Meridan Plains - Little Mountain (North)
Statistical Area - sa2

Meridan Plains - Little Mountain (North) lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Meridan Plains - Little Mountain (North)'s population is 15,333 as of Aug 2025. This is an increase from the 2021 Census figure of 14,397 people, reflecting a growth of 6.5%. The estimated resident population of 15,037 in June 2024 and validated new addresses since then account for this change. The population density is 637 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, ending in Aug 2025, Meridan Plains - Little Mountain (North) has shown a compound annual growth rate of 2.4%, surpassing non-metro areas. Interstate migration contributed approximately 53.0% to recent population gains.

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 based on 2021 data are adopted. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits, so AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 and based on 2022 data for each age cohort. Future population trends suggest an increase just below the median of non-metropolitan areas nationally. Based on latest population numbers, Meridan Plains - Little Mountain (North) is expected to expand by 1,326 persons to reach a total of 2041, reflecting a growth of 6.7% over 17 years.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Meridan Plains - Little Mountain (North) when compared nationally

Meridan Plains - Little Mountain (North) received approximately 74 dwelling approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reports that between Financial Year 21 and Financial Year 25, a total of 370 approvals were granted, with an additional 2 approved in Financial Year 26. Each year, an average of 3 new residents per dwelling was recorded over the past five financial years. The average construction cost value for new homes was $606,000.

In Financial Year 26, $200,000 worth of commercial development approvals were recorded, indicating minimal commercial activity compared to residential development. When measured against the rest of Queensland, Meridan Plains - Little Mountain (North) had 66.0% lower building activity per person as of the latest data. This scarcity typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties in the area. New building activity showed 23.0% detached houses and 77.0% medium to high-density housing, indicating a shift from the area's current housing composition, which is 79.0% houses. The estimated population count per dwelling approval was 855 people, reflecting its quiet development environment. Population forecasts indicate that Meridan Plains - Little Mountain (North) will gain approximately 1,030 residents by 2041.

If current development rates continue, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Meridan Plains - Little Mountain (North) has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 18thth percentile nationally

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 83 projects potentially impacting the area. Major projects include Honey Farm Sport and Recreation Precinct, Aura Home + Life, Heritage Lane Estate Little Mountain, and Aura (Caloundra South) - Stockland Development. The following list details those most relevant.

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

AreaSearch analysis places Meridan Plains - Little Mountain (North) well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Meridan Plains - Little Mountain (North) has a skilled workforce with 7,596 residents employed as of June 2025. The unemployment rate is 2.2%, which is 1.7% below the Rest of Qld's rate of 3.9%.

Workforce participation is 56.7%, lower than Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Key employment industries include health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade, with health care & social assistance being particularly strong at 1.3 times the regional level. Agriculture, forestry & fishing has a lower representation of 0.7% compared to the regional average of 4.5%. Between June 2024 and June 2025, the labour force decreased by 2.3%, employment decreased by 1.6%, causing unemployment to fall by 0.7 percentage points.

In contrast, Rest of Qld experienced employment growth of 1.8% and labour force growth of 2.0%. As of Sep-25, QLD's employment contracted by 0.23% (losing 8,070 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%, compared to the national unemployment rate of 4.5%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 project growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Meridan Plains - Little Mountain (North)'s employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.8%% over five years and 14.0% over ten years.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

