East Brisbane

East Brisbane has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

East Brisbane's population was around 6,872 as of May 2026. This showed an increase of 754 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,118. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 6,833 in June 2025 and an additional 107 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a population density ratio of 3,674 persons per square kilometer, placing East Brisbane in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's 12.3% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.3%), indicating it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 88.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary population growth.

AreaSearch adopted 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 were used, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. These state projections did not provide age category splits; thus, AreaSearch applied proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort, released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Examining future population trends, an above median population growth is projected for Australian statistical areas, with East Brisbane expected to expand by 1,049 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 14.7% over the 16 years.

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

East Brisbane averaged approximately 74 new dwelling approvals annually. Between FY21 and FY25373 homes were approved, with an additional 9 approved so far in FY26. Over these five years, on average, one new resident arrived per newly constructed home.

This pace of construction matches or exceeds demand, providing buyers more options and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections. The average construction value of new properties is $770,000, indicating developers are targeting the premium market segment. $17.2 million in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, suggesting balanced commercial development activity in East Brisbane compared to Greater Brisbane. East Brisbane has 126.0% more new home approvals per person than Greater Brisbane, offering buyers ample choice and reflecting strong developer confidence in the location. New building activity shows 4.0% detached dwellings and 96.0% townhouses or apartments, indicating a shift towards compact living that offers affordable entry pathways for downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This change reflects reduced availability of development sites and addresses shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. East Brisbane has around 671 people per dwelling approval, reflecting a highly mature market.

Looking ahead, East Brisbane is projected to grow by 1,010 residents through to 2041, based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. Given current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 35 projects that could impact this region. Notable ones include Banksii, located at 169 Wellington Road, Cross River Rail's Woolloongabba Station project, Eighteen Park, and the Social Housing Development on Wellington Road East Brisbane. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

Employment performance in East Brisbane has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

East Brisbane has an educated workforce with professional services prominently represented. The unemployment rate was 6.4% as of December 2025, which is 2.2% higher than Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation in East Brisbane was 77.0%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 69.6%.

According to Census responses, 25.2% of residents worked from home. The leading employment industries were health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. Professional & technical services had a notable concentration with employment levels at 1.7 times the regional average. Manufacturing had limited presence with 3.4% employment compared to the regional average of 6.4%.

The worker-to-resident ratio was 0.6, indicating local employment opportunities above the norm. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment levels increased by 0.3%, labour force grew by 1.4%, resulting in an unemployment rise of 1.0 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Brisbane saw employment rise by 3.2%, labour force grow by 3.0%, and unemployment fall by 0.1 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to East Brisbane's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.2% over five years and 14.6% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows East Brisbane SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $60,513 and an average of $91,250. These figures are among the highest in Australia, compared to Greater Brisbane's median of $58,236 and average of $72,799. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% since financial year 2023, current estimates for East Brisbane would be approximately $67,387 (median) and $101,616 (average) as of March 2026. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in East Brisbane rank highly nationally, between the 69th and 82nd percentiles. The earnings profile indicates that 32.0% of locals (2,199 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 income category, similar to the surrounding region where this cohort represents 33.3%. Economic strength is evident with 31.1% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. High housing costs consume 17.2% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 67th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

East Brisbane's dwellings, as per the latest Census data, consisted of 44.2% houses and 55.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In contrast, Brisbane metropolitan area had 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in East Brisbane was at 18.0%, with the rest either mortgaged (24.7%) or rented (57.3%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, higher than Brisbane metro's average of $1,863. Median weekly rent in East Brisbane was $400, compared to Brisbane metro's $380. Nationally, East Brisbane's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 54.2% of all households, including 18.3% couples with children, 27.4% couples without children, and 6.6% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 45.8%, with lone person households at 32.2% and group households comprising 13.7%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.

East Brisbane demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

East Brisbane has higher educational attainment than Queensland (QLD) and Australia overall. 50.5% of residents aged 15+ have university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in QLD and 30.4% nationally. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 32.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (13.4%) and graduate diplomas (4.5%). Vocational pathways account for 24.9% of qualifications among those aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 10.3% and certificates at 14.6%.

Educational participation is high, with 32.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.7% in tertiary education, 6.0% in primary education, and 6.0% pursuing secondary education.

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

East Brisbane has 23 active public transport stops, serving a mix of ferry and bus services. These stops are covered by 16 different routes, offering a total of 2,848 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents located an average of 128 meters from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential zone, most commuters travel outward. Cars remain the primary mode of transport, used by 66% of residents, followed by buses at 14% and walking at 6%. The average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 1.0, lower than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a significant 25.2% of residents work from home, possibly due to COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency across all routes averages 406 trips per day, equating to approximately 123 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

East Brisbane's health outcomes show excellent results according to AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are very low across all age groups. Approximately 67% of East Brisbane's total population (4590 people) has private health cover, compared to Greater Brisbane's 55.8% and the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are mental health issues affecting 10.9% of residents and asthma impacting 7.7%. Notably, 72.8% of residents report being completely free of medical ailments, compared to Greater Brisbane's 69.2%. Health outcomes among working-age individuals are generally typical. East Brisbane has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 10.2%, with 702 people, than Greater Brisbane's 15.1%. Senior health outcomes in the area rank broadly in line with the general population nationally.

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

East Brisbane's cultural diversity was notable, with 20.3% speaking a language other than English at home and 31.8% born overseas. Christianity was the dominant religion, at 40.9%. Judaism, however, showed an overrepresentation of 0.2%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 0.1%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (25.9%), Australian (19.2%), and Other (11.2%). Some ethnic groups had notable differences: French at 0.9% vs regional 0.5%, Irish at 10.7% vs 8.2%, Spanish at 0.7% vs 0.4%.

East Brisbane's young demographic places it in the bottom 15% of areas nationwide

At 33 years, East Brisbane's median age is slightly younger than the Greater Brisbane average of 36 and significantly lower than the national average of 38. Relative to Greater Brisbane, East Brisbane has a higher concentration of residents aged 25-34 (27.1%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (6.2%). This 25-34 concentration is well above the national figure of 14.6%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 25-34 age group has grown from 25.2% to 27.1%, while the 5-14 cohort has declined from 7.7% to 6.2% and the 15-24 group has dropped from 16.3% to 15.3%. Demographic modeling suggests that East Brisbane's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 45-54 cohort is projected to grow strongly at a rate of 29%, adding 232 residents to reach a total of 1,037. Conversely, the numbers in the 0-4 age range are expected to fall by 1%.