Kelvin Grove - Herston
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Kelvin Grove - Herston's population was around 12,189 as of November 2025. This reflected an increase of 2,024 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 10,165 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 12,173 in June 2024 and an additional 29 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population resulted in a density ratio of 3,616 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Kelvin Grove - Herston's growth of 19.9% since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (8.9%) and the state average, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 94.3% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including natural growth and interstate migration were positive factors.

AreaSearch adopts 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 are adopted, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. Future population trends forecast a significant increase in the top quartile of national statistical areas. The area is expected to expand by 3,232 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 26.4% over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Kelvin Grove - Herston when compared nationally

Kelvin Grove - Herston averaged approximately 21 new dwelling approvals annually from FY-21 to FY-25, totalling 107 homes. In FY-26, 25 dwellings have been approved so far. Each year, an average of 9.8 people moved to the area for each dwelling built during this period.

This significant demand outpaces supply, typically exerting upward pressure on prices and increasing competition among buyers. The average construction value of new homes is $526,000, indicating a focus on the premium market with high-end developments. In FY-26, commercial development approvals amounted to $155.0 million, suggesting robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Kelvin Grove - Herston shows substantially reduced construction activity (73.0% below regional average per person), which usually reinforces demand and pricing for existing homes. This is also below the national average, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. New development consists of 15.0% detached houses and 85.0% townhouses or apartments, indicating a trend towards denser development to provide accessible entry options for downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. This represents a notable shift from the area's existing housing composition (currently 34.0% houses), suggesting decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles and demand for diverse, affordable housing options.

The location has approximately 383 people per dwelling approval, reflecting an established area. By 2041, Kelvin Grove - Herston is expected to grow by 3,216 residents. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, likely intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Kelvin Grove - Herston has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

The performance of an area is significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 67 projects that are expected to impact the area. Notable projects include Herston Quarter Redevelopment, Queensland Cancer Centre, Brisbane 2032 Games Infrastructure Program, and Royal Brisbane Hospital Car Park Expansion. The following list details those projects likely to be most relevant.

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

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AreaSearch assessment positions Kelvin Grove - Herston ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

Kelvin Grove - Herston has a highly educated workforce with strong professional services representation. Its unemployment rate was 4.0% as of June 2021.

Over the past year, estimated employment growth was 4.8%. As of June 2025, 7,740 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 3.9%, below Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation is high at 69.8% compared to Greater Brisbane's 64.5%. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training.

The area specializes in professional & technical jobs, with an employment share 1.6 times the regional level. Conversely, construction shows lower representation at 4.1% versus the regional average of 9.0%. There are 1.9 workers for every resident, indicating it functions as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding areas. Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 4.8% while labour force grew by 2.9%, reducing unemployment by 1.7 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, published in May 2025, project national growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Kelvin Grove - Herston's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.2% over five years and 14.7% over ten years.

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

Kelvin Grove - Herston has a median taxpayer income of $56,261 and an average of $81,796 according to AreaSearch's aggregation of postcode level ATO data for the financial year 2022. This is among the highest in Australia, contrasting with Greater Brisbane's median income of $55,645 and average income of $70,520. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.99% since the financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $64,132 (median) and $93,239 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census figures, Kelvin Grove - Herston's household, family, and personal incomes rank modestly, between the 46th and 51st percentiles. The largest income segment comprises 30.9% earning $1,500-$2,999 weekly (3,766 residents). Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 79.5% of income remaining, ranking at the 46th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in Kelvin Grove - Herston, as per the latest Census, consisted of 34.0% houses and 66.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Brisbane metro had 36.5% houses and 63.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Kelvin Grove - Herston was at 14.1%, with dwellings either mortgaged (21.6%) or rented (64.3%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,080, below Brisbane metro's average of $2,167. Median weekly rent in the area was $400, compared to Brisbane metro's $410. Nationally, Kelvin Grove - Herston's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,080 than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher at $400 than the national figure of $375.

Kelvin Grove - Herston features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 53.8% of all households, including 20.5% couples with children, 21.9% couples without children, and 9.1% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 46.2%, with lone person households at 30.3% and group households making up 16.0%. The median household size is 2.3 people, larger than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.2.

Kelvin Grove - Herston shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Educational attainment in Kelvin Grove - Herston is notably higher than broader benchmarks. 52.2% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in Queensland and 30.4% nationally. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 32.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (16.0%) and graduate diplomas (4.1%). Vocational pathways account for 20.3% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas at 9.1% and certificates at 11.2%.

Educational participation is high, with 44.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 24.9% in tertiary education, 6.9% in secondary education, and 6.2% pursuing primary education. Kelvin Grove - Herston's four schools have a combined enrollment of 4,220 students as of the latest available data. The area has significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement (ICSEA: 1141). The educational mix includes one primary school, two secondary schools, and one K-12 school. As an education hub, Kelvin Grove - Herston offers 34.6 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 13.7, attracting students from surrounding communities. Note: for schools showing 'n/a' in enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Transport analysis indicates 54 active stops in Kelvin Grove - Herston offering mixed bus services. These are served by 40 unique routes facilitating 6,205 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent with residents typically residing 137 meters from nearest stop.

Average service frequency across all routes is 886 trips daily, equating to around 114 weekly trips per individual stop.

Kelvin Grove - Herston's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Kelvin Grove - Herston shows excellent health outcomes, particularly for younger cohorts who have a low prevalence of common health conditions. Approximately 61% (7,410 people) have private health cover, compared to Greater Brisbane's 71.3%. Nationally, this figure stands at 55.3%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent conditions in the area, affecting 11.2% and 6.5% of residents respectively. A total of 76.1% report no medical ailments, compared to Greater Brisbane's 73.7%. The area has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 6.1% (742 people), compared to Greater Brisbane's 12.2%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors require more attention than the broader population.

Kelvin Grove - Herston is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Kelvin Grove-Herston has high cultural diversity, with 31.8% speaking a language other than English at home and 40.9% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion, comprising 31.6%. Judaism is overrepresented at 0.3%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 0.2%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (21.7%), Australian (18.6%), and Other (13.9%). French (0.8% vs regional 0.7%), Korean (0.9% vs 0.5%), and Vietnamese (1.5% vs 0.5%) are notably overrepresented.

Kelvin Grove - Herston hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Kelvin Grove - Herston's median age is 28 years, which is notably below Greater Brisbane's average of 36 and Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Kelvin Grove - Herston has a higher proportion of residents aged 15-24 (28.0%) but fewer residents aged 65-74 (3.1%). This concentration of young adults is significantly higher than the national average of 12.5%. According to the 2021 Census, Kelvin Grove - Herston has become younger, with its median age dropping from 29 years in the previous census to 28 years. The proportion of residents aged 15-24 increased from 25.6% to 28.0%, while those aged 25-34 rose from 23.1% to 24.7%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 5-14 decreased from 9.5% to 8.2%, and those aged 45-54 fell from 10.9% to 9.7%. Demographic projections suggest that by 2041, Kelvin Grove - Herston's age profile will change significantly. The 15-24 age group is projected to increase by 601 people (an 18% rise) from 3,416 to 4,018 residents. Meanwhile, the 0-4 age cohort is expected to grow modestly by 10%, adding 39 people.