Moranbah (Qld)

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According to municipal data analysis and new locations verified by Districts since the Census, the suburb of Moranbah has an estimated population of 9,947 in May 2026. This represents an addition of 522 residents (5.5%) relative to the 2021 Census, when the count stood at 9,425 people. The calculation is derived from a local resident base of 9,928, which Districts calculated utilizing the ABS June 2025 release of estimated resident population figures, alongside 57 validated new addresses identified after the Census. This population level yields a density of 3.3 persons per square kilometer, which ensures residents have substantial personal space. The 5.5% expansion since the census puts the suburb of Moranbah within 2.1 percentage points of the broader SA4 region (7.6%), showing robust local growth dynamics. Natural population increases drove the majority of these gains, accounting for roughly 65.0% of the growth in recent times.

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The suburb of Moranbah supports a highly capable workforce, with a strong concentration of industrial and manufacturing workers, a minimal unemployment rate of 1.2%, and an estimated job growth rate of 4.7% over the last year. As of March 2026, employed residents numbered 6,596, while the local jobless rate sat 2.7 percentage points below the Regional Qld rate of 3.9%, and participation was exceptionally high at 87.1% compared to Regional Qld's 64.3%. Census figures show a modest 3.9% of the workforce worked from home, though this was during a period affected by pandemic restrictions.

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Tax statistics for financial year 2023 show the suburb of Moranbah has a median taxpayer income of $88,563 and an average of $103,819. This stands well above the Regional Qld median of $53,146 and average of $66,593. Factoring in Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% since financial year 2023, March 2026 estimates suggest a median of $98,624 and an average of $115,613. According to the Census, household, family, and individual incomes all rank in the 97th to 98th percentiles nationally. The largest income group consists of 33.1% of residents (3,292 people) earning between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, which is similar to the wider region where 31.7% fall into this band. High-income households earning over weekly make up of the total, which supports local retail spending. Residents retain of their income after meeting housing costs, showing strong disposable income, and the area sits in the th decile of the SEIFA index.

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At the time of the last Census, the housing mix in the suburb of Moranbah consisted of 81.9% houses and 18.1% semi-detached dwellings and apartments, compared to 76.4% houses and 23.6% other options in Regional Qld. Home ownership rates in the suburb of Moranbah lagged behind the wider region at 8.8%, with 19.8% of homes mortgaged and 71.3% rented. The median monthly mortgage payment was $1,300, which was below the Regional Qld average of $1,655, while the median weekly rent was $111 compared to the regional average of $345. Locally, mortgage costs are lower than the national median of $1,863, and rents are below the Australian figure of $375.

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Families make up 75.5% of households in the suburb of Moranbah, with couples with children accounting for 42.4%, couples without children at 22.2%, and single-parent households at 9.8%. The remaining 24.5% are non-family households, including lone-person households at 21.5% and group share houses at 3.1%. The median household size of 2.8 people exceeds the Regional Qld average of 2.5.

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Educational data shows that 18.0% of residents hold a university qualification, which is below the national average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are held by 13.3% of the population, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 2.8% and graduate diplomas at 1.9%. Vocational and technical skills are highly prevalent, with 51.4% of residents aged 15+ holding qualifications, consisting of advanced diplomas at 8.7% and certificates at 42.7%.

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Health indicators show positive trends for the suburb of Moranbah, with local illness and mortality rates aligning closely with national averages and low rates of chronic disease across all age groups. Private health insurance coverage is exceptionally high, covering approximately 68% of the population (6,796 people), compared to 52.5% in Regional Qld and a national average of 55.7%.

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Cultural diversity measures are below national averages, with citizens accounting for 74.8% of the population, 85.4% born in Australia, and 92.1% speaking only English at home. Christianity is the major religious affiliation, accounting for 45.5% of residents. The most distinct regional variance is in the Other category, which represents 0.7% of residents compared to 0.8% across Regional Qld.

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The median age in the suburb of Moranbah is 31 years, which is younger than the Regional Qld median of 41 and the national average of 38 years. The 25 - 34 age bracket is highly represented at 21.9% of the population, compared to a lower concentration of 2.9% in the 65 - 74 bracket. This young adult group exceeds the national share of 14.6%. Since 2021, the 25 to 34 group has risen from 20.0% to 21.9%, while the 5 to 14 group has decreased from 16.5% to 14.6%. Population forecasts for 2041 project that the 25 to group will grow by people (), rising from to while the to and to cohorts are projected to decline.

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Moranbah currently has an estimated 835 children under 5 years old, comprising approximately 497 children aged 0-2 and 331 children aged 3-4. This cohort grew by an estimated 11% since the previous census. while population forecasts indicate future growth, with an anticipated increase of 12% by 2041 (to approximately 936 children). Meanwhile the 5-12 cohort currently amounts to 1,152. Recent growth has been driven by high birth rates observed in the area, with approximately 14.1 births per 1,000 residents recorded over the latest two-year period analysed which ranks the area among the top 20% of areas assessed nationally. This rate has slowed down slightly in recent years however.