Coopers Plains
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Coopers Plains' population is 6,292 as of Aug 2025. This reflects a growth of 588 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,704. The increase was inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 6,269 in June 2024 and 26 new addresses validated since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 1,436 persons per square kilometer, higher than national averages assessed by AreaSearch. Coopers Plains' growth rate of 10.3% since the 2021 Census exceeds both national (8.6%) and SA3 area averages, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration accounted for approximately 79.4% of population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses 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 adopted. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits, so 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 forecast a significant increase in the top quartile of national statistical areas. Coopers Plains is expected to expand by 2,097 persons to 2041 based on the latest numbers, recording a gain of 33.0% over the 17 years.

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

Coopers Plains averaged approximately 43 new dwelling approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis. Between FY21 and FY25, Coopers Plains had 217 approvals, with 6 more in FY26 as of current data. On average, 1.6 new residents arrived per new home over the past five financial years, indicating balanced supply and demand. However, this ratio increased to 6.6 people per dwelling over the last two financial years, suggesting growing popularity and potential supply constraints.

New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $554,000, slightly above the regional average. In FY26, Coopers Plains has seen $10.8 million in commercial approvals, indicating balanced commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Coopers Plains has 69.0% more construction activity per person. Currently, new building activity comprises 84.0% detached dwellings and 16.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's suburban identity with a focus on family homes.

As of FY25 data, Coopers Plains reflects around 218 people per approval. By 2041, Coopers Plains is projected to grow by approximately 2,074 residents. If current development rates continue, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases.

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

Three projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the area significantly: Cross River Rail's Salisbury Station upgrade, the Brisbane Metro Project, and the expansion of Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Hospital. The Nathan, Salisbury, Moorooka Neighbourhood Plan is also relevant.

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

Employment performance in Coopers Plains has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Coopers Plains has an educated workforce with key sectors well-represented. Its unemployment rate is 6.4% and it saw a 1.5% employment growth in the past year.

As of June 2025, there are 3,377 residents employed, with an unemployment rate at 2.3% above Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation is similar to Greater Brisbane's 64.5%. Top industries include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and education & training. The area has a notable concentration in accommodation & food services, with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average.

Construction, however, has limited presence at 5.7% compared to the regional average of 9.0%. There is 1.3 worker per resident, indicating it functions as an employment hub attracting workers from nearby areas. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 1.5%, labour force by 2.0%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate of 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Brisbane saw employment growth of 4.4% and labour force growth of 4.0%, with a drop in unemployment rate of 0.4 percentage points. State-level data from Sep-25 shows Queensland's employment contracted by 0.23%, with an unemployment rate of 4.2%. National forecasts suggest overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but local projections based on industry-specific growth rates estimate Coopers Plains' growth at approximately 6.5%% over five years and 13.6% over ten years.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Coopers Plains' income level is below the national average according to ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. Coopers Plains' median income among taxpayers was $47,611 and the average income stood at $56,175, compared to Greater Brisbane's figures of $55,645 and $70,520 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.71% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $53,186 (median) and $62,753 (average) as of March 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Coopers Plains rank modestly, between the 33rd and 42nd percentiles. The data shows that the predominant income cohort spans 34.4% of locals (2,164 people) in the $1,500 - 2,999 category, reflecting patterns seen in the surrounding region where 33.3% similarly occupy this range. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 81.6% of income remaining, ranking at the 40th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Coopers Plains is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Coopers Plains' dwelling structure in the latest Census had 74.1% houses and 25.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other'). Brisbane metro's figures were 77.8% houses and 22.2% others. Home ownership in Coopers Plains was 23.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 27.3% and rented ones at 49.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, below Brisbane's average of $2,100. Median weekly rent was $376, compared to Brisbane's $388. Nationally, Coopers Plains' mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Coopers Plains features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 65.3% of all households, including 26.1% couples with children, 26.1% couples without children, and 10.8% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 34.7%, with lone person households at 25.3% and group households comprising 9.1% of the total. The median household size is 2.6 people, which aligns with the Greater Brisbane average.

Educational attainment in Coopers Plains aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

Coopers Plains has a notably high educational attainment among its residents aged 15 and above. Specifically, 40.6% of these residents have university qualifications, which is significantly higher than the state (QLD) average of 25.7% and the national average of 30.4%. This indicates that Coopers Plains has a substantial educational advantage compared to broader benchmarks. Among those with university qualifications, bachelor degrees are the most common at 25.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 12.7% and graduate diplomas at 2.6%.

Vocational credentials are also prevalent in Coopers Plains, with 27.2% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications. This includes advanced diplomas (10.8%) and certificates (16.4%). Educational participation is high in the area, with 31.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.3% in tertiary education, 7.8% in primary education, and 5.1% pursuing secondary education. Coopers Plains State School serves the local educational needs within Coopers Plains, with an enrollment of 192 students as of a given date. The school demonstrates typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 985) and offers balanced educational opportunities, focusing exclusively on primary education while secondary options are available in nearby areas. However, there is limited local school capacity, with only 3.0 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 9.7, which means many families travel to nearby areas for schooling.

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

The analysis of public transport in Coopers Plains shows that there are currently 46 active transport stops operating within the area. These stops offer a mix of train and bus services. A total of 31 individual routes service these stops, collectively providing 2,559 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility to transport is rated as excellent, with residents typically located just 162 meters from their nearest transport stop. On average, there are 365 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 55 weekly trips per individual stop.

Coopers Plains's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Coopers Plains health data shows a relatively positive picture with low prevalence of common health conditions among its general population compared to national averages. However, prevalence is higher in older cohorts at risk. Private health cover stands at approximately 48% (around 3,020 people), which is lower than Greater Brisbane's 57.3% and the national average of 55.3%.

The most common conditions are mental health issues (8.2%) and asthma (7.2%), while 72.9% claim to be free from medical ailments, similar to Greater Brisbane's 72.3%. Approximately 12.7% of residents are aged 65 and over (799 people). Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than the broader population.

Coopers Plains is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Coopers Plains has a high level of cultural diversity, with 49.2% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 49.6% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion in Coopers Plains, comprising 41.2% of people there, but Hinduism is notably overrepresented at 10.7%, compared to the Greater Brisbane average of 3.9%. The top three ancestry groups in Coopers Plains are Australian (16.6%), English (16.6%), and Other (15.5%).

Some ethnic groups show significant differences: Indian is overrepresented at 7.8% (regional average 3.0%), Filipino at 3.6% (regional average 1.3%), and Korean at 1.3% (regional average 0.6%).

Coopers Plains's young demographic places it in the bottom 15% of areas nationwide

Coopers Plains has a median age of 33 years, which is slightly younger than Greater Brisbane's average of 36 and significantly lower than the national average of 38. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Coopers Plains has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (23.4%) but fewer residents aged 45-54 (9.6%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is notably higher than the national average of 14.5%. According to post-2021 Census data, the proportion of residents aged 35-44 has increased from 15.6% to 17.9%, while the proportion of those aged 55-64 has decreased from 8.6% to 7.7%. Demographic projections indicate that Coopers Plains' age profile will change significantly by 2041, with the strongest growth expected in the 45-54 cohort, projected to grow by 74%, adding 446 residents to reach a total of 1,048.