Emerald (Qld)
QLDEmerald (Qld) is a growing suburb in QLD with 14,904 residents.
- SAL code
- 30973
- SA2
- 308011192
- Population
- 14,904
Emerald (Qld), QLD had 14,904 residents at the 2021 Census, with the broader statistical area showing a 6.5% growth over the last five years. The predominant age group is 5-14 years, and the median age sits at 32. Households are most often couples with children, and those with a mortgage repay a median of $1,647 a month. Around 53.4% of homes are owner-occupied, with the largest single tenure being rented at 43.2%. Most dwellings are separate houses, making up 81.7% of the suburb's housing stock. The suburb has 34 parks and reserves mapped within its boundary. Source: ABS Census 2021 and Estimated Resident Population, with amenity counts from state Open Data and OpenStreetMap.
Suburb analysis
Emerald (Qld), QLD at a glance
Emerald is the commercial heart of Queensland's Central Highlands, ~270 km west of Rockhampton at the junction of the Capricorn and Gregory highways. The economy runs on Bowen Basin coal, broadacre agriculture (cotton, grain, citrus) and a growing renewables pipeline; the housing market behaves accordingly — high yields, mining-cycle volatility. The data tiles below cover the demographic baseline; this card adds the live market, lifestyle and council context.
For homebuyers
Emerald has the look of a regional service town built for a working population — wide streets, large lots, a hospital, a regional airport with daily Brisbane flights, and the full retail set (Coles, Woolworths, Target, Bunnings). Lake Maraboon (Fairbairn Dam) sits ~17 km south for fishing, skiing and camping; the Emerald Botanic Gardens along the Nogoa River anchor weekend recreation. Schools are unusually deep for a town of ~14,900 — six primary options, three secondary including Emerald State High School and Marist College Emerald (ICSEA 999, more advantaged than 46% of Australian schools). Carnarvon Gorge and the Sapphire Gemfields are weekend drives away. Trade-off: this is mining country — incomes and rents move with coal cycles, and you're 3 hours from the coast. In short: a fully-serviced inland regional centre with strong schools and outdoor amenity, but tied to the resource cycle.
For investors
Emerald is a yield-and-momentum play on the back of a tight Bowen Basin housing market. Median house $495,000 against $580/week rent gives ~6.38% gross yield; units $311,250 / $430/wk run ~7.68% (Your Investment Property / htag January 2026). 12-month house growth +25.32%, quarterly +5.77%. 558 house + 108 unit sales in 12 months — deep liquidity. Days-on-market 15 for houses, 32 for units. Vacancy was 0.13% (SQM Research, Sept 2024) — among the tightest in QLD.
Strengths
- Strong gross yields (~6.4% houses, ~7.7% units) — well above metro norms.
- Tight rental market — vacancy 0.13% (SQM Sept 2024) and 15-day median sale time.
- Very strong recent capital growth (+25.32% YoY houses, January 2026) on the back of the latest mining cycle.
- Deep transaction market (~666 sales/yr across houses + units) — easy to enter and exit despite the regional location.
Trade-offs
- Single-industry exposure — Bowen Basin coal sets the tempo for both rents and capital values; the next downturn will hurt.
- Recent +25% growth (Jan 2026) means a lot of the cycle is already in the price; entry timing matters.
- Remote location (~270 km from Rockhampton, 3 hrs to coast) — thinner buyer pool than coastal QLD if conditions soften.
- Unit days-on-market 32 vs 15 for houses — stratified stock turns over more slowly.
What's coming
Central Highlands Regional Council's 2025/26 budget ($261M total) funds the $7M Emerald Regional Botanic Gardens redevelopment (new Nogoa River footbridge under construction), a $3.2M 'Bob Love' canteen and bar build at McIndoe Park, and Devonport Street park upgrades. Council has also adopted a new Emerald Airport Master Plan to guide future growth and is reviewing CBD parking.
Bottom line
For homebuyers: a well-serviced inland centre with strong schools and outdoor amenity, on the rhythm of the coal cycle. For investors: a high-yield, tight-vacancy market mid-cycle — strong cashflow, real commodity-price risk.
Population
?14,904
Suburb · Census 2021
5-Year Growth
+6.5%
3yr: +4.4% · 10yr: +9.2%
SA2 · 5yr
Household Income
$2,202/wk
Suburb · Census 2021 median
Median Age
32
Suburb · Census 2021
Socio-Economic Index
?6/10
SA2 · middle-range
Unemployment
?2.0%
SA2 · Q4 2025
Schools
10
7 primary, 5 secondary
Hospitals
?1
Within suburb
Childcare services
?8
5 long day, 3 OSHC
Parks & green space
?34
Parks, reserves
Transport stops
No data for this suburb
Dwelling approvals
No data for this suburb
Median House Sale Price
state Valuer-General sale price data not yet loaded for QLD
Safety & Crime
2025 Q4Reported incidents from QLD police. Offence rates may not reflect all crime.
Population over time — Emerald (SA2)
ABS publishes annual estimates only at SA2; Emerald (Qld) suburb alone is ~14,904 (Census 2021).
Source: ABS ERP (latest release · 2025) · Census 2021. Numbers refreshed quarterly.
Growth at a Glance
Population grew from 10,035 to 15,238 over 24 years, averaging 1.8% per year.
Schools
10 in suburbSector
5 public · 5 private
Type
5 primary · 3 secondary · 2 K-12
Total enrolment
4,924(5 of 10 reporting)
Avg per school
985
Government school catchment
Catchment data is not yet available for QLD.
Source when available: QLD Department of Education — QSpatial State School Catchment Areas.
Profile
Census snapshot
Housing
Public housing 2.9%Almost entirely detached houses (81.7%), mixed tenure (53.4% own or mortgage), built for families (43% are 4 bed).
Dwelling mix
Tenure
QLD 33%
Number of bedrooms
Bushfire risk
Source: QLD QRA Bushfire Prone Area
As of May 2026
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped bushfire polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions.
Flood risk
Flood data is not yet available for QLD.
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped flood polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions. Source when available: QLD Reconstruction Authority — Bushfire Prone Area + Floodplain Assessment Overlay.
Planning zones
Planning-zone data is not yet available for QLD.
Source when available: QLD Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning.