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 was approximately 8,434 as of May 2026, reflecting an increase of 544 people from the 2021 Census figure of 7,890. This growth is inferred from ABS estimated resident population figures and validated new addresses since June 2025. The population density was around 2,008 persons per square kilometer in May 2026. Manly - Lota's 6.9% growth between Census dates compares closely to the SA3 area's 7.1%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 82.7% of overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022.

For areas not covered or years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections from 2023 are used, with proportional growth weightings applied based on ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023. Future population trends suggest a slight increase below the median statistical area analysed by AreaSearch, with an expected growth of 422 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 3.6% over 16 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 a further 225 approved in FY26. On average, each dwelling constructed over these years accommodated about 1.7 new residents per year. However, recent data indicates this has increased to 4.5 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, suggesting growing demand and potential undersupply.

The average construction value of new properties is $645,000, indicating a focus on the premium market segment. In FY26, commercial approvals totaling $8.9 million were registered, reflecting the area's residential character. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Manly - Lota has had slightly more development activity, with 17.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period, balancing buyer choice while supporting current property values. The new development mix consists of 57.0% detached houses and 43.0% medium to high-density housing, including townhouses and apartments, offering options across different price points.

This shift reflects reduced availability of development sites and addresses changing lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. With around 286 people per dwelling approval, Manly - Lota's population is growing. Future projections estimate an addition of 307 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should meet demand comfortably, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Manly - Lota has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 37thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified four projects likely to impact the area. Key projects are Royal Far West Neighbourhood Development, The Wellington Collection, Manly Hotel Refurbishment, and Breeze On Berrima. Details of those most relevant follow.

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.

Manly - Lota ranks among the top 25% of areas assessed nationally for overall employment performance

Manly - Lota has a highly educated workforce with strong professional services representation. The unemployment rate was 2.4% as of December 2025, below Greater Brisbane's 4.1%. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 5.3%.

As of December 2025, 4,860 residents were employed with an unemployment rate of 1.8% below Greater Brisbane's rate. Workforce participation was 71.6%, similar to Greater Brisbane's 69.6%. A notable 26.3% of residents worked from home according to Census responses, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns.

Key industries for employment were health care & social assistance, construction, and professional & technical services. However, health care & social assistance had lower representation at 13.3%, compared to the regional average of 16.1%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census data on working population versus resident population. Over a 12-month period ending in May-25, employment increased by 5.3% while labour force grew by 5.4%, keeping unemployment relatively stable at 2.4%. In comparison, Greater Brisbane recorded employment growth of 3.2% and labour force growth of 3.0%, with unemployment falling to 4.0%. 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 employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.6% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations 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 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 11.36% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes for March 2026 would be approximately $72,423 (median) and $94,854 (average). Census data indicates that Manly - Lota's household, family, and personal incomes cluster around the 69th percentile nationally. Income distribution shows that 27.5% of residents fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket, with a total of 2,319 people in this range. Surrounding regions also exhibit similar income patterns, with 33.3% of residents occupying the same income bracket. Economic strength is evident through 33.1% of households earning high weekly incomes exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. Housing accounts for 14.4% of income, and residents rank within 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 structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 76.7% houses and 23.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Brisbane metropolitan area had 73.5% houses and 26.5% 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 exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while 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 account for 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% of the total. 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 rate 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 prominent, with 34.9% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas at 12.6% and certificates at 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 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 29 individual routes, facilitating 1,942 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 197 meters to the nearest stop. The area is predominantly residential, with most commuters traveling outward. Cars remain the primary mode of transport at 84%, while train usage stands at 10%. On average, there are 1.4 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, a significant 26.3% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 277 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 47 weekly trips per 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 based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence, notable across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 62% of the total population (5195 people), compared to 55.8% across Greater Brisbane and the national average of 55.7%. The most common medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 8.8% and 8.8% of residents respectively, while 66.7% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 69.2% across Greater Brisbane.

Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. The area has 20.6% of residents aged 65 and over (1735 people), higher than the 15.1% 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's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 76.2% of its population born in Australia, 88.3% being citizens, and 94.1% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion in Manly-Lota, comprising 53.1% of people, compared to 47.8% across Greater Brisbane. The top three represented ancestry groups were English (32.2%), Australian (22.9%), and Irish (11.5%).

Notably, Scottish ancestry was overrepresented at 9.9%, compared to the regional average of 7.4%. New Zealand ancestry was also slightly higher at 1.1% versus 1.0%, as was French ancestry at 0.8% versus 0.5%.

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

Manly-Lota's median age is 45, exceeding Greater Brisbane's figure of 36 and Australia's norm of 38. The 55-64 age group makes up 15.0% of the population, higher than Greater Brisbane's percentage. Conversely, the 25-34 cohort comprises 7.4%. Post-2021 Census, the 15-24 age group grew from 10.3% to 12.1%, while the 75-84 group increased from 6.2% to 7.8%. However, the 5-14 cohort declined from 13.5% to 12.2%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Manly-Lota's age profile. The 85+ group is expected to grow by 116%, reaching 450 from 208. Those aged 65 and above are projected to account for 73% of the population growth. Meanwhile, the 15-24 and 0-4 age groups are predicted to experience population declines.