Elimbah
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Elimbah's population is approximately 4,640 as of August 2025. This figure represents an increase of 350 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 4,290. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 4,606 in June 2024 and an additional 52 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 45 persons per square kilometer. Elimbah's growth rate of 8.2% since the census is within 0.4 percentage points of the national average (8.6%). Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration, contributing approximately 55.6% of overall 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 released in 2023 based on 2021 data are used. These state projections do not provide age category splits, so AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data for each age cohort. By 2041, Elimbah's population is expected to increase by approximately 509 persons, recording a gain of 10.2% over the 17 years based on the latest population numbers.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Elimbah when compared nationally

Elimbah has received approximately 27 dwelling approvals each year. Development approval data is provided by the ABS on a financial year basis, totalling 139 approvals between FY-21 and FY-25, with 5 approvals so far in FY-26. On average, around 3.1 new residents have been added per year for every home built over the past five financial years (FY-21 to FY-25). This results in demand significantly exceeding supply, leading to price growth and increased buyer competition.

The average expected construction cost value of new dwellings is $482,000. In this financial year, there have been $459,000 in commercial approvals, indicating the area's residential nature. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Elimbah has markedly lower building activity, approximately 52.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction usually reinforces demand and pricing for existing properties.

New development consists of 89.0% detached houses and 11.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. With around 199 people per dwelling approval, Elimbah shows characteristics of a growth area. Looking ahead, Elimbah is expected to grow by approximately 475 residents through to 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Elimbah has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 49thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 26 projects likely impacting the region. Notable ones are M1 Industrial Estate, SEQ Northern Freight Terminal, East Elimbah Estate, and Elimbah North (Rose Creek). Relevant projects are detailed below.

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

AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Elimbah performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Elimbah's workforce is balanced across white and blue collar jobs. The construction sector is prominent with an unemployment rate of 2.3%.

Over the past year, employment grew by 9.7%. As of June 2025, 2,598 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.8%, lower than Greater Brisbane's 4.1%. Workforce participation is 66.6%, slightly higher than Greater Brisbane's 64.5%. Key industries include construction, health care & social assistance, and retail trade.

Construction employment is high at 1.7 times the regional level, while professional & technical services are lower at 4.3% compared to Greater Brisbane's 8.9%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by Census data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 9.7%, labour force grew by 8.4%, reducing the unemployment rate by 1.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Brisbane's employment growth was 4.4% with a 0.4 percentage point drop in unemployment rate. Statewide in Queensland as of Sep-25, employment contracted by 0.23%, with an unemployment rate of 4.2%. Nationally, the unemployment rate is 4.5% with employment growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's forecasts from May 2025 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Elimbah's industry mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.1% over five years and 12.7% over ten years.

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

Elimbah's median income among taxpayers was $52,786 during financial year 2022. The average income stood at $62,852 in the same period. This compares to figures for Greater Brisbane of $55,645 and $70,520 respectively. By March 2025, estimates suggest median income will be approximately $58,967 and average income around $70,212, based on a Wage Price Index growth of 11.71%. According to the 2021 Census, household income ranks at the 77th percentile with weekly earnings of $2,183. Personal income sits at the 47th percentile. The income bracket of $1,500 - 2,999 dominates Elimbah with 36.5% of residents (1,693 people). Higher earners, those exceeding $3,000 weekly, make up a substantial presence at 30.7%. Housing accounts for 13.8% of income, while strong earnings place residents within the 79th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

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

Elimbah's dwellings were 97.6% houses and 2.4% other types (semi-detached, apartments, 'other') in the latest Census. Brisbane metro had 83.4% houses and 16.5% others. Home ownership in Elimbah was 32.6%, with mortgages at 57.6% and rentals at 9.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, higher than Brisbane's $1,625 and Australia's $1,863. Median weekly rent in Elimbah was $370, lower than Brisbane's $335 and Australia's $375.

Elimbah features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 87.5% of all households, including 46.2% couples with children, 31.5% couples without children, and 9.3% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 12.5%, with lone person households at 10.7% and group households making up 1.8%. The median household size is 3.1 people, larger than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.7.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 14.3%, significantly lower than Greater Brisbane's average of 30.5%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 10.4%, followed by graduate diplomas (2.0%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.9%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 45.9% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (11.2%) and certificates (34.7%). Educational participation is high at 28.1%, comprising primary education (10.9%), secondary education (8.9%), and tertiary education (3.3%).

Elimbah State School serves the area with an enrollment of 510 students, demonstrating typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 992) with balanced educational opportunities. The school focuses on primary education only, with secondary options available nearby. School places per 100 residents are 11.0, below the regional average of 16.2, suggesting some students may attend schools in adjacent areas.

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

The analysis shows three operational public transport stops in Elimbah. These stops offer a combination of train and bus services. A total of 32 routes serve these stops, resulting in 601 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of transport is rated as limited, with residents generally residing 2181 meters away from the nearest stop. On average, there are 85 trips per day across all routes, which amounts to about 200 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Elimbah are marginally below the national average with common health conditions slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts

Elimbah shows lower-than-average health outcomes with common conditions slightly more prevalent than usual across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover stands at approximately 51% of the total population (~2,371 people), compared to Greater Brisbane's 47.6%.

Arthritis and asthma are the most common medical conditions in Elimbah, affecting 8.7% and 8.2% of residents respectively. About 67.4% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 61.9% across Greater Brisbane. The area has 16.8% of residents aged 65 and over (780 people), with health outcomes among seniors being above average and better than the general population in certain health metrics.

Elimbah is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Elimbah's population showed lower cultural diversity, with 85.5% born in Australia, 91.0% being citizens, and 95.1% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 49.0%, compared to 44.7% across Greater Brisbane. The top ancestry groups were Australian (31.9%), English (31.8%), and Irish (7.7%).

Notably, Dutch ancestry was overrepresented at 2.0% compared to the regional average of 1.2%, as was German at 4.8% versus 4.4%, and New Zealand at 0.8% compared to 1.1%.

Elimbah's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Elimbah is 40 years, which is higher than Greater Brisbane's average of 36 years and modestly exceeds the national average of 38 years. The 55-64 age cohort is notably over-represented in Elimbah at 15.4%, compared to the Greater Brisbane average, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 10.9%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 55-64 age group has grown from 13.3% to 15.4%, and the 75-84 cohort increased from 4.2% to 5.3%. Conversely, the 15-24 age group declined from 12.4% to 11.0%, and the 45-54 group dropped from 16.3% to 15.0%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Elimbah, with the 75-84 age group expected to grow by 91% (221 people), reaching 466 from 244. Residents aged 65 and older will represent 69% of anticipated growth, while the 45-54 and 35-44 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.