Chermside

Chermside lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

Chermside's population was around 12,823 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 1,397 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 11,426 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 12,506 in June 2024 and an additional 428 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 3,782 persons per square kilometer. Chermside's growth rate of 12.2% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area (7.3%) and the SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 61.6% 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 by this data and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections released in 2023 based on 2021 data are adopted. Considering projected demographic shifts, a significant population increase is forecast for the top quartile of national areas. The area is expected to grow by 4,872 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 35.5% in total over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Chermside was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

Chermside has recorded approximately 123 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 615 homes have been approved, with a further 70 approved in FY-26 so far. On average, each dwelling has accommodated 2.3 new residents per year over these five years.

The average construction cost value of new homes is $415,000, reflecting quality-focused development and higher than regional norms. In FY-26, commercial approvals have totaled $52.0 million, indicating strong commercial development momentum. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Chermside shows 147.0% higher development activity per capita. New development consists of 10.0% standalone homes and 90.0% attached dwellings, reflecting a trend towards denser development that caters to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. With around 138 people per dwelling approval, Chermside exhibits characteristics of a growth area.

Population forecasts indicate Chermside will gain approximately 4,555 residents by 2041, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. Development is keeping pace with projected growth, but buyers may face increasing competition as the population expands.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 23 projects expected to influence the region. Notable initiatives include The Prince Charles Hospital Expansion, Chermside Westfield Expansion & Redevelopment (Stage 2), Brisbane Metro - Northern Busway Extension (Roma Street to Carseldine), and 705-707 Hamilton Road Development. Below is a list of projects likely most relevant.

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

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Employment conditions in Chermside remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Chermside has a well-educated workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate was 6.5% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 12.0%.

As of September 2025, 7,626 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 2.5% higher than Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.0%. Workforce participation is somewhat lower at 62.1%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 64.5%. The dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and accommodation & food. Health care & social assistance shows strong specialization with an employment share of 1.3 times the regional level.

Conversely, education & training has lower representation at 5.9% versus the regional average of 9.4%. There are 1.4 workers for every resident, indicating Chermside functions as an employment hub hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 12.0% and labour force increased by 10.9%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.9 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Brisbane recorded employment growth of 3.8%, labour force growth of 3.3%, with unemployment falling 0.5 percentage points. State-level data as of 25-Nov shows QLD employment contracted by 0.01% (losing 1,210 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%, broadly in line with the national rate of 4.3%. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.4% over ten years when applied to Chermside's employment mix, though these projections do not account for localised population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Income data from AreaSearch for financial year 2022 shows median assessed income in Chermside SA2 was $52,811 and average income was $63,323. This is lower than Greater Brisbane's median income of $55,645 and average income of $70,520. By September 2025, estimated median income would be approximately $60,199 and average income $72,182 based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, personal income ranks at the 58th percentile ($844 weekly) and household income at the 30th percentile. The income bracket of $1,500 - 2,999 dominates with 33.8% of residents (4,334 people), similar to broader metropolitan trends showing 33.3%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 77.8% of income remaining, ranking at the 21st percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

Chermside features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Chermside's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 21.4% houses and 78.5% other dwellings. In comparison, Brisbane metro had 67.2% houses and 32.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Chermside was at 15.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 17.7% and rented ones at 66.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,690, below Brisbane metro's average of $2,100. The median weekly rent in Chermside was $370, compared to Brisbane metro's $390. Nationally, Chermside's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 50.5% of all households, including 13.7% couples with children, 24.6% couples without children, and 9.9% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 49.5%, with lone person households at 41.8% and group households comprising 7.6%. The median household size is 1.9 people, which is smaller than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.4.

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

The area's educational profile is notable regionally, with university qualification rates of 34.7% among residents aged 15+, exceeding the Queensland average of 25.7% and the Australian average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 24.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.5%) and graduate diplomas (2.6%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 32.1% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas comprise 11.3% and certificates make up 20.8%.

Educational participation is high at 28.2%, including 9.0% in tertiary education, 6.3% in primary education, and 4.7% pursuing secondary education.

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

Chermside has 68 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 25 different routes that together facilitate 3,924 weekly passenger trips. The average distance residents live from the nearest stop is 144 meters.

On average, there are 560 trips per day across all routes, which amounts to approximately 57 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Chermside is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across the board, though to a considerably higher degree among older age cohorts

Chermside faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across all age groups but notably higher among older adults. Private health cover is held by approximately 51% of Chermside's total population (~6,565 people), compared to the Greater Brisbane average of 56.0%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions in the area, affecting 11.0% and 7.7% of residents respectively. Sixty-six percent of residents report having no medical ailments, compared to 69.1% across Greater Brisbane. Nineteen percent of Chermside's population is aged 65 and over (2,441 people), higher than the 16.6% in Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than those of the broader population.

Chermside was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Chermside has a high level of cultural diversity, with 28.1% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 36.1% born overseas. The predominant religion in Chermside is Christianity, accounting for 45.6% of the population. Hinduism is notably overrepresented, comprising 5.6% compared to the regional average of 2.3%.

In terms of ancestry, the top groups are English at 23.3%, Australian at 19.6%, and Other at 13.2%. Some ethnic groups show significant representation differences: Filipino is 3.3% in Chermside versus 1.5% regionally, Korean is 1.1% versus 0.4%, and New Zealand is 1.0% versus 0.9%.

Chermside's population is younger than the national pattern

Chermside's median age is 35 years, nearly matching Greater Brisbane's average of 36 and somewhat younger than Australia's 38 years. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Chermside has a higher concentration of residents aged 25-34 at 22.7%, but fewer residents aged 5-14 at 7.1%. This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is well above the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the population aged 35 to 44 has grown from 14.2% to 15.2%, while the 85+ cohort has declined from 4.6% to 3.5% and the 15 to 24 group has dropped from 13.6% to 12.5%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Chermside, with the 75 to 84 cohort projected to grow by 88%, adding 832 residents to reach 1,775. In contrast, the 0 to 4 cohort shows minimal growth of just 8% (42 people).