Manly - Lota

An assessment of population growth drivers in Manly - Lota reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Manly-Lota's population is approximately 8,419 as of February 2026. This represents an increase of 529 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7,890. The growth was inferred from ABS estimated resident population figures in June 2024 and validated new addresses since then. This results in a population density of 2,004 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Manly-Lota's growth rate of 6.7% since the Census is close to that of its SA3 area at 6.8%. The primary driver for this growth was overseas migration.

AreaSearch uses 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 from 2023 are adopted, using proportional growth weightings based on ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort. By 2041, Manly-Lota is expected to increase by approximately 500 persons, reflecting a total increase of about 4.0% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Manly - Lota recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Manly - Lota has seen approximately 41 dwellings granted development approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 206 homes were approved, with an additional 218 approved in FY26 so far. On average, about 1.7 new residents per year have been associated with each dwelling constructed over these five years. However, this figure has increased to 4.5 people per dwelling in the past two financial years, suggesting growing popularity and potential undersupply.

The average construction cost value of new properties is $645,000, indicating a focus on the premium market segment. In FY26, $8.9 million worth of commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting the area's residential character. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Manly - Lota has experienced slightly more development activity, with 17.0% above the regional average per person over the past five years. This balance between supply and demand supports current property values while offering buyer choice.

The new development mix consists of 57.0% detached houses and 43.0% medium to high-density housing, including townhouses and apartments, providing options across different price points. This shift from the current housing mix, which is predominantly houses at 77.0%, reflects reduced availability of development sites and changing lifestyle demands. With approximately 286 people per dwelling approval, Manly - Lota exhibits characteristics of a low-density area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the area is projected to add around 335 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections and providing good conditions for buyers.

Manly - Lota has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 32ndth percentile nationally

Local infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified four projects likely impacting the area: Royal Far West (RFW) Neighbourhood Development, The Wellington Collection, Manly Hotel Refurbishment, and Breeze On Berrima. Below are details on those most 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.

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

Manly - Lota has a well-educated workforce with strong professional services representation. The unemployment rate was 1.9% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 6.5%. As of September 2025, there are 4,842 residents employed, and the unemployment rate is 2.1%, below Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.0%.

Workforce participation is similar to Greater Brisbane at 70.7%. A high proportion of residents work from home, with Covid-19 lockdown impacts considered. Key industries include health care & social assistance, construction, and professional & technical services.

Health care & social assistance shows lower representation than the regional average, at 13.3% versus 16.1%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census data. In the period from May-24 to Apr-25, employment increased by 6.5%, labour force by 6.0%, reducing unemployment by 0.4 percentage points. Greater Brisbane recorded lower growth rates during this period. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Manly - Lota's industry mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.6% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released for financial year 2023 shows Manly - Lota SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $65,035 and an average income of $85,178. 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 9.91% since financial year 2023, estimates for September 2025 would be approximately $71,480 (median) and $93,619 (average). Census data indicates incomes in Manly - Lota cluster around the 69th percentile nationally. The income distribution shows that 27.5% of residents (2,315 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket, similar to surrounding regions where 33.3% occupy this range. Economic strength is evident with 33.1% of households earning high weekly incomes exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. Housing expenses account for 14.4% of income, ranking residents in the 72nd percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

Manly - Lota's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, comprised 76.7% houses and 23.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Brisbane metro's 76.7% houses and 23.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Manly - Lota stood at 36.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 36.9% and rented ones at 27.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, higher than Brisbane metro's average of $1,863. Median weekly rent in Manly - Lota was $410, compared to Brisbane metro's $380. Nationally, Manly - Lota's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Manly - Lota has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 70.4% of all households, including 31.8% couples with children, 27.4% couples without children, and 10.0% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 29.6%, with lone person households at 27.5% and group households at 2.3%. The median household size is 2.5 people, smaller than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.

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

The area's educational profile is notable regionally, with university qualification rates of 33.1% among residents aged 15+, surpassing the SA4 region average of 23.7% and Queensland's state average of 25.7%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 22.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.1%) and graduate diplomas (3.8%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 34.9% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas comprise 12.6% and certificates make up 22.3%.

Educational participation is high, with 28.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 9.9% in primary, 8.1% in secondary, and 4.9% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Manly-Lota has 41 operational public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 29 different routes, facilitating 1,942 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is rated highly, with residents typically residing 197 meters from the nearest stop. Primarily residential, most commuters travel outward. Cars remain the primary mode of transport at 84%, while trains account for 10%. On average, there are 1.4 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 26.3% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Across all routes, service frequency averages 277 trips daily, equating to roughly 47 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Manly - Lota is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Manly - Lota faces significant health challenges, according to AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is notable across both younger and older age cohorts. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 62% of the total population (5,186 people), compared to 55.8% in Greater Brisbane and 55.7% nationally.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 8.8% and 8.8% of residents respectively. 66.7% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.2% in Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. The area has 21.2% of residents aged 65 and over (1,786 people), higher than the 15.2% in Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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

Manly-Lota, found below average in cultural diversity, had 76.2% of its population born in Australia, with 88.3% being citizens and 94.1% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion, comprising 53.1%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 47.8%. Top ancestry groups were English (32.2%), Australian (22.9%), and Irish (11.5%).

Notably, Scottish (9.9%) and French (0.8%) were overrepresented in Manly-Lota compared to regional averages of 7.4% and 0.5%, respectively.

Manly - Lota hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Manly-Lota has a median age of 45, which is higher than Greater Brisbane's figure of 36 and significantly exceeds the national average of 38. The age group of 55-64 is strongly represented at 14.9%, compared to Greater Brisbane, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 6.8%. According to the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group has increased from 6.2% to 8.3% of the population, and the 15 to 24 group has risen from 10.3% to 11.8%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort has decreased from 13.5% to 12.4%, and the 25 to 34 group has dropped from 7.9% to 6.8%. Demographic projections suggest that Manly-Lota's age profile will change significantly by 2041. Leading this shift, the 85+ group is expected to grow by 116%, reaching 441 people from 204. The aging population trend is clear, with those aged 65 and above accounting for 73% of projected growth. Meanwhile, the 15 to 24 and 0 to 4 age groups are expected to experience population declines.