Franchise opportunities in Palmwoods, QLD
Geography: this report covers the Palmwoods area (ABS SA2). Demographics from the ABS Census 2021.
How this opportunity score works
The score is a weighted 0–100 research signal, not a site-selection decision. It combines, per category:
- Demand (category fit for the population) — 30%
- Competition gap (trade-area model, more room scores higher) — 25%
- Demographic fit (income vs the category) — 20%
- 5-year population growth (percentile) — 15%
- Franchise availability (systems recruiting here) — 10%
Inputs: ABS Census 2021 (population, income, growth) and a trade-area competition model using OpenStreetMap / ABS business data where available. It doesn’t model rent, site specifics or local trading conditions, treat it as a starting point for research, then confirm on the ground and with the franchisor. See our methodology.
Create your free buyer profile
Save Palmwoods to your profile and get alerted the moment a franchise opens a territory here. Free, private, no account needed to browse.
For sale & open territories in Palmwoods
250 franchise systems are recruiting new territories that cover Palmwoods:
Palmwoods on the map
Where Palmwoods sits and the real local businesses around its centre, the operators a new franchise would compete with. Tap a pin for the business name and type.
Loading nearby operators in Palmwoods…
Top 3 franchise categories by opportunity score
What it costs to start in Palmwoods
Franchise fees don’t change by suburb, but the categories that fit Palmwoods best sit in these all-in investment ranges (Q3 2026 Fee Index, national medians).
| Category | Total investment | Initial fee | Royalty | Palmwoods fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hair & Barber | $243,000–$482,000 | Not enough data | Not enough data | 58 |
| Food & Beverage | $650,000–$1,475,000 | Not enough data | Not enough data | 57 |
| Bakery & Dessert | $350,000–$625,000 | $50,000 | Not enough data | 52 |
| Quick-Service Food | $337,000–$675,000 | $45,000 | 6.0% | 51 |
| Retail | $200,000–$511,000 | Not enough data | Not enough data | 50 |
| Mortgage & Finance | $60,000–$124,000 | Not enough data | Not enough data | 48 |
Fees: Q3 2026 Fee Index (“Not enough data” means fewer than five systems publish that figure). The fit score blends Palmwoods’s demand, competition, demographics and growth, see methodology.
Palmwoods snapshot
| Metric | Palmwoods | Typical QLD area | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,779 | 11,872 | -1% |
| Median household income | $93,300 | $90,700 | +3% |
| 5-year population growth | 8.7% | 5.3% | +3.4 pts |
Community & demographics
Who lives in Palmwoods, and what it means for a franchise. Every figure below is a real ABS Census 2021 median for this area, not an estimate.
| Measure | Palmwoods | What it signals for franchising |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45 years | Broad working-age and family customer base |
| Average household size | 2.7 people | Family-heavy, favours food, education and household services |
| Median household income | $1,795/wk | Overall spending power of the local market |
| Median family income | $1,995/wk | Discretionary spend of family households |
| Median personal income | $734/wk | Individual earnings, a labour-cost and spend signal |
| Median rent | $410/wk | Cost of living and a proxy for commercial rents |
| Median mortgage | $1,950/mo | Homeowner cost base in the area |
| People per bedroom | 0.8 | More space per resident, established housing |
Source: ABS Census 2021 (G02/G35/G36/G37/G46) + ERP 2016→2021 · SA2 Palmwoods (316061444). Incomes are median weekly (household income is also shown annualised in the headline stats).
Housing, tenure & households
How Palmwoods lives, works and is housed, and what each signal means for siting a franchise here. All figures are real ABS Census 2021 counts for this area.
| Measure | Palmwoods | What it signals for franchising |
|---|---|---|
| Renting | 17.2% | Owner-heavy, settled households with steadier local spend |
| Owned with a mortgage | 41.6% | Working homeowners, family services and home categories |
| Owned outright | 37% | Older, established, lower-debt households |
| Separate houses | 93.1% | Suburban, car-based, drive-to trade area |
| Flats & apartments | 1.1% | Low density, destination retail and services |
| Family households | 78.8% | Family-led demand, education, food and household services |
| Lone-person households | 18.5% | Fewer single-person homes |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | Around the national average |
Source: ABS Census 2021, Palmwoods, tenure (G37), dwelling structure (G36), household composition (G35) and labour force (G46).
Survival & viability analysis
Hair & Barber viability: High
The hair & barber opportunity in Palmwoods scores 58 out of 100. With a population of 11,779, the catchment is smaller, so demand may support only one well-sited hair & barber outlet. At about 1 existing hair & barber operator, competition sits below typical metro density, an opening for a well-run entrant. Median household income ($93,300) runs above the typical comparable area in the state ($90,700), supporting discretionary spend. Population is growing at 8.7% over five years, ahead of the typical comparable area in the state (5.3%), so new demand is still arriving.
Nearby competition by category
| Category | Est. operators | Competition | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hair & Barber | 1 | Low | Gap |
| Food & Beverage | 1 | Low | Gap |
| Bakery & Dessert | 1 | Low | Gap |
| Retail | 1 | Low | Gap |
| Mortgage & Finance | 1 | Low | Gap |
| Beauty & Health | 1 | Low | Gap |
Operator counts are a trade-area model derived from ABS population, not a live business census. Richer POI data (OpenStreetMap / Google Places) is ingested per methodology.
How Palmwoods compares to nearby areas
| Location | Population | Median income | 5-yr growth | Top category | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palmwoods | 11,779 | $93,300 | 8.7% | Hair & Barber | 58 |
| Loganholme - Tanah Merah | 11,753 | $97,100 | 1.8% | Hair & Barber | 54 |
| Atherton | 11,746 | $62,800 | 7.3% | Hair & Barber | 49 |
| Upper Kedron - Ferny Grove | 11,855 | $134,400 | 14.8% | Hair & Barber | 69 |
| Sippy Downs | 11,698 | $77,200 | 10.0% | Hair & Barber | 54 |
| Mount Pleasant - Glenella | 11,670 | $115,100 | 6.7% | Hair & Barber | 63 |
| Collingwood Park - Redbank | 11,889 | $85,300 | 35.4% | Hair & Barber | 59 |
Keep exploring Palmwoods & Queensland
By category in Palmwoods
Nearby Queensland areas
Zoom out
Model the running costs in Palmwoods
Free calculators, your figures, instant, no sign-up.
Frequently asked questions
What franchise is best for Palmwoods?
Based on population, income, growth and competition data, Hair & Barber scores highest for Palmwoods at 58/100, competition sits below typical metro density. The next best are Food & Beverage and Bakery & Dessert.
How much does a franchise cost in Palmwoods?
Fees don't vary by suburb. Across the Hair & Barber systems that publish their costs, the Q3 2026 Fee Index shows a median all-in cost of $243,000–$482,000 (13 systems) nationally. See the Fee Index for every category.
Is Palmwoods good for a coffee franchise?
It's promising: a coffee & café franchise scores 47/100 in Palmwoods, with about 2 existing operators in the trade area (Moderate suitability).
Demographics: ABS Census 2021 & Regional Population. Category scores combine ABS demographics with a trade-area competition model and live franchise availability, see methodology. Fees: Q3 2026 Fee Index.
Ready to move on Palmwoods?
Create a free buyer account to save opportunities, get alerts and see the full Palmwoods data. Franchisors can list a territory and reach ready buyers.