Boonah
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Boonah's population is around 13,561 as of Aug 2025. This reflects an increase of 944 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,617 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 13,306 from the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 434 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 6.5 persons per square kilometer. Boonah's growth rate of 7.5% since census positions it within 1.1 percentage points of the national average (8.6%). Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration, contributing approximately 65.3% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections are adopted, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. Considering projected demographic shifts, an above median population growth is projected for the area, with an expected increase of 2,377 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, recording a gain of 15.6% in total over the 17 years.

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

Boonah has granted around 90 residential properties approval annually. Development approval data from the ABS shows 453 homes approved over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, with 27 approvals so far in FY-26. On average, 1.4 new residents have arrived per new home each year during these five financial years, indicating balanced supply and demand dynamics. The average construction cost of new homes over this period was $428,000.

In FY-26, Boonah has seen $12.8 million in commercial approvals, suggesting steady commercial investment activity. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Boonah exhibits approximately 75% of the construction activity per person and ranks among the 85th percentile nationally. However, development activity has increased recently.

New development primarily comprises standalone homes (97.0%) with a smaller proportion of attached dwellings (3.0%), maintaining Boonah's traditional low-density character and appealing to those seeking family homes with space. The area currently has approximately 118 people per dwelling approval, suggesting an expanding market. Future projections estimate Boonah will add around 2,110 residents by 2041, indicating that current development rates should comfortably meet demand, providing favourable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond current projections.

Boonah has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect a region's performance. AreaSearch has identified 62 projects expected to impact the area. Notable ones include Wyaralong Water Treatment Plant, Bromelton State Development Area, Ferndale Estate Ripley, and Bromelton Water Supply Infrastructure, with the following list providing more details on those most relevant.

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

Employment performance in Boonah exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Boonah has a balanced workforce with white and blue collar jobs, diverse sector representation, and an unemployment rate of 2.5%. As of June 2025, 6750 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.6% lower than Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.1%.

Workforce participation is lower at 56.6% compared to Greater Brisbane's 64.5%. Leading employment industries include agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and construction. Agriculture, forestry & fishing has a significant presence with an employment share 16.8 times the regional level. However, professional & technical jobs have limited presence at 4.6% compared to the regional rate of 8.9%.

Over the year to June 2025, Boonah's employment increased by 0.1%, while labour force increased by 0.2%, with unemployment unchanged. In contrast, Greater Brisbane had employment growth of 4.4% and labour force growth of 4.0%. State-level data to Sep-25 shows Queensland employment contracted by 0.23%, with an unemployment rate of 4.2%. National forecasts from May 2025 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but local projections for Boonah suggest lower growth rates due to its industry mix.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

Boonah has a median taxpayer income of $46,008 and an average of $55,116 according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2022. This is lower than national averages, with Greater Brisbane having a median income of $55,645 and an average income of $70,520. Based on Wage Price Index growth from financial year 2022 to March 2025, estimated incomes are approximately $51,396 (median) and $61,570 (average). As per the 2021 Census, Boonah's household, family, and personal incomes fall between the 21st and 26th percentiles nationally. The income bracket of $1,500 - 2,999 is dominant in Boonah with 30.2% of residents (4,095 people), similar to regional levels where this cohort represents 33.3%. Housing costs allow for retention of 87.2%, but disposable income ranks below average at the 31st percentile.

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

Dwelling structure in Boonah, as evaluated at the latest Census conducted on 28 August 2016, consisted of 96.2% houses and 3.8% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' types of dwellings. This was compared to Brisbane metropolitan area's 96.6% houses and 3.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Boonah stood at 47.3%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (36.1%) or rented (16.7%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,517, aligning with Brisbane metro's average, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded as $295, compared to Brisbane metro's $1,517 and $300 respectively. Nationally, Boonah's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, reported in June 2021, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375, also reported in June 2021.

Boonah has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 76.2 percent of all households, including 28.8 percent couples with children, 37.3 percent couples without children, and 9.5 percent single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 23.8 percent, with lone person households at 21.7 percent and group households comprising 2.2 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 15.4%, significantly lower than Greater Brisbane's average of 30.5%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 11.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.3%) and graduate diplomas (1.7%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 40.2% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (10.4%) and certificates (29.8%). Educational participation is high at 26.2%, comprising primary education (10.3%), secondary education (9.6%), and tertiary education (2.5%).

Twelve schools serve 1,496 students in Boonah, which has typical Australian school conditions with balanced educational opportunities (ICSEA: 983). Education provision is balanced with 11 primary and 1 secondary school serving distinct age groups.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Health performance in Boonah is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data indicates significant challenges for Boonah, with high prevalence of common health conditions across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low at approximately 48% of the total population (~6,455 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (10.5%) and asthma (8.9%). A majority (63.7%) report being free from medical ailments, slightly higher than Greater Brisbane's 60.9%. Boonah has a larger proportion of residents aged 65 and over at 26.9% (~3,646 people), compared to the 21.8% in Greater Brisbane.

The latest Census data sees Boonah placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Boonah, as per the census conducted on 28 June 2016, showed a lower level of cultural diversity compared to the average. The population was predominantly Australian citizens, with 90.3% holding citizenship, and 89.9% having been born in Australia. English was spoken at home by 97.1% of residents.

Christianity was the primary religion, practiced by 62.1%, which is higher than the Greater Brisbane average of 54.9%. The top ancestral groups were English (32.3%), Australian (29.3%), and German (11.6%). Notably, Korean ancestry was overrepresented at 0.5% compared to the regional average of 0.1%, Scottish stood at 7.7% versus 7.9% regionally, and Irish ancestry was recorded at 8.1% against a regional average of 7.8%.

Boonah hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Boonah's median age is 48 years, which is higher than Greater Brisbane's average of 36 years and exceeds the national average of 38 years. The 65-74 age group comprises 14.5% of Boonah's population, compared to Greater Brisbane's percentage and is significantly higher than the national average of 9.4%. According to data from the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group has increased from 7.5% to 9.2% of the population. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort has decreased from 12.1% to 10.7%, and the 25 to 34 age group has dropped from 9.5% to 8.2%. Demographic projections suggest significant changes in Boonah's age profile by 2041. The 65 to 74 cohort is expected to grow by 38%, adding 738 residents, reaching a total of 2,699. Residents aged 65 and above will drive 77% of population growth, indicating a trend towards an aging demographic. Meanwhile, populations in the 15 to 24 and 5 to 14 age groups are projected to decline.