Manly - Lota
Statistical Area - sa2

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 8,411 as of August 2025, reflecting a 6.6% increase since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 7,890. This change is inferred from the ABS estimated resident population of 8,254 in June 2024 and an additional 73 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density ratio is 2,002 persons per square kilometer, exceeding the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Manly-Lota's growth rate of 6.6% since the 2021 census exceeded that of its SA3 area (6.4%). Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration. 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 from 2023 based on 2021 data are used. These state projections do not provide age category splits; thus, AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023, based on 2022 data. Population projections indicate a median increase by 500 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 4.1% 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 averaged approximately 41 new dwelling approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis, with 206 homes approved over the past five financial years from FY-21 to FY-25, and 196 approvals so far in FY-26. Over these five years, an average of 1.7 new residents arrived per new home. However, recent figures show this has increased to 4.5 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, indicating growing demand. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $1,062,000, targeting the premium market segment.

This year has seen $8.9 million in commercial approvals, suggesting a residential character for the area. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Manly - Lota shows moderately higher building activity, with 17.0% above the regional average per person over the past five years. Recent construction comprises 57.0% detached dwellings and 43.0% medium and high-density housing, offering choices across price ranges. This shift from the area's existing housing (currently 77.0% houses) indicates decreasing developable sites and changing lifestyles.

The location has approximately 286 people per dwelling approval, suggesting room for growth. By 2041, Manly - Lota is projected to grow by 343 residents. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Manly - Lota has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 26thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified five projects that may impact this region. Notable projects include The Wellington Collection, Royal Far West Neighbourhood Development, Wynnum Manly Lota Foreshores Master Plan, and Manly Hotel Refurbishment.

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

The labour market strength in Manly - Lota positions it well ahead of most Australian regions

Manly-Lota has an educated workforce with strong professional services representation. The unemployment rate was 2.2% in the past year, with estimated employment growth of 4.9%.

As of June 2025, 4,718 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.8%, below Greater Brisbane's 4.1%. Workforce participation is similar to Greater Brisbane at 64.5%. Dominant sectors include health care & social assistance, construction, and professional & technical services.

However, health care & social assistance is under-represented at 13.3% compared to Greater Brisbane's 16.1%. Employment opportunities appear limited locally based on Census data. During June 2024-June 2025, employment levels increased by 4.9%, labour force by 4.4%, reducing unemployment by 0.5 percentage points. Comparing this with Greater Brisbane shows similar trends but slightly lower growth rates. State-level data to Sep-25 shows Queensland employment contracted by 0.23% (losing 8,070 jobs), with an unemployment rate of 4.2%. National unemployment is 4.5%, with national employment growth at 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment expansion of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Manly-Lota's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.6%% over five years and 13.6% over ten years, based on simple weighting 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

Manly - Lota has an exceptionally high national income level according to the latest Australian Taxation Office (ATO) data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2022. The median income among taxpayers in Manly - Lota is $62,301, with an average income of $80,647. These figures compare to those for Greater Brisbane, which are $55,645 and $70,520 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.71% since the financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $69,596 (median) and $90,091 (average) as of March 2025. The 2021 Census shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Manly - Lota cluster around the 70th percentile nationally. The earnings profile indicates that the largest segment comprises 27.5% earning between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly (2,313 residents), which mirrors the broader area where 33.3% occupy this bracket. Economic strength is evident through 33.1% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. Housing accounts for 14.4% of income, while strong earnings rank residents within the 72nd percentile for disposable income. The area's Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (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 dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, comprised 76.7% houses and 23.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Brisbane metro's 78.0% houses and 22.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Manly-Lota was 36.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 36.9% and rented at 27.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, and the median weekly rent was $410, compared to Brisbane metro's $2,100 and $420 respectively. Nationally, Manly-Lota's median mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while median rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households comprise 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 make up the remaining 29.6%, with lone person households at 27.5% and group households comprising 2.3%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is 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 at 33.1% of 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. This includes primary education (9.9%), secondary education (8.1%), and tertiary education (4.9%). Manly-Lota's four schools have a combined enrollment of 1,581 students. The area demonstrates above-average socio-educational conditions with an ICSEA score of 1070. Educational mix includes three primary schools and one K-12 school. School capacity exceeds typical residential needs, with 18.8 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 13.6, indicating the area serves as an educational hub for the broader region.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 41 active transport stops operating within Manly-Lota area. These comprise a mix of train and bus services. They are serviced by 26 individual routes, collectively providing 1,895 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 197 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 270 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 46 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Manly - Lota faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts.

The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 60% of the total population (5,029 people). The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 8.8 and 8.8% of residents respectively, while 66.7% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 69.4% across Greater Brisbane. The area has 20.5% of residents aged 65 and over (1,721 people), which is higher than the 16.7% in Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

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 has a lower cultural diversity, with 76.2% of its population born in Australia, 88.3% being citizens, and 94.1% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Manly - Lota, making up 53.1%, compared to 52.5% across Greater Brisbane. The top three ancestry groups are English (32.2%), Australian (22.9%), and Irish (11.5%).

Notably, Scottish representation is higher at 9.9% in Manly - Lota than the regional average of 8.4%, while French is slightly higher at 0.8% compared to 0.6%. New Zealand representation stands at 1.1%, close to the regional figure of 1.3%.

Manly - Lota hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Manly - Lota has a median age of 45, which exceeds Greater Brisbane's figure of 36 and is significantly higher than the national norm 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 7.2%. According to the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group has increased from 6.2% to 8.0% of the population, and the 15 to 24 cohort has risen from 10.3% to 11.7%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort has decreased from 13.5% to 12.4%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Manly - Lota's age profile will change significantly. The 85+ group is projected to grow by 123%, reaching 441 people from 197. This growth is led by the aging population dynamic, with those aged 65 and above comprising 75% of projected growth. Meanwhile, the 15 to 24 and 0 to 4 age groups are expected to experience population declines.