Kelvin Grove - Herston

Population growth drivers in Kelvin Grove - Herston are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Kelvin Grove - Herston's population is around 12,235 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 2,070 people (20.4%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 10,165 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 12,173 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 48 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 3,630 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Kelvin Grove - Herston's 20.4% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.9%) and the state average, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which 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, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and for years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections, released in 2023 and based on 2021 data, are adopted. It should be noted that these state projections do not provide age category splits; hence, where utilised, 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. As we examine future population trends, an above-median population growth of statistical areas across the nation is projected, with the area expected to expand by 3,232 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 25.9% in total over the 17 years.

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

Kelvin Grove - Herston has averaged around 21 new dwelling approvals per year, with 107 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 25 so far in FY-26. With an average of 9.8 people per year moving to the area for each dwelling built over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), demand is significantly outpacing supply, which typically puts upward pressure on prices and increases competition among buyers, while new homes are being built at an average value of $526,000, showing that developers are focusing on the premium market with high-end developments. Additionally, $155.0 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded this financial year, suggesting robust local business investment.

Compared to Greater Brisbane, Kelvin Grove - Herston shows substantially reduced construction (73.0% below regional average per person). This constrained new construction usually reinforces demand and pricing for existing homes, though building activity has accelerated in recent years. This is also below average nationally, reflecting the area's maturity and pointing to possible planning constraints. New development consists of 15.0% detached houses and 85.0% townhouses or apartments. This trend toward denser development provides accessible entry options and appeals to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. This represents a notable shift from the area's existing housing (currently 34.0% houses), indicating decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles and the need for more diverse, affordable housing options. The location has approximately 383 people per dwelling approval, reflecting an established area.

Looking ahead, Kelvin Grove - Herston is expected to grow by 3,170 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Should current construction levels persist, housing supply could lag population growth, likely intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Kelvin Grove - Herston has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 68 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the Herston Quarter Redevelopment, Brisbane 2032 Games Venue Infrastructure Program, New Brisbane Stadium (Victoria Park Olympic Stadium), and Brisbane Stadium (Victoria Park), with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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.

The employment landscape in Kelvin Grove - Herston shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Kelvin Grove - Herston features a highly educated workforce, with professional services showing strong representation, an unemployment rate of 5.0%, and 0.8% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 7,751 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 0.8% above Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.1%, and workforce participation is fairly standard (75.7% compared to Greater Brisbane's 71.2%). Based on Census responses, a moderate 23.6% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

The dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training. The area has a particular employment specialization in professional & technical, 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%. With 1.9 workers for every resident, as at the Census, the area functions as an employment hub, hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 0.8% while the labour force increased by 1.6%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.8 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Brisbane experienced employment growth of 3.2% and labour force growth of 3.0%, with a 0.1 percentage point drop. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Kelvin Grove - Herston. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Kelvin Grove - Herston's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.2% over five years and 14.7% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

The Kelvin Grove - Herston SA2 shows a median taxpayer income of $57,530 and an average of $83,699 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for FY-23. This is among the highest in Australia, contrasting with Greater Brisbane's median income of $58,236 and average income of $72,799. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $63,231 (median) and $91,994 (average) as of September 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes all rank modestly in Kelvin Grove - Herston, between the 45th and 50th percentiles. Looking at income distribution, the largest segment comprises 30.9% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (3,780 residents), aligning with the region where this cohort likewise represents 33.3%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 79.5% of income remaining, ranking at the 46th percentile and 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 within Kelvin Grove - Herston, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 34.0% houses and 66.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Brisbane metro's 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Kelvin Grove - Herston lagged that of Brisbane metro, at 14.1%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (21.6%) or rented (64.3%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well above the Brisbane metro average at $2,080, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $400, compared to Brisbane metro's $1,863 and $380. Nationally, Kelvin Grove - Herston's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceed the national figure of $375.

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

Family households dominate at 53.8% of all households, comprising 20.5% couples with children, 21.9% couples without children, and 9.1% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 46.2%, with lone person households at 30.3% and group households comprising 16.0% of the total. The median household size of 2.3 people is smaller than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.

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 significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 52.2% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 25.7% in QLD and 30.4% in Australia. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead 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+ – advanced diplomas (9.1%) and certificates (11.2%).

Educational participation is notably 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.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 54 active transport stops operating within Kelvin Grove - Herston, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 40 individual routes, collectively providing 6,535 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 136 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 57%, with 20% by bus and 12% walking. Vehicle ownership averages 0.8 per dwelling, which is below the regional average. Some 23.6% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 933 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 121 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Kelvin Grove - Herston is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Kelvin Grove - Herston faces significant health challenges, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions are somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts, and the rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 61% of the total population (7,438 people). This compares to 55.8% across Greater Brisbane and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 11.2% and 6.5% of residents, respectively, while 76.1% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 69.2% across Greater Brisbane. Working-age residents are notably healthy with low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 6.3% of residents aged 65 and over (774 people), which is lower than the 15.2% in Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, with national rankings even higher than the general 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 scores highly on cultural diversity, with 31.8% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 40.9% born overseas. The main religion in Kelvin Grove - Herston is Christianity, which makes up 31.6% of the people. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Judaism, which comprises 0.3% of the population, compared to 0.1% across Greater Brisbane.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Kelvin Grove - Herston are English, comprising 21.7% of the population, which is notably lower than the regional average of 26.8%, Australian, comprising 18.6% of the population, and Other, comprising 13.9% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: French is notably overrepresented at 0.8% of Kelvin Grove - Herston (vs 0.5% regionally), Korean at 0.9% (vs 0.5%) and Vietnamese at 1.5% (vs 0.8%).

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

At 28 years, Kelvin Grove - Herston's median age is notably under the Greater Brisbane average of 36 and also substantially under Australia's 38 years. Relative to Greater Brisbane, Kelvin Grove - Herston has a higher concentration of 15 - 24 residents (27.9%) but fewer 65 - 74 year-olds (3.2%). This 15 - 24 concentration is well above the national 12.5%. Following the 2021 Census, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 25.6% to 27.9% of the population, while the 25 to 34 cohort increased from 23.1% to 24.4%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort has declined from 9.5% to 8.3% and the 45 to 54 group dropped from 10.9% to 9.7%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Kelvin Grove - Herston. Leading the demographic shift, the 15 to 24 group will grow by 18% (606 people), reaching 4,018 from 3,411.