managers
7.3%
Technicians & Trade Workers
7.3%
Labourers
3.6%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
3.1%
Sales Workers
2.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G51 — Industry of Employment by Occupation

Palm Island Field of Study

Education
24.4%
Society & Culture
18.3%
Health
16.5%
Management & Commerce
15.2%
Engineering
9.1%
Architecture & Building
8.5%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
6.1%
Natural & Physical Sciences
1.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G51 — Field of Study by SAL

Palm Island Dwelling Types

Separate house
98.6%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
0.7%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
0.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G36 — Dwelling Structure by SAL

Palm Island Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
0.9%
$150-$299/wk
6.2%
$300-$399/wk
6.0%
$400-$499/wk
8.2%
$500-$649/wk
8.0%
$650-$799/wk
11.1%
$800-$999/wk
10.0%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
9.3%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.3%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
7.8%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.1%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
8.6%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
4.4%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
2.4%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
0.7%
$4,000+/wk
4.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G33 — Household Income by SAL

Palm Island Marital Status

💍
Married
9.1% 134
↔️
Separated
2.2% 32
📋
Divorced
1.4% 21
🕊️
Widowed
2.2% 32
👤
Never married
85.1% 1,255

Source: ABS Census 2021 G05 — Marital Status by SAL

Palm Island Ancestry

Aboriginal Australianralian
72.9%
Other
16.4%
Australian
4.7%
English
3.7%
Irish
0.6%
Chinese
0.4%
Italian
0.3%
Scottish
0.3%
German
0.2%
Maori
0.2%
Filipino
0.2%
Greek
0.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G08 — Ancestry by SAL

Palm Island School & University Attendance

Primary — Government
46.2%
Primary — Catholic
23.3%
Secondary — Government
14.3%
Pre-school
5.8%
Secondary — Catholic
4.9%
Primary — Other Non-Govt
2.4%
Vocational Education
1.9%
Secondary — Other Non-Govt
1.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G15 — Type of Educational Institution by SAL

Palm Island Need for Assistance

♿
Needs assistance
3.4% 134
✅
No need for assistance
96.6% 3,861

Source: ABS Census 2021 G18 — Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Palm Island Volunteering

🤝
Volunteer
5.9% 79
—
Not a volunteer
94.1% 1,265

Source: ABS Census 2021 G23 — Voluntary Work by SAL

Palm Island How People Get to Work

Walked only
39.7%
Car (driver)
37.2%
Car (passenger)
12.9%
Bus
4.9%
Did not go to work
4.0%
Other
1.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G62 — Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Palm Island Car Ownership

0 vehicles
49.8%
1 vehicle
35.4%
2 vehicles
11.9%
3 vehicles
2.3%
4+ vehicles
0.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G34 — Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Palm Island Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
4.4%
2 bedrooms
24.9%
3 bedrooms
42.3%
4 bedrooms
23.3%
5 bedrooms
3.2%
6+ bedrooms
1.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G41 — Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Palm Island Population Mobility

6.6%
moved in the last year
16.1%
moved in the last 5 years
10.4%
unemployment rate (Census)
27.3%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021 G43 — Summary by SAL

Palm Island Indigenous Population

94.6%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander
3,838
Indigenous residents
218
Non-Indigenous residents

Source: ABS Census 2021 G07 — Indigenous Status by SAL

Palm Island Long-term Health Conditions

Diabetes
61
Mental health
45
Heart disease
39
Asthma
18
Kidney disease
18
Arthritis
14
Stroke
12
Lung condition
10
Dementia
4
Cancer
3

Source: ABS Census 2021 G19 — Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Palm Island Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
7.9%
$1-$149/wk
3.7%
$150-$299/wk
34.4%
$300-$399/wk
10.1%
$400-$499/wk
3.6%
$500-$649/wk
4.5%
$650-$799/wk
10.4%
$800-$999/wk
6.4%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
6.7%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
3.8%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
2.2%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
2.7%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
2.4%
$3,500+/wk
1.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G17 — Personal Income by SAL

Palm Island Family Structure

Couple — children under 15
41.5%
One parent — children under 15
32.5%
Couple — no children
10.1%
One parent — no children under 15
8.3%
Couple — no children under 15
7.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G29 — Family Composition by SAL

Palm Island Military Service

🏅
Previously served
1.3% 18
👤
Never served
98.7% 1,346

Source: ABS Census 2021 G22 — ADF Service by SAL

Palm Island Unpaid Carers

🤲
Provided unpaid assistance
11.8% 157
—
Did not provide
88.2% 1,173

Source: ABS Census 2021 G25 — Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Palm Island Children Ever Born

No children
35.9%
1 child
15.2%
2 children
13.3%
3 children
12.4%
4 children
12.9%
5+ children
10.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G28 — Children Ever Born by SAL

Palm Island When Migrants Arrived

1971–1980
7
1981–1990
3
1991–2000
8
2001–2010
6
2016
3
2017
4
2018
5
2019
7

Source: ABS Census 2021 G10 — Year of Arrival by SAL

Palm Island Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
33.8%
5–14 hours
15.7%
15–29 hours
7.7%
30+ hours
3.6%
Did not do domestic work
39.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G24 — Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Palm Island Household Size

1 person
21.0%
2 persons
19.0%
3 persons
12.9%
4 persons
12.5%
5 persons
10.5%
6+ persons
24.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G35 — Household Size by SAL

Palm Island Where Residents Moved From

Same address
1,843
Moved from QLD
61
Moved — same area (SA2)
55
Moved from NT
7
Moved from NSW
3
Moved from SA
3

Source: ABS Census 2021 G44 — Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Palm Island Family Blending

Intact family — no other children
64.9%
Intact family — other children present
9.7%
Step family — no other children
8.4%
Other couple — children only
7.8%
Blended family — no other children
6.5%
Blended family — other children present
2.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G31 — Family Blending by SAL

Palm Island Crime Statistics

Reported offences in 2025-26 — 1,352 total

Assault
564
Domestic Violence
413
Drug Offences
126
Break & Enter
71
Property Damage
52
Traffic
52
Theft
40
Sexual Offences
20
Weapons
8
Fraud
6

Offence trend by year:

2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: QLD Police Service — data.qld.gov.au

Palm Island Rent Prices & Affordability

13%
of income
Affordable
Household Income $973/wk
Median Rent $125/wk
Rent-to-Income 12.8%

Rent is under 25% of household income — generally considered affordable.

If you earn X in Palm Island

≈ $4,216/month
Median rent $125/wk
Left after rent $848/wk
Rent share 12.8%

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Kowanyama
Income: $341/wk Rent: $115/wk Save: $10/wk
Doomadgee
Income: $354/wk Rent: $120/wk Save: $5/wk
Hope Vale
Income: $390/wk Rent: $120/wk Save: $5/wk
Cherbourg
Income: $375/wk Rent: $100/wk Save: $25/wk
Woorabinda
Income: $361/wk Rent: $120/wk Save: $5/wk

Palm Island vs State & National Average

Nearby Suburbs in QLD

Torrington (Qld)
Pop: 1,070 Income: $922/wk Rent: $343/wk
Imbil
Pop: 1,071 Income: $540/wk Rent: $300/wk
Thagoona
Pop: 1,077 Income: $757/wk Rent: $385/wk
Kowanyama
Pop: 1,079 Income: $341/wk Rent: $115/wk
The Palms
Pop: 1,083 Income: $590/wk Rent: $300/wk
West Woombye
Pop: 1,083 Income: $696/wk Rent: $420/wk

Compare Palm Island

Palm Island vs Torrington (Qld) →Palm Island vs Imbil →Palm Island vs Thagoona →Palm Island vs Kowanyama →

Frequently Asked Questions About Palm Island

What is the population of Palm Island QLD?

The population of Palm Island QLD is 2,138 according to the ABS Census 2021.The suburb has a population density of 24.1 people per km².Palm Island is ranked #2,928 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Palm Island?

The median personal income in Palm Island QLD is $384 per week, or $19,968 per year.The median household income is $973 per week.Family income is $898 per week.Palm Island is ranked #8,793 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Palm Island?

Median rent in Palm Island QLD is $125 per week ($542 per month).Rent represents 12.8% of household income, which is considered affordable.Palm Island ranks #8,470 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Palm Island?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Palm Island QLD is $2,167. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Palm Island?

The median age in Palm Island QLD is 27 years.This is younger than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Palm Island a good suburb to live in?

Palm Island is a suburb in Queensland with a population of 2,138.The median income is $384/wk, which is below the QLD average of $759/wk.Rent affordability is rated as affordable (12.8% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

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Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 32260. All dollar figures in AUD.