Thursday Island, QLD: suburb profile

The population of Thursday Island QLD is 2,805 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Thursday Island is $902 per week ($46,904 per year). Median rent in Thursday Island is $200 per week ($867 per month). Thursday Island has a median age of 30 years, younger than the national median of 38. Thursday Island has a population density of 754 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Thursday Island is New Zealand. The most common religion is Anglican (32.0% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Australian Indigenous Languages. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Thursday Island is $1,408.

There were 547 recorded offences in Thursday Island in 2025-26, a rate of 195 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was assault (228 offences).

Population
2,805
Census 2021
Median income
$902/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$200/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
30years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021; offences from Queensland Police Service (data.qld.gov.au), 2025-26.

Thursday Island vs the typical QLD suburb

The median personal income in Thursday Island is $902 a week, 21% above the typical QLD suburb ($747). That ranks 337th of 1,527 QLD suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $200 a week, $120 less than the typical QLD suburb. Rent takes 9.4% of the median household income here, against 20.4% in the typical QLD suburb. The median resident is 30, 12 years younger than in the typical QLD suburb (42).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureThursday IslandTypical QLDDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$902/wk$747/wk +21%$766/wk
Household income$2,136/wk$1,593/wk +34%$1,637/wk
Rent$200/wk$320/wk −38%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,408/mo$1,625/mo −13%$1,733/mo
Median age3042 −12 yrs42
Rent share of household income9.4%20.4% −11.1 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in Thursday Island, the typical QLD suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Thursday Island Population

2,805 residents at the 2021 Census.

Thursday Island Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$902/wk
$46,904 per year
Ranked 2,104 of 14,663
Median Rent
$200/wk
$867 per month
Ranked 7,374 of 14,663
Median Age
30years
8 years younger than the national median
Mortgage
$1,408/mo
Avg household size: 3.2 · 1.2 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

Thursday Island Rent Prices & Affordability

9% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: affordable.

Household income $2,136/wk
Median rent $200/wk
Rent to income 9.4%

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

Median rent in Thursday Island against your income

About $9,256 a month
Median rent $200/wk
Left after rent $1,936/wk
Rent share 9.4%

Thursday Island Schools

5
schools nearby
3
government
830
avg ICSEA score
1,392
total students
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart School Waiben Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 131 students
918
ICSEA
Tagai State College Government
Combined · Prep-12 · 1,261 students
742
ICSEA
Tagai State College - Thursday Island Primary Campus Government
Primary
Tagai State College - Thursday Island Secondary Government
Secondary
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart School Waiben - Hammond Island Campus Catholic
Primary

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near Thursday Island, with a map

Thursday Island Map

Thursday Island, Queensland Map data: OpenStreetMap
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Thursday Island, Queensland: 10.5790°S, 142.2195°E

Thursday Island Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (5)

People in Thursday Island

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 48.9% (1,374) Female 51.1% (1,434)

Population Density

754
people per km²
2,805 people · 3.7 km²

Households

3.2
Avg household size
1.2
Persons per bedroom
$2,056
Family income/wk

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
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

New Zealand
1.2%
Papua New Guinea
1.1%
England
1.1%
India
0.5%
United States of America
0.3%
Thailand
0.2%
Japan
0.2%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Australian Indigenous Languages
43.5%
Japanese
0.3%
Mandarin
0.3%
Samoan
0.2%
Greek
0.2%
Punjabi
0.2%
German
0.1%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

Australian Aboriginal
20.9%
Australian
16.2%
English
11.2%
Scottish
4.1%
Irish
4.0%
Chinese
1.8%
German
1.5%
Samoan
1.0%
Italian
1.0%
Filipino
0.8%
Maori
0.7%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

Anglican
32.0%
No religion
20.2%
Catholic
14.2%
Pentecostal
11.0%
Not stated
8.7%
Christian (other)
3.7%
Uniting Church
2.7%
Christinty Jehvahs Witnses
1.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

69.1%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
26.5% 546
Separated
3.3% 68
Divorced
5.5% 113
Widowed
3.3% 68
Never married
61.4% 1,262

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
47.8%
One parent: children under 15
20.7%
Couple: no children
15.0%
Couple: no children under 15
9.2%
One parent: no children under 15
7.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
22.9%
2 persons
23.7%
3 persons
12.3%
4 persons
15.3%
5 persons
11.9%
6+ persons
13.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Thursday Island

Housing Tenure

Of the 742 occupied private dwellings in Thursday Island at the 2021 Census, 74.1% were rented, 8.2% owned outright and 3.6% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
10.2% 76 dwellings
Owned outright
8.2% 61 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
3.6% 27 dwellings
Rented
74.1% 550 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
3.9% 29 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
65.6%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
19.7%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
14.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
8.2%
2 bedrooms
30.2%
3 bedrooms
39.8%
4 bedrooms
16.0%
5 bedrooms
3.3%
6+ bedrooms
2.5%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
22.2%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
27.8%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
22.2%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
27.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
24.1%
1 vehicle
43.1%
2 vehicles
21.3%
3 vehicles
7.0%
4+ vehicles
4.5%

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

Work, income and education in Thursday Island

Employment

Employed full-time
47.3% 807 people
Employed part-time
17.0% 291 people
Unemployed
3.3% 57 people
Not in labour force
32.3% 552 people