The latest postcode-level ATO data from AreaSearch for financial year 2022 shows Meridan Plains - Little Mountain (North) had a median income among taxpayers of $47,250 and an average of $60,326. This is below the national average. The Rest of Qld's median was $50,780 with an average of $64,844. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.71% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Meridan Plains - Little Mountain (North) are approximately $52,783 median and $67,390 average as of March 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Meridan Plains - Little Mountain (North) rank modestly between the 32nd and 36th percentiles. Income distribution shows that 32.8% of locals (5,029 people) earn between $1,500 and $2,999 annually, similar to regional levels where 31.7% fall into this bracket. Housing affordability is severe with only 79.8% of income remaining, ranking at the 31st percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Meridan Plains - Little Mountain (North) is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Dwelling structure within Meridan Plains - Little Mountain (North), as evaluated at the latest Census in 2016, comprised 79.2% houses and 20.8% other dwellings such as semi-detached properties, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This compares to Non-Metro Qld's figures of 70.4% houses and 29.6% other dwellings. The level of home ownership in Meridan Plains - Little Mountain (North) was at 33.5%, with the remainder comprising mortgaged properties at 37.8% and rented dwellings at 28.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area stood at $1,950, aligning with Non-Metro Qld's average. However, the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $460, slightly higher than Non-Metro Qld's figure of $450. Nationally, Meridan Plains - Little Mountain (North)'s mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, as reported in June 2021. Similarly, rents in the area were substantially above the national figure of $375, also reported in June 2021.

Meridan Plains - Little Mountain (North) has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 74.0% of all households, including 31.3% couples with children, 30.0% couples without children, and 12.0% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 26.0%, with lone person households at 23.4% and group households comprising 2.5%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is larger than the Rest of Qld average of 2.5 people.

The educational profile of Meridan Plains - Little Mountain (North) exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 19.5%, considerably lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 14.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.0%) and graduate diplomas (2.1%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 42.8% of residents aged 15+ holding them, specifically advanced diplomas (12.6%) and certificates (30.2%). Educational participation is high at 30.9%, including primary (11.1%), secondary (10.4%), and tertiary education (4.1%).

Meridan State College and Pacific Lutheran College serve a total of 3,090 students. The area's socio-educational conditions are above average (ICSEA: 1066). Both schools offer integrated K-12 education. The area functions as an education hub with 20.1 school places per 100 residents, significantly higher than the regional average of 13.3, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

Transport analysis indicates 29 active stops operating within Meridan Plains - Little Mountain (North), offering mixed bus services. These are serviced by six routes, facilitating 858 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated moderate with residents located typically 403 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 122 trips daily across all routes, translating to approximately 29 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Meridan Plains - Little Mountain (North) is lower than average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Meridan Plains - Little Mountain (North) faces notable health challenges, with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. Approximately 50% of the total population (~7666 people) has private health cover, compared to 52.7% in the rest of Queensland and a national average of 55.3%. The most common medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 10.1% and 8.6% of residents respectively.

However, 65.1% of residents report having no medical ailments, compared to 66.2% in the rest of Queensland. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, with 23.7% (3630 people) compared to 22.3% in the rest of Queensland. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, broadly aligning with the general population's health profile.

Meridan Plains - Little Mountain (North) ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Meridan Plains-Little Mountain (North) had a cultural diversity below average, with 77.1% of its population born in Australia, 87.0% being citizens, and 94.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion, comprising 51.6% of people, compared to 50.0% across Rest of Qld. The top three ancestry groups were English (34.2%), Australian (26.5%), and Scottish (8.7%).

Notably, New Zealand (1.0% vs regional 1.1%), South African (0.7% vs regional 0.6%), and Maori (0.7% vs regional 0.7%) were overrepresented.

Meridan Plains - Little Mountain (North) hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Meridan Plains - Little Mountain (North) was 42 years old as of the 2021 Census, which is close to Rest of Qld's average of 41 but well above the Australian median of 38. Comparing this with Rest of Qld, the 75-84 age cohort was notably over-represented at 10.2% locally, while the 55-64 year-olds were under-represented at 9.2%. Between the 2016 and 2021 Censuses, the 15 to 24 age group grew from 12.2% to 13.3%, whereas the 5 to 14 cohort declined from 14.2% to 12.5%. The 65 to 74 group also dropped from 10.2% to 9.0%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes, with the 85+ age cohort projected to grow substantially by 563 people (an increase of 83%), going from 679 to 1,243. The aging population trend is clear, with those aged 65 and above comprising 53% of the projected growth. Conversely, the 55 to 64 and 5 to 14 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.