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Queensland · Postcode 4816
Palm Island postcode and suburb data
Queensland · Phone area code 07 · 1180 km from Brisbane
Suburb snapshot
Palm Island at a glance vs QLD
Fast facts and benchmark bars show the suburb's key postcode, Census, SEIFA, school and LGA signals in context.
Quick facts
Benchmarks against QLD
Income, rent and SEIFA figures are from the ABS 2021 Census and are reported in 2021 dollars, not adjusted for subsequent inflation.
Where Palm Island ranks: household income sits in the bottom 25% of QLD suburbs; SEIFA decile 1 places it in the bottom 20% of Australia for socio-economic advantage.
ABS Census 2021 · SEIFA 2021Detailed comparison table
Palm Island vs the QLD average and the national average, using population-weighted 2021 Census data.
| Metric | Palm Island | QLD avg | AU avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Household income/wk | $973 -QLD | $1,770 | $1,836 |
| Rent/wk | $125 -QLD | $380 | $390 |
| Mortgage/month | $2,167 +QLD | $1,774 | $1,958 |
| Median age | 27 | 44.0 | 45.0 |
| SEIFA decile | 1/10 -QLD | 4.0/10 | 6.0/10 |
| Unemployment | 9.5% +QLD | 6.0% | 5.0% |
Green pill = at least 10% above the QLD average; red = at least 10% below; grey = within 10%. For unemployment, colour polarity is inverted: lower is better.
Palm Island is a very remote community in Queensland, with postcode 4816. It lies roughly 1180 km from Brisbane, classified by the ABS as very remote Australia. The area is administered by Palm Island.
According to the 2021 Census, Palm Island has a population of 2,138 with a median age of 27. The median weekly household income is $973, below the QLD average. The unemployment rate is 9.5%, higher than the QLD average. The Indigenous population is 1,918 (89.7% of residents).
Housing in Palm Island includes a median weekly rent of $125, median monthly mortgage repayment of $2,167, with 494 total dwellings. These housing costs sit above the QLD average. Rental properties account for 98.3% of dwellings.
On the SEIFA Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage, Palm Island scores in decile 1 out of 10, which is well below the national average.
Schools in Palm Island include Bwgcolman Community School and St Michael's Catholic School.
Palm Island is part of the Townsville statistical area in Queensland.
Palm Island details
Location, Census, housing, SEIFA and geography fields used across this profile.
| Postcode | 4816 |
| State | Queensland (QLD) |
| Phone Area Code | 07 |
| Population (2021) | 2,138 |
| Median Age | 27 years |
| Median Household Income (Census 2021) | $973/week |
| Median Personal Income (Census 2021) | $384/week |
| Median Weekly Rent (Census 2021) | $125 |
| Median Monthly Mortgage (Census 2021) | $2,167 |
| Average Household Size | 3.7 persons |
| Area | 88.9 km² |
| Population Density | 24/km² |
| Total Dwellings | 494 |
| Australian Citizens | 93.2% |
| Indigenous Population | 1,918 (89.7%) |
| Unemployment Rate | 9.5% |
| SEIFA IRSAD Decile | 1/10 (well below average) |
| Latitude | -18.6894285 |
| Longitude | 146.5392256 |
| Distance from Brisbane | 1180 km |
| Region (SA4) | Townsville |
| Area (SA3) | Townsville |
| Local Government | Palm Island |
| Federal Electorate | Kennedy |
| State Electorate | Traeger |
| Time Zone | AEST (UTC+10), Australia/Brisbane (standard time) |
Age Profile
Show counts
| 0–14 years | 656 (30.7%) |
| 15–24 years | 343 (16.0%) |
| 25–44 years | 566 (26.5%) |
| 45–64 years | 450 (21.0%) |
| 65+ years | 116 (5.4%) |
Housing Tenure
SEIFA socio-economic index
Health Conditions (2021 Census)
| Diabetes | 151 (7.1%) |
| Heart Disease | 90 (4.2%) |
| Asthma | 60 (2.8%) |
| Arthritis | 39 (1.8%) |
| Lung Condition | 10 (0.5%) |
| Cancer | 10 (0.5%) |
| Dementia | 9 (0.4%) |
Long-term health conditions self-reported in the 2021 Census. Persons may report more than one condition.
Motor Vehicles per Dwelling
| No vehicle | 238 (49.8%) |
| 1 vehicle | 169 (35.4%) |
| 2 vehicles | 57 (11.9%) |
| 3+ vehicles | 14 (2.9%) |
Schools in Palm Island
ACARA 2025 school profiles for schools located in Palm Island. ICSEA is shown where ACARA publishes it.
Suburbs Near Palm Island
Same Postcode (4816)
More Palm Island Data
Page last reviewed . Data sources: Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census (CC BY 4.0), SEIFA 2021 IRSAD, ACARA school profiles 2025. How this data is sourced.