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

Occupation

Professionals
31.5%
Community & Personal Service
18.0%
Managers
13.2%
Technicians & Trade Workers
13.2%
Clerical & Administrative
13.0%
Labourers
6.2%
Sales Workers
2.8%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
2.1%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
0.6%
$1-$149/wk
1.3%
$150-$299/wk
1.8%
$300-$399/wk
1.6%
$400-$499/wk
2.7%
$500-$649/wk
2.3%
$650-$799/wk
3.9%
$800-$999/wk
5.2%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
5.8%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.3%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.8%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.6%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
17.1%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
7.9%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
9.9%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
7.1%
$4,000+/wk
12.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
12.1%
$1-$149/wk
2.8%
$150-$299/wk
6.6%
$300-$399/wk
3.8%
$400-$499/wk
2.7%
$500-$649/wk
3.4%
$650-$799/wk
7.8%
$800-$999/wk
9.2%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
8.9%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.9%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
10.6%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.9%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
12.1%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
2.2%
$3,500+/wk
2.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
43.0%
Walked only
26.3%
Car (passenger)
13.5%
Did not go to work
9.2%
Other
2.0%
Bicycle
1.9%
Taxi/Rideshare
1.4%
Ferry
0.9%
Truck
0.8%
Bus
0.5%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.4%

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

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
68.8%
Year 10 or equivalent
18.3%
Year 11 or equivalent
9.4%
Year 9 or equivalent
3.4%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Certificate III/IV
41.1%
Bachelor Degree
24.1%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
16.0%
Certificate I/II
7.9%
Postgraduate Degree
5.9%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
5.0%

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

Field of Study

Health
22.5%
Management & Commerce
18.1%
Society & Culture
15.1%
Education
14.1%
Engineering
13.1%
Architecture & Building
8.3%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
4.3%
Natural & Physical Sciences
2.3%
Creative Arts
1.3%
Agriculture & Environment
0.9%

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

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
40.1%
Secondary: Government
32.3%
Primary: Catholic
12.6%
Pre-school
7.3%
Vocational Education
4.2%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
1.8%
Secondary: Catholic
1.2%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
0.4%

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

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
88.8%
Has need for assistance
3.5%
Need for assistance not stated
7.6%

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

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
89
Diabetes
73
Asthma
53
Kidney disease
42
Heart disease
34
Arthritis
22
Lung condition
20
Stroke
15
Cancer
12
Dementia
4

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
9.7% 178
Did not provide
90.3% 1,651

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
15.2% 278
Not a volunteer
84.8% 1,556

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.8% 15
Current ADF: Reserves
0.8% 15
Previously served
3.6% 68
Never served
94.7% 1,766

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
36.7%
1 child
14.8%
2 children
18.4%
3 children
12.8%
4 children
10.6%
5+ children
6.6%

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

When Migrants Arrived

1961: 1970
16
1971: 1980
24
1981: 1990
24
1991: 2000
22
2001: 2010
41
2011: 2015
30
2016
6
2017
6
2018
4
2019
4
2020
5

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

Population Mobility

16.3%
moved in the last year
39.3%
moved in the last 5 years
4.4%
unemployment rate (Census)
63.4%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
2,130
Moved from QLD
260
Moved: same area (SA2)
96
Moved from WA
11
Moved from VIC
10
Moved from SA
4
Moved from NSW
4
Moved from ACT
4
Moved from overseas
3
Moved from TAS
3

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
24.3%
5: 14 hours
23.2%
15: 29 hours
7.8%
30+ hours
6.8%
Did not do domestic work
37.9%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
72.8%
Step family: no other children
10.3%
Blended family: no other children
7.0%
Intact family: other children present
6.6%
Step family: other children present
1.8%
Other couple: children only
1.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Thursday Island Crime Statistics

547 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Assault
228
Domestic Violence
98
Drug Offences
70
Property Damage
37
Theft
35
Break & Enter
31
Traffic
20
Sexual Offences
18
Fraud
6
Robbery
4

Total offences 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: Queensland Police Service (data.qld.gov.au).

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Normanton
Income: $750/wk Rent: $170/wk $30/wk less rent
Bamaga
Income: $749/wk Rent: $120/wk $80/wk less rent
Hughenden
Income: $770/wk Rent: $160/wk $40/wk less rent
Charleville
Income: $822/wk Rent: $178/wk $22/wk less rent

Compare Thursday Island

Frequently Asked Questions About Thursday Island

What is the population of Thursday Island QLD?

The population of Thursday Island QLD is 2,805 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 754 people per km². Thursday Island is ranked #2,526 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Thursday Island?

The median personal income in Thursday Island QLD is $902 per week, or $46,904 per year. The median household income is $2,136 per week. Family income is $2,056 per week. Thursday Island is ranked #2,104 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Thursday Island?

Median rent in Thursday Island QLD is $200 per week ($867 per month). Rent represents 9.4% of household income, which is considered affordable. Thursday Island ranks #7,374 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Thursday Island?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Thursday Island QLD is $1,408. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Thursday Island?

The median age in Thursday Island QLD is 30 years. This is younger than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Thursday Island a good suburb to live in?

Thursday Island is a suburb in Queensland with a population of 2,805. The median income is $902/wk, which is above the typical QLD suburb ($747/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (9.4% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

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Australian Average Salary Australian House Prices Brisbane Cost of Living

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 32823. All dollar figures in AUD.