Aitkenvale
Statistical Area - sa2

Aitkenvale has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's analysis shows Aitkenvale's population was around 4,882 as of Aug 2025. This reflects an increase of 85 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,797. The change is inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 4,875 in June 2024 and additional 15 validated new addresses post-Census date. This results in a density ratio of 1,474 persons per square kilometer, above national averages assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 80.3% to overall population gains recently.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections are adopted, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. These state projections lack age category splits; AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings from ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data) for each age cohort. Future population trends indicate a decline overall, with the area's population expected to shrink by 315 persons by 2041. However, specific age cohorts like the 25 to 34 group are projected to grow, led by an increase of 128 people.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Aitkenvale, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Aitkenvale has averaged approximately nine new dwelling approvals annually. Development approval data is compiled by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on a financial year basis, with 48 homes approved over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25. No dwelling approvals have been recorded so far in FY26. The population has declined recently, yet development activity has been adequate relative to this decline, which is positive for buyers.

New properties are constructed at an average expected construction cost of $416,000, below the regional average, suggesting more affordable housing options for buyers. In FY26, $15.5 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating balanced commercial development activity compared to previous years. When measured against the Rest of Qld, Aitkenvale records significantly lower building activity, 53.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing properties, although building activity has increased in recent years. This activity is also below average nationally, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. New building approvals show 33.0% detached houses and 67.0% medium and high-density housing, indicating a trend towards denser development to provide accessible entry options for downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. This is a considerable shift from the current housing mix of 75.0% houses, reflecting reduced availability of development sites and addressing shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements.

With approximately 432 people per dwelling approval, Aitkenvale demonstrates a developed market. Given that the population is expected to remain stable or decline, Aitkenvale should experience reduced pressure on housing, potentially creating opportunities for buyers in the future.

Aitkenvale has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 44thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified three projects that could impact the area. Notable projects are Harris Crossing Estate, Willows Shopping Centre Redevelopment, Annandale Christian College Master Plan, and Sanctum Estate. Relevant details about these projects are listed below.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

AreaSearch assessment indicates Aitkenvale faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

Aitkenvale has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. As of June 2025, the unemployment rate is 9.5%.

There are 2,178 residents employed while the unemployment rate is 5.6% higher than Rest of Qld's rate of 3.9%, indicating room for improvement. Workforce participation in Aitkenvale is on par with Rest of Qld at 59.1%. The key industries employing residents are health care & social assistance, education & training, and accommodation & food. There is particular employment specialization in public administration & safety, which has an employment share of 1.7 times the regional level.

Meanwhile, agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence with 0.2% employment compared to 4.5% regionally. The ratio of 1 worker for each resident indicates substantial local employment opportunities. According to AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data from June 2024 to June 2025, the labour force decreased by 2.2% while employment declined by 5.1%, resulting in a rise in unemployment rate by 2.7 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Qld saw employment rise by 1.8%. State-level data to Sep-25 shows QLD employment contracted by 0.23% (losing 8,070 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%, comparing favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.5%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project a 6.6% expansion over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Aitkenvale's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.5% over five years and 13.7% over ten years.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that income in Aitkenvale is below the national average. The median income is $49,397 and the average income stands at $58,390. This contrasts with Rest of Qld's figures where the median income is $50,780 and the average income is $64,844. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.71% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $55,181 (median) and $65,227 (average) as of March 2025. From the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes all rank modestly in Aitkenvale, between the 27th and 37th percentiles. The earnings profile shows that 29.6% of the community (1,445 individuals) falls within the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band, mirroring the region where 31.7% occupy this bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Aitkenvale, with only 84.7% of income remaining, ranking at the 28th percentile.

Aitkenvale is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure in Aitkenvale, evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 74.6% houses and 25.5% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro Qld had 81.3% houses and 18.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Aitkenvale was 26.7%, with the remainder mortgaged (27.1%) or rented (46.2%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Aitkenvale was $1,387, below Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,517. Median weekly rent in Aitkenvale was $270, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $305. Nationally, Aitkenvale's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Aitkenvale features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 63.9% of all households, including 22.9% couples with children, 23.4% couples without children, and 15.1% single parent families. The remaining 36.1% are non-family households, comprising 31.5% lone person households and 4.7% group households. The median household size is 2.4 people, smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.5.

Educational outcomes in Aitkenvale fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

Educational qualifications in Aitkenvale trail regional benchmarks, with 23.2% of residents aged 15+ holding university degrees compared to 30.4% in Australia. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 16.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.9%) and graduate diplomas (2.0%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 36.4% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas account for 9.4% while certificates make up 27.0%. Educational participation is high, with 33.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 11.1% in primary education, 9.5% in secondary education, and 6.2% pursuing tertiary education. Two schools serve Aitkenvale: Riverside Adventist School and Aitkenvale State School, collectively serving 409 students. Both focus exclusively on primary education; secondary options are available in surrounding areas. There are 8.4 school places per 100 residents in Aitkenvale, below the regional average of 16.7, indicating some students may attend schools in adjacent areas.

Transport servicing is moderate compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Aitkenvale has 12 operational public transport stops, all serving buses. There are 11 different routes in total, offering 1,342 weekly passenger trips combined. The accessibility of these services is considered good, with residents on average residing 385 meters from the nearest stop.

On a daily basis, there are an average of 191 trips across all routes, which translates to around 111 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Aitkenvale is lower than average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Aitkenvale faces significant health challenges with notable prevalence of common health conditions across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is relatively low at approximately 49% of the total population (~2,387 people), compared to 53.3% across the Rest of Qld and the national average of 55.3%. The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and arthritis, impacting 9.0 and 8.6% of residents respectively, while 67.5% declare themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 67.8% across the Rest of Qld.

As of 31 December 2020, 15.8% of residents are aged 65 and over (770 people). Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Aitkenvale was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Aitkenvale's cultural diversity was above average, with 21.2% of its population born overseas and 16.4% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Aitkenvale, comprising 53.5% of the population. The category 'Other' showed the most significant overrepresentation in Aitkenvale, with 1.3% compared to 0.7% across Rest of Qld.

In terms of ancestry, Australian was the largest group at 25.3%, followed by English at 24.9% and Other at 12.1%. Notably, Australian Aboriginal were overrepresented at 5.3% in Aitkenvale compared to 5.0% regionally, as were Spanish at 0.5% (vs 0.4%) and German at 3.9% (vs 4.0%).

Aitkenvale's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Aitkenvale is 35 years, which is lower than the Rest of Queensland's average of 41 years and under the national average of 38 years. The 15-24 age cohort makes up 15.4% of Aitkenvale's population, compared to 9.7% in the Rest of Queensland, while the 65-74 year-olds make up 8.8%, lower than the Rest of Queensland average of 13%. According to the 2021 Census data, the 15-24 age group has grown from 13.8% to 15.4% and the 25-34 cohort has increased from 13.9% to 15.4%. Conversely, the 55-64 age group has declined from 12.3% to 10.4% and the 45-54 age group has dropped from 12.6% to 11.6%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Aitkenvale, with the 25-34 age group projected to grow by 13%, reaching 853 people from 754. Meanwhile, both the 85+ and 65-74 age groups are expected to decrease in number.