Franchises for sale in Townsville, QLD

250 franchise systems are recruiting new territories that cover Townsville. Townsville’s 180,820 residents give it a franchise opportunity score of 73/100. The strongest fit is Bakery & Dessert (73/100), followed by Hair & Barber and Health & Medical.

Geography: this report covers the Townsville regional centre and its surrounds. Demographics from the ABS Census 2021.

180,820Population (ABS 2021)
+2.1%5-year growth
$88,500Median household income
250Franchises recruiting in QLD
Opportunity score73/100
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.

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For sale & open territories in Townsville

250 franchise systems are recruiting new territories that cover Townsville:

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Townsville on the map

Where Townsville 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.

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Top 3 franchise categories by opportunity score

1. Bakery & Dessert

73
Strong Median $350,000–$625,000 · 16 recruiting
Why Bakery & Dessert in Townsville?

2. Hair & Barber

71
Strong Median $243,000–$482,000 · 11 recruiting
Why Hair & Barber in Townsville?

3. Health & Medical

71
Strong Median $396,000–$775,000 · 11 recruiting
Why Health & Medical in Townsville?

What it costs to start in Townsville

Franchise fees don’t change by suburb, but the categories that fit Townsville best sit in these all-in investment ranges (Q3 2026 Fee Index, national medians).

CategoryTotal investmentInitial feeRoyaltyTownsville fit
Bakery & Dessert$350,000–$625,000$50,000Not enough data73
Hair & Barber$243,000–$482,000Not enough dataNot enough data71
Health & Medical$396,000–$775,000Not enough dataNot enough data71
Beauty & Health$150,000–$494,000Not enough dataNot enough data70
Pet Services$27,000–$54,000Not enough dataNot enough data70
Childcare & Early Learning$762,000–$4,900,000Not enough dataNot enough data68

Fees: Q3 2026 Fee Index (“Not enough data” means fewer than five systems publish that figure). The fit score blends Townsville’s demand, competition, demographics and growth, see methodology.

Townsville snapshot

Townsville vs a typical comparable Queensland area (median)
MetricTownsvilleTypical QLD areaDifference
Population180,820153,075+18%
Median household income$88,500$82,900+7%
5-year population growth2.1%5.1%-3.0 pts

Survival & viability analysis

Bakery & Dessert viability: High

The bakery & dessert opportunity in Townsville scores 73 out of 100. With a population of 180,820, this is a substantial catchment that could support roughly 16 bakery & dessert outlets in total, around 14 more than the 2 already operating locally. At about 2 existing bakery & dessert operators, competition sits below typical metro density, an opening for a well-run entrant. Median household income ($88,500) runs above the typical comparable area in the state ($82,900), supporting discretionary spend.

Nearby competition by category

Live competitor counts and market status
CategoryOperatorsCompetitionStatus
Bakery & Dessert2LowGap
Hair & Barber10LowGap
Health & Medical4LowGap
Beauty & Health5LowGap
Pet Services3LowGap
Childcare & Early Learning1LowGap

Operator counts come from OpenStreetMap (storefronts) and ABS business counts (services), captured 2026-07-31; they're an indicative signal, not a live census. See methodology.

How Townsville compares to nearby areas

LocationPopulationMedian income5-yr growthTop categoryScore
Townsville180,820$88,5002.1%Bakery & Dessert73
Cairns153,075$82,1004.8%Bakery & Dessert74
Toowoomba142,163$76,0006.8%Bakery & Dessert72
Mackay118,000$96,4005.1%Bakery & Dessert77
Ipswich247,000$86,70016.6%Bakery & Dessert79
Rockhampton83,000$76,8001.9%Hair & Barber68
Redbank Plains24,921$78,80024.2%Quick-Service Food77

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Frequently asked questions

Are there franchises for sale in Townsville?

Yes. 250 franchise systems are recruiting new territories that cover Townsville. Territory data is recorded by state (Queensland), so confirm which parts of Townsville are open with each franchisor. Compare open territories and match your budget below.

What franchise is best for Townsville?

Based on population, income, growth and competition data, Bakery & Dessert scores highest for Townsville at 73/100, competition sits below typical metro density. The next best are Hair & Barber and Health & Medical.

How much does a franchise cost in Townsville?

Fees don't vary by suburb. Across the Bakery & Dessert systems that publish their costs, the Q3 2026 Fee Index shows a median all-in cost of $350,000–$625,000 (41 systems) and a $50,000 median initial fee (5 systems) nationally. See the Fee Index for every category.

Is Townsville good for a coffee franchise?

It's promising: a coffee & café franchise scores 60/100 in Townsville, with about 31 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.