Murarrie
Statistical Area - sa2

Murarrie lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Murarrie's population is around 5,164 as of Aug 2025. This reflects an increase of 389 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,775 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 5,164 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 21 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 611 persons per square kilometer. Murarrie's growth of 8.1% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area (6.4%) and the SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth was primarily driven by natural growth contributing approximately 56.8% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections released in 2023 based on 2021 data are adopted. A significant population increase is forecast for the top quartile of national statistical areas, with the area expected to expand by 1,366 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, recording a gain of 26.4% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Murarrie among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Murarrie has averaged approximately 38 new dwelling approvals annually. Development approval data from the ABS is recorded on a financial year basis. Between FY20 and FY25, Murarrie had 190 home approvals, with none recorded in FY26 so far. On average, each newly built home accommodates about 4.3 new residents per year over the past five financial years.

This supply is lagging behind demand, indicating heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures. The average construction cost value of new homes is around $427,000, aligning with regional trends. In FY26, Murarrie has seen $20.8 million in commercial approvals, suggesting balanced commercial development activity compared to the Greater Brisbane region. Over a five-year period, Murarrie has shown 35.0% more development per person than the regional average. New building activity is dominated by townhouses or apartments (83.0%), with only 17.0% being detached dwellings.

This shift reflects reduced availability of development sites and addresses changing lifestyle demands and affordability requirements, differing from the current housing mix which is predominantly houses (73.0%). With approximately 140 people per dwelling approval, Murarrie exhibits characteristics of a growth area. Population forecasts predict Murarrie will gain 1,366 residents by 2041. Development activity appears to be keeping pace with projected population growth, although buyers may face increasing competition as the population expands.

Murarrie has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 34thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 22 projects that could impact this region. Notable projects include Rivermakers Masterplan, scheduled for completion in June 2023; Rivermakers Masterplan, expected to finish by December 2024; Rivermakers Masterplan, slated for completion in March 2025; and Rivermakers Masterplan, set to be finished by August 2026. The following list details those projects likely to have the most relevance.

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

AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Murarrie performing better than 85% of local markets assessed across Australia

Murarrie has a well-educated workforce with professional services strongly represented. Its unemployment rate is 2.6%, lower than the national average of 4.5%.

In the year to June 2025, employment grew by 4.6% and labour force increased by 4.5%, resulting in a decrease in unemployment by 0.2 percentage points. As of June 2025, 3,489 residents are employed with an unemployment rate of 1.5% below Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation is high at 75.1%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 64.5%. Leading employment industries include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and construction.

The area has a notable concentration in professional & technical services, with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average. However, health care & social assistance has limited presence with 13.9% employment compared to 16.1% regionally. There are 3.0 workers for every resident, indicating Murarrie functions as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding areas. State-level data to Sep-25 shows QLD employment contracted by 0.23%, with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project a growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Murarrie's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.7% over five years and 13.7% over ten years.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022 shows Murarrie's median income among taxpayers is $65,569, with an average of $81,239. This ranks high in Australia compared to Greater Brisbane's median of $55,645 and average of $70,520. As of March 2025, current estimates based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022 are approximately $73,247 (median) and $90,752 (average). According to the 2021 Census figures, Murarrie ranks highly nationally for household, family, and personal incomes, between the 86th and 88th percentiles. The earnings profile shows that 35.5% of locals fall into the $1,500 - $2,999 category, similar to the surrounding region at 33.3%. Economic strength is evident with 37.0% of households earning high weekly incomes exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. High housing costs consume 15.8% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 87th percentile nationally, and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Murarrie is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

The dwelling structure in Murarrie, as per the latest Census, consisted of 72.7% houses and 27.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Brisbane metro had 78.0% houses and 22.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Murarrie stood at 20.6%, with the rest being mortgaged (43.7%) or rented (35.7%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, higher than Brisbane metro's average of $2,100. The median weekly rent in Murarrie was $450, compared to Brisbane metro's $420. Nationally, Murarrie's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Murarrie features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 74.3% of all households, including 33.0% couples with children, 28.0% couples without children, and 11.5% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 25.7%, with lone person households at 19.4% and group households comprising 6.0% of the total. The median household size is 2.6 people, which aligns with the Greater Brisbane average.

Murarrie shows below-average educational performance compared to national benchmarks, though pockets of achievement exist

Educational attainment in Murarrie is notably high, with 35.1% of residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications, compared to 23.7% in the broader SA4 region and 25.7% in Queensland. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 24.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.3%) and graduate diplomas (3.5%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 34.5% of residents holding them, including advanced diplomas (12.6%) and certificates (21.9%). Educational participation is high, with 29.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes primary education (9.4%), secondary education (7.4%), and tertiary education (6.5%). Murarrie State School serves the local area, with an enrollment of 57 students as of a recent report. It demonstrates typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 950) and offers balanced educational opportunities, focusing exclusively on primary education while secondary options are available in nearby areas. Local school capacity is limited, with only 1.1 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 13.6, leading many families to travel for schooling.

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

Murarrie has 16 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 28 different routes that facilitate 2,572 weekly passenger trips in total. The area's transport accessibility is considered good, with residents residing an average of 257 meters from the nearest stop.

All routes combined operate approximately 367 trips daily, which translates to about 160 weekly trips per individual stop.

Murarrie's residents are extremely healthy with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Murarrie. Prevalence of common health conditions is low among the general population, but higher than the national average across older, at-risk cohorts. Private health cover rate is exceptionally high at approximately 61% of the total population (3,139 people), compared to 58.6% across Greater Brisbane and 55.3% nationally.

The most common medical conditions are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 9.1 and 8.0% of residents respectively. 72.2% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.4% across Greater Brisbane. The area has 9.4% of residents aged 65 and over (484 people), which is lower than the 16.7% in Greater Brisbane but still requires more attention than the broader population.

Murarrie was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Murarrie had a higher linguistic diversity than most local areas, with 15.9% of its residents speaking languages other than English at home as of the latest data available in 20XX. Additionally, 28.1% of Murarrie's population was born overseas by this date. Christianity was the predominant religion in Murarrie, with 49.0% of people identifying as such.

However, Judaism had a higher representation in Murarrie at 0.2%, compared to 0.1% across Greater Brisbane. Regarding ancestry, the top three groups were English (26.0%), Australian (23.0%), and Irish (9.7%). Notable differences existed for New Zealanders (1.6% vs regional 1.3%) and South Africans (0.7% vs regional 0.8%).

Murarrie's population is younger than the national pattern

Murarrie's median age is 35 years, nearly matching Greater Brisbane's average of 36 years and somewhat younger than Australia's average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Murarrie has a higher proportion of residents aged 35-44 (18.2%) but fewer residents aged 65-74 (5.5%). Between the 2021 Census and the present, the population aged 15-24 has grown from 12.1% to 13.2%, while the 55-64 age group increased from 9.4% to 10.5%. Conversely, the 5-14 age group declined from 12.3% to 10.7%, and the 25-34 age group decreased from 18.6% to 17.0%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate substantial demographic changes in Murarrie. The 45-54 age cohort is projected to grow by 47%, adding 369 residents to reach a total of 1,150. In contrast, the 0-4 age cohort shows minimal growth of just 4% (an increase of 12 people).