Newstead - Bowen Hills
Statistical Area - sa2

Newstead - Bowen Hills lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

Newstead-Bowen Hills' population, as of Aug 2025, is around 21,183. This figure reflects an increase of 3,167 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 18,016. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 20,923 in June 2024 and an additional 826 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 6,922 persons per square kilometer, placing Newstead-Bowen Hills in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's population growth of 17.6% since the 2021 census exceeded both the national average (8.6%) and state averages. Interstate migration contributed approximately 58.2% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including overseas migration and natural growth being positive factors.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 using 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data or years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections are used, released in 2023 and based on 2021 data. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits, so AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort. Future population dynamics forecast a significant increase in the top quartile of statistical areas across the nation, with Newstead-Bowen Hills expected to increase by 8,294 persons to 2041, recording a gain of 37.9% in total over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Newstead - Bowen Hills was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

Newstead - Bowen Hills received approximately 306 dwelling approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports 1,530 approvals between FY21 and FY25, with 122 in FY26 to date. Each year, about three new residents are associated with every home built over the past five financial years. This high demand outpaces supply, driving price growth and increased buyer competition.

Developers focus on premium properties, with an average construction cost of $811,000 per dwelling. Commercial approvals totalled $242.6 million in FY26, indicating robust local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Newstead - Bowen Hills has 136.0% more new home approvals per capita, reflecting strong developer confidence in the area. New developments consist of 1.0% detached houses and 99.0% townhouses or apartments, promoting higher-density living and affordability for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. With around 391 people per dwelling approval, it demonstrates a mature market. Population forecasts suggest Newstead - Bowen Hills will gain 8,034 residents by 2041.

If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price growth.

Newstead - Bowen Hills has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 122 projects that could impact the area. Notable projects include Teneriffe Banks, Waterfront Newstead - Mirvac Development, Brisbane Showgrounds Regeneration Project, and Isle Waterfront Newstead. The following list details those most relevant.

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

AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Newstead - Bowen Hills performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Newstead-Bowen Hills has a highly educated workforce with strong professional services representation. Its unemployment rate was 2.2% in the past year, lower than Greater Brisbane's 4.1%.

Employment growth was estimated at 3.3%. As of June 2025, 16,772 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.9%, and workforce participation at 77.7%. Dominant sectors include professional & technical (2.2 times the regional level), health care & social assistance, and accommodation & food. Construction employs only 4.9% locally, below Greater Brisbane's 9.0%.

The area functions as an employment hub with 1.4 workers per resident. Over June 2024 to June 2025, employment increased by 3.3%, labour force by 2.9%, reducing unemployment by 0.4 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Brisbane recorded higher growth rates but similar unemployment reduction. State-level data from Sep-25 shows Queensland's employment contracted by 0.23% with an unemployment rate of 4.2%. National projections forecast total employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with local growth potentially higher due to industry-specific projections.

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

Newstead-Bowen Hills' median income among taxpayers was $64,314 and average income was $95,925 in financial year 2022. This compares to Greater Brisbane's median income of $55,645 and average income of $70,520 during the same period. By March 2025, estimated median income would be approximately $71,845 and average income $107,158, based on a Wage Price Index growth rate of 11.71% since financial year 2022. Individual earnings in Newstead-Bowen Hills stood at the 97th percentile nationally ($1,405 weekly) as per census data. Income brackets showed that 37.6% of locals (7,964 people) fell within the $1,500 - 2,999 category. Higher earners, those exceeding $3,000 weekly, comprised a substantial presence at 32.1%. High housing costs consumed 18.4% of income, yet strong earnings placed disposable income at the 73rd percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 9th decile.

Newstead - Bowen Hills features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure in Newstead-Bowen Hills, as per the latest Census, consisted of 3.8% houses and 96.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Brisbane metropolitan area had 36.5% houses and 63.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Newstead-Bowen Hills was 12.1%, with the rest being mortgaged or rented at 17.7% and 70.3% respectively. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, lower than Brisbane metro's average of $2,167. Median weekly rent in Newstead-Bowen Hills was $450, higher than Brisbane metro's $410. Nationally, mortgage repayments were higher at $1,863 and rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

Newstead