At June 2014, the estimated resident population of Queensland was 4.72 million people, an increase of 70,500 or 1.5% since June 2013. This was the third-fastest growth rate of all states and territories (along with New South Wales), behind Western Australia (2.2%) and Victoria (1.9%).

POPULATION CHANGE IN GREATER BRISBANE

The population of Greater Brisbane (which excludes the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast) was 2.27 million people at June 2014, accounting for nearly half of Queensland's population. Between 2013 and 2014, the population of Greater Brisbane increased by 1.7% (38,500 people).

Ipswich had the largest growth of all SA4s in Greater Brisbane, with an increase of 8,000 people. This was followed by Logan - Beaudesert (up by 5,200 people) and Moreton Bay - South (5,100). However, Moreton Bay - South had the fastest growth (up by 2.8%), followed by Ipswich (2.6%) and Brisbane Inner City (2.0%).

The SA2 with the largest growth in both Greater Brisbane and Queensland was North Lakes - Mango Hill, up by 2,200 people. Other SA2s in Greater Brisbane with large growth were Redbank Plains (1,000) and Springfield Lakes (930). The fastest-growing SA2s were North Lakes - Mango Hill (up by 9.5%), Bellbird Park - Brookwater (8.8%) and Springfield Lakes (7.9%).

POPULATION CHANGE IN THE REST OF QUEENSLAND

In the 12 months to 2014, the population in the rest of Queensland (outside of Greater Brisbane) grew by 1.3%, or 32,000 people, to reach 2.45 million. This was the fastest growth rate of all rest of state regions, ahead of rest of Western Australia (1.1%) and New South Wales (0.9%).

The SA4s of Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast grew by 14,900 people, accounting for 46% of the growth in the rest of Queensland. The SA4s lying further north along the Queensland coast of Fitzroy (which includes Rockhampton and Gladstone), Mackay, Townsville and Cairns accounted for a further 38% (12,100 people).

Gold Coast had the largest growth of all SA4s in Queensland, increasing by 9,100 people to 560,300. Other SA4s in the rest of Queensland with large population increases were Sunshine Coast (up by 5,700 people), Fitzroy (4,500), Townsville (3,000) and Cairns (2,600).

The SA4 of Fitzroy had the fastest growth in the rest of Queensland (up by 2.0%), followed by the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast (both 1.7%), Townsville (1.3%) and Toowoomba (1.2%).

Gold Coast

In the year to 2014, the SA2s with the largest growth on the Gold Coast were Upper Coomera - Willow Vale (up by 1,100 people), Ormeau - Yatala (900) and Pimpama (720). These were also among the largest increases in the state.

The fastest-growing SA2 in Queensland was Pimpama, which increased by 17%. Coomera and Ormeau - Yatala also experienced fast growth, up by 5.2% and 5.1% respectively.

Fitzroy

The SA2 of Clinton - New Auckland, to the south-west of Gladstone's central business district, increased by 730 people in 2013-14. This was the largest growth in Fitzroy and placed it in the top ten SA2s with the largest growth in Queensland.

Gracemere, near Rockhampton, had the fastest growth in Fitzroy with an increase of 5.9%, and was one of the state's top ten fastest-growing SA2s. Other SA2s in Fitzroy with fast growth were Clinton - New Auckland (up by 5.7%), Glenlee - Rockyview (also 5.7%), Telina - Tooloola (4.1%) and Gladstone Hinterland (3.9%).

Townsville

In the year to 2014, the SA2 with the largest growth in Townsville, as well as the second-largest growth in Queensland, was Deeragun (up by 1,500 people).

Deeragun also had the fastest growth in Townsville with an increase of 8.0%. Other SA2s experiencing fast growth were Bohle Plains (up by 5.5%) and Mount Louisa (4.2%).

Elsewhere in Queensland

A number of other SA2s outside of Greater Brisbane with comparatively strong growth during 2013-14 were located along Queensland's coast. Those experiencing large population increases included Caloundra - West (up by 490 people) on the Sunshine Coast, Eimeo - Rural View (450) near Mackay, and Trinity Beach - Smithfield (440), north of Cairns.

SA2s with relatively fast growth included Northern Peninsula (up by 4.1%), on the tip of northern Queensland, Eimeo - Rural View (4.0%), and Nanango (3.9%) in the Wide Bay area.

POPULATION DENSITY

At June 2014, the population density of Queensland was 2.7 people per square kilometre (sq km). Most of Queensland had fairly low population densities, with 45 SA2s (comprising 92% of the total area of Queensland) having less than 1 person per sq km. The population density of Greater Brisbane was 140 people per sq km.

The most densely populated SA2s in Greater Brisbane were inner-city New Farm (6,400 people per sq km), Kangaroo Point (6,200) and Highgate Hill (5,400). In the rest of Queensland, eight of the ten most densely populated SA2s were on the Gold Coast, ranging from 3,800 people per sq km in Mermaid Beach - Broadbeach to 2,200 per sq km in Biggera Waters. The remaining two SA2s in the top ten were Manoora (2,800) in Cairns, and Kirwan - East (2,400) near Townsville.

In the year to 2014, the SA2 of Kangaroo Point had the largest increase in population density in Greater Brisbane, up by 240 people per sq km. The largest increase across the rest of Queensland was in the Sunshine Coast SA2 of Caloundra - Kings Beach (up by 70 people per sq km).

CENTRE OF POPULATION

Queensland's centre of population at June 2014 was in Coalstoun Lakes, roughly 100 kilometres south-west of the town of Maryborough. The centre moved 5.9 kilometres south-east in the ten years to 2014, reflecting sustained population growth in Greater Brisbane and Queensland's coastal regions over this period.

The centre of population for Greater Brisbane at June 2014 was in the suburb of Highgate Hill, to the south-west of the city's central business district.

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