Ipswich - Central
Statistical Area - sa2

Ipswich - Central has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Ipswich - Central's population was approximately 6,922 as of November 2025, according to AreaSearch's analysis. This figure represents an increase of 207 people, a 3.1% rise from the 2021 Census which reported a population of 6,715. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 6,920 in June 2024 and an additional 9 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 879 persons per square kilometer, aligning with averages seen across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 75.8% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary growth for the area.

AreaSearch adopts 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 are used, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits; hence, proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections are applied for each age cohort. Future population trends predict exceptional growth for the area, placing it in the top 10 percent of national areas. Based on latest population numbers, the area is expected to expand by 4,173 persons to 2041, marking a total increase of 60.3% over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Ipswich - Central according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Ipswich Central has received approximately eight dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 41 homes. As of FY26, zero approvals have been recorded. On average, 2.1 people moved to the area per new home constructed between FY21 and FY25, indicating solid demand supporting property values. New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost value of $410,000, which is higher than regional norms due to quality-focused development.

In FY26, $242.1 million in commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting high local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Ipswich Central has significantly less development activity, 90.0% below the regional average per person, suggesting potential planning limitations and reinforcing demand for existing homes. Recent construction consists of 57.0% detached houses and 43.0% attached dwellings, with a growing mix of townhouses and apartments providing diverse housing options. This shift indicates decreasing availability of developable sites and changing lifestyles requiring more affordable housing choices. The area has an estimated 566 people per dwelling approval, reflecting its quiet development environment. Population forecasts project Ipswich Central to gain 4,171 residents by 2041.

If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Ipswich - Central has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 22 projects that could affect this region. Notable ones include Ipswich Hospital Expansion Stage 2, Ipswich Better Bus Network, Ipswich Smart City Program, and Brassall Bikeway Stage 6 Extension. 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 drivers in Ipswich - Central are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Ipswich - Central has a skilled workforce with notable representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 9.3% as of June 2021, with an estimated employment growth of 1.1% over the past year.

As of June 2025, 3,170 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 5.2%, compared to Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation in Ipswich - Central lags at 55.1%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 64.5%. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, education & training, and public administration & safety. The area has a notable concentration in public administration & safety, with employment levels at 1.5 times the regional average.

However, professional & technical services are under-represented, with only 6.8% of Ipswich - Central's workforce compared to 8.9% in Greater Brisbane. There are 2.2 workers for every resident, indicating that the area functions as an employment hub hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas. From June 2024 to June 2025, employment increased by 1.1% while labour force increased by 0.2%, resulting in a unemployment fall of 0.8 percentage points. National employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest that national employment is expected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, with local growth patterns estimated based on the local employment mix.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ended June 2022 indicates that median income in Ipswich - Central is $49,506, lower than the national average of $55,230. Average income in Ipswich - Central stands at $55,230, compared to Greater Brisbane's median and average incomes of $55,645 and $70,520 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.99% since June 2022, estimated median income in Ipswich - Central as of September 2025 would be approximately $56,432, with average income at $62,957. According to the Census conducted in August 2021, incomes in Ipswich - Central rank modestly, between the 26th and 28th percentiles for household, family, and personal incomes. Income distribution shows that 28.8% of individuals fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 range, similar to surrounding regions at 33.3%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Ipswich - Central, with only 83.6% of income remaining, ranking at the 28th percentile.

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

Ipswich - Central's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 82.0% houses and 18.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Brisbane metro's 88.4% houses and 11.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Ipswich - Central was 25.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 32.3% and rented dwellings at 41.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,500, lower than Brisbane metro's average of $1,517. The median weekly rent figure was $280, compared to Brisbane metro's $300. Nationally, Ipswich - Central's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 64.0% of all households, including 23.5% couples with children, 22.9% couples without children, and 16.2% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 36.0%, with lone person households at 32.2% and group households comprising 3.9%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.

Educational attainment in Ipswich - Central aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

Educational qualifications in Ipswich show 22.5% of residents aged 15+ hold university degrees, compared to Greater Brisbane's 30.5%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 15.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.3%) and graduate diplomas (2.9%). Vocational credentials are held by 38.4% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 11.0% and certificates at 27.4%. Educational participation is high, with 30.9% currently enrolled in formal education: secondary (10.7%), primary (9.4%), tertiary (5.2%).

There are 15 schools serving 8,056 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 996). The educational mix includes 4 primary, 6 secondary, and 5 K-12 schools. Ipswich functions as an education hub with 116.4 school places per 100 residents, attracting students from surrounding communities. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to parent campus.

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

Ipswich - Central has 53 active public transport stops, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 65 individual routes, facilitating 3,985 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents located an average of 254 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 569 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 75 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Ipswich - Central is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Ipswich - Central faces significant health challenges, with various conditions affecting both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low at approximately 48% of the total population (~3,294 people), compared to 49.9% across Greater Brisbane and a national average of 55.3%. Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent medical conditions in the area, affecting 12.8 and 9.9% of residents respectively.

Conversely, 58.8% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 62.2% across Greater Brisbane. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 19.5% (1,350 people), compared to 15.3% in Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among seniors are broadly similar to those of the general population.

Ipswich - Central ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Ipswich-Central has a cultural diversity index below the average, with 88.9% of its population being Australian citizens, 85.9% born in Australia, and 93.5% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Ipswich-Central, accounting for 48.4% of the population. Judaism, however, is overrepresented, comprising 0.1% compared to the Greater Brisbane average of 0.1%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (28.3%), Australian (26.0%), and Irish (10.5%). Notably, German ancestry is slightly overrepresented at 6.5%, Welsh at 0.8%, and Scottish at 8.9% compared to the regional averages of 6.4%, 0.6%, and 7.7% respectively.

Ipswich - Central's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age of Ipswich - Central is 41, which is higher than the Greater Brisbane figure of 36 and Australia's median age of 38. The 55-64 cohort is notably over-represented in Ipswich-Central at 13.5%, while the 25-34 year-olds are under-represented at 11.0%. From 2021 to present, the 65-74 age group has grown from 9.0% to 10.1%, and the 75-84 cohort increased from 5.8% to 6.8%. Conversely, the 25-34 cohort declined from 12.6% to 11.0%, and the 45-54 group dropped from 14.2% to 12.8%. Demographic modeling suggests that by 2041, the 75-84 age cohort is projected to surge dramatically, expanding by 766 people (162%) from 472 to 1,239.