Bulimba
Statistical Area - sa2

Bulimba lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Bulimba's population, as of August 2025, is approximately 7,905 people. This figure reflects a growth of 498 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7,407. The increase is inferred from the estimated resident population of 7,894 in June 2024 and an additional 63 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 3,837 persons per square kilometer, placing Bulimba in the top 10% of locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's 6.7% growth since the census is within 1.9 percentage points of the national average (8.6%). Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 84.6% 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 and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections from 2023, based on 2021 data, are used. These state projections do not provide age category splits; thus, AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 and based on 2022 data for each age cohort. Future population trends project an above median growth for national statistical areas, with Bulimba expected to grow by 1,347 persons to 2041, representing a 16.9% increase over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Bulimba when compared nationally

Bulimba has seen approximately 81 dwellings receive development approval annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces this data on a financial year basis, totalling 407 approvals from the past five years (FY20 to FY25), with 8 already recorded in FY26. Over these years, an average of 3.4 new residents arrived per dwelling constructed annually. This indicates supply lagging demand, leading to heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures.

Developers focus on the premium market, with new dwellings averaging $956,000. Commercial approvals totalled $9.3 million this financial year, suggesting balanced commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Bulimba has around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks in the 43rd percentile nationally, indicating constrained buyer choice and supporting interest in existing dwellings. New development comprises 36% detached dwellings and 64% townhouses or apartments, appealing to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. Bulimba's population density is around 393 people per approval, reflecting a mature market.

Future projections estimate an addition of 1,332 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Bulimba has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

The performance of an area can significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 32 such projects that could impact the area. Notable projects include Lua Bulimba - Oxford Street Lifestyle Precinct, Bulimba Barracks Master Plan - Shayher Group Development, QParks Group - 5 Riding Road Mixed-Use Development, and Bulimba State School Infrastructure Upgrade. The following list details those projects likely to have the most relevance.

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

Employment conditions in Bulimba rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

Bulimba has a highly educated workforce with professional services showing strong representation. The unemployment rate in Bulimba was 1.8% as of June 2025.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 3.1%. There were 5,098 residents employed in June 2025 while the unemployment rate was 2.3% lower than Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation was higher at 71.2%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 64.5%. Employment is concentrated in professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training sectors.

Professional & technical employment is particularly notable with levels at 1.8 times the regional average. Health care & social assistance has limited presence at 13.1% compared to 16.1% regionally. Employment opportunities appear limited locally based on Census working population vs resident population data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 3.1% and labour force increased by 2.9%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. In Greater Brisbane, employment rose by 4.4%, labour force grew by 4.0%, and unemployment fell by 0.4 percentage points during the same period. State-level data to Sep-25 shows Queensland's employment contracted by 0.23% (losing 8,070 jobs), with a state unemployment rate of 4.2%. This compares favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.5%, but lags behind national employment growth of 0.26%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 project growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Bulimba's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.1% over five years and 14.3% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Bulimba had a median income among taxpayers of $76,477 and an average of $132,680. Nationally, these figures place Bulimba in the top percentile. In comparison, Greater Brisbane's median was $55,645 with an average of $70,520. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.71% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of March 2025 are approximately $85,432 (median) and $148,217 (average). Bulimba's household, family, and personal incomes rank highly, between the 96th and 97th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile shows that 36.2% of residents earn over $4,000 per week (2,861 people), contrasting with surrounding regions where the $1,500 - 2,999 category is predominant at 33.3%. The area's affluence is evident with 48.5% earning over $3,000 weekly, supporting premium retail and service offerings. Housing accounts for 14.3% of income. Bulimba residents rank in the 96th percentile for disposable income and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

Bulimba displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Bulimba as of the latest Census, 46.2% of dwellings were houses while 53.8% were other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. In contrast, Brisbane metropolitan area had 52.7% houses and 47.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Bulimba was higher at 28.1%, with the rest being mortgaged (35.1%) or rented (36.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Bulimba was $2,800, exceeding Brisbane's average of $2,500. Weekly rent median stood at $500 compared to Brisbane's $440. Nationally, Bulimba's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863 and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Bulimba has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 71.4% of all households, consisting of 31.7% couples with children, 30.2% couples without children, and 8.4% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 28.6%, with lone person households at 25.4% and group households making up 3.3%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which aligns with the Greater Brisbane average.

The educational profile of Bulimba exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Bulimba's educational attainment is notably higher than broader benchmarks. 50.8% of its residents aged 15 years and over hold university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in Queensland and 30.4% in Australia. The area's most common university qualification is bachelor degrees at 33.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 12.6% and graduate diplomas at 5%. Vocational pathways account for 23.3% of qualifications among residents aged 15 years and over, with advanced diplomas making up 10.1% and certificates 13.2%.

Educational participation is high in Bulimba, with 29.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.5% enrolled in primary education, 7.7% in secondary education, and 7.1% pursuing tertiary education. However, educational facilities appear to be located outside the immediate catchment boundaries, requiring families to access schools in neighboring areas for their children's education.

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

Bulimba has 37 active public transport stops, a mix of ferry and bus services. These are covered by 9 routes offering 2,700 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, being typically 154 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 385 trips daily across all routes, equating to about 72 weekly trips per individual stop.

Bulimba's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Bulimba demonstrates excellent health outcomes, with low prevalence rates for common conditions across all ages. Approximately 82% of Bulimba residents have private health cover, compared to 73.8% in Greater Brisbane and a national average of 55.3%. Mental health issues affect 7.6%, while asthma impacts 6.6% of Bulimba residents.

A total of 74.8% report no medical ailments, similar to the 74.9% rate in Greater Brisbane. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 16.8% (1,324 people) compared to 11.3% in Greater Brisbane. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are strong and align with the general population's profile.

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

Bulimba's cultural diversity is notable, with 12.0% of its residents speaking a language other than English at home and 27.6% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Bulimba, comprising 50.7%, slightly higher than Greater Brisbane's 47.7%. Regarding ancestry, the top three groups are English (29.8%), Australian (22.1%), and Irish (10.5%).

Some ethnic groups show significant differences: Scottish is overrepresented at 9.7% in Bulimba compared to 8.7% regionally, while French and Welsh remain relatively stable at 0.8% each.

Bulimba's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Bulimba has a median age of 41, which is higher than Greater Brisbane's figure of 36 and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to the Greater Brisbane average, Bulimba has an over-representation of the 55-64 age cohort at 14.9%, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 12.2%. Between 2021 and present, the 75 to 84 age group has increased from 4.0% to 5.9% of the population, and the 55 to 64 cohort has risen from 13.1% to 14.9%. Conversely, the 35 to 44 age group has decreased from 16.1% to 14.5%, and the 45 to 54 age group has dropped from 15.9% to 14.3%. By 2041, Bulimba's age profile is projected to evolve significantly, with the 75 to 84 age cohort expected to grow by 413 people (an 89% increase) from 464 to 878. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 64% of total population growth, reflecting Bulimba's aging demographic profile. Meanwhile, the 5 to 14 and 0 to 4 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.