Bentley Park
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in Bentley Park are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Bentley Park's population is around 9,247 as of Aug 2025. This reflects an increase of 887 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 8,360 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 9,142 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 198 validated new addresses since the Census date. Bentley Park's population density is 1,348 persons per square kilometer, above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth rate of 10.6% since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA3 area (7.2%) and the SA4 region, making it a growth leader in the region. Natural growth contributed approximately 44.1% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections released in 2023 based on 2021 data are used. These state projections do not provide age category splits; hence proportional growth weightings are applied in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data for each age cohort. Future population dynamics project an above median growth for Australia's non-metropolitan areas, with Bentley Park expected to increase by 1,852 persons to 2041 based on latest numbers, resulting in a total increase of 18.9% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Bentley Park among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Bentley Park has recorded approximately 76 residential properties granted approval annually. Development approval data from the ABS shows 383 dwellings approved over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, with 6 already recorded in FY-26. On average, 1.9 new residents per year are associated with each dwelling constructed during this period. This balance between supply and demand supports stable market conditions.

The average construction cost of new properties is $399,000, which is below regional norms, indicating more affordable housing options. In FY-26, there have been $2.0 million in commercial approvals, suggesting a predominantly residential focus. Compared to the Rest of Qld, Bentley Park has 148.0% higher construction activity per person. This should provide buyers with ample choice.

New building activity consists of 98.0% detached dwellings and 2.0% attached dwellings, maintaining the area's traditional suburban character focused on family homes. The location has approximately 114 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market. Population forecasts suggest Bentley Park will gain 1,747 residents by 2041. Given current development patterns, new housing supply should meet demand readily, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Bentley Park has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 31stth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified ten projects likely to affect the region. Notable initiatives include Cherrybrook Estate, The Outlook, North Queensland Youth Alcohol and Other Drugs Service, and Sugarworld Estate. Below is a list of projects expected to be most relevant.

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

While Bentley Park retains a healthy unemployment rate of 3.8%, recent employment declines have impacted its national performance ranking

Bentley Park has an evenly distributed workforce comprising white and blue-collar jobs, with essential services well represented. Its unemployment rate is 3.8%.

As of June 2025, 4,805 residents are employed, aligning with Rest of Qld's 3.9% unemployment rate but exceeding its 59.1% workforce participation rate at 68.0%. Key industries include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction, with a notable specialization in public administration & safety (1.5 times the regional level). However, agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented, accounting for only 1.0% of Bentley Park's workforce compared to Rest of Qld's 4.5%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities, indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population.

Over June 2024 to June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 1.5%, while employment fell by 2.5%, causing unemployment to rise by 1.0 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of Qld's growth in employment (1.8%) and labour force (2.0%), with a smaller increase in unemployment (0.2 percentage points). By Sep-25, Queensland's employment had contracted by 0.23% (-8,070 jobs), with an unemployment rate of 4.2%, slightly below the national rate of 4.5%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 project growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Bentley Park's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.3% over five years and 13.2% over ten years.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 indicates that income in Bentley Park is below the national average. The median income is $54,265 and the average income stands at $60,390. 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 $60,619 (median) and $67,462 (average) as of March 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes in Bentley Park cluster around the 54th percentile nationally. The earnings profile indicates that 41.6% of locals (3,846 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 income category, which aligns with regional levels where this cohort represents 31.7%. High housing costs consume 16.3% of income, however strong earnings place disposable income at the 55th percentile nationally.

Bentley Park is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Dwelling structure in Bentley Park, as evaluated in the latest Census, consisted of 97.1% houses and 2.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro Qld's 68.4% houses and 31.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Bentley Park was at 18.2%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (47.1%) or rented (34.7%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,517, aligning with Non-Metro Qld's average, while the median weekly rent figure was $385, higher than Non-Metro Qld's $315. Nationally, Bentley Park's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Bentley Park features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 81.2% of all households, consisting of 36.6% couples with children, 25.8% couples without children, and 17.8% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 18.8%, with lone person households at 15.3% and group households comprising 3.4% of the total. The median household size is 3.0 people, which is larger than the Rest of Qld average of 2.4.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 14.8%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This presents both challenges and opportunities for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 11.1%, followed by graduate diplomas (1.9%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.8%). Trade and technical skills are prevalent, with 43.8% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (11.0%) and certificates (32.8%).

Educational participation is high at 35.6%, including 13.9% in primary education, 11.5% in secondary education, and 3.4% pursuing tertiary education. St Therese's School and Bentley Park College collectively serve 2,292 students, with Bentley Park demonstrating varied educational conditions across its area. The educational mix includes 1 primary and 1 K-12 school.

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

Transport analysis shows 18 active stops operating within Bentley Park, with a mix of bus services. These stops are served by 5 routes, offering 378 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is rated good, with residents on average 311 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 54 trips daily across all routes, equating to approximately 21 weekly trips per individual stop.

Bentley Park's residents are extremely healthy with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics indicates strong performance throughout Bentley Park, with younger cohorts particularly experiencing low prevalence of common health conditions. Approximately 50% of the total population (~4623 people) has private health cover, lower than the national average of 55.3%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent medical conditions in the area, affecting 7.4% and 7.0% of residents respectively. Around 74.9% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 71.7% across Rest of Qld. The area has a lower proportion of residents aged 65 and over at 10.0% (923 people), compared to the 15.7% in Rest of Qld.

In terms of cultural diversity, Bentley Park records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Bentley Park's cultural diversity aligns with the broader regional average, as seen in its population demographics: 86.9% citizens, 82.1% born in Australia, and 85.5% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the prevalent religion, accounting for 49.7% of Bentley Park's population. Notably, the 'Other' religious category is overrepresented here compared to the rest of Queensland, with a difference of 0.5%.

The top three ancestral groups in Bentley Park are Australian (24.4%), English (22.4%), and Other (15.4%). Some ethnic groups show distinct variations: Australian Aboriginal at 8.5% (vs regional 6.7%), New Zealand at 1.1% (vs 0.8%), and Samoan at 0.5% (vs 0.3%).

Bentley Park hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Bentley Park's median age is 32 years, which is considerably lower than the Rest of Qld average of 41 and substantially under the Australian median of 38. Compared to Rest of Qld, Bentley Park has a higher concentration of 25-34 year-olds at 17.3%, but fewer 65-74 year-olds at 6.1%. Between 2021 Census and now, the 25 to 34 age group has grown from 14.8% to 17.3% of the population. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort has declined from 18.2% to 15.8%, and the 45 to 54 group dropped from 12.8% to 11.4%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Bentley Park's age profile will evolve significantly. The 25 to 34 cohort shows the strongest projected growth at 38%, adding 609 residents to reach 2,213. Meanwhile, the 15 to 24 group is projected to contract by 73 residents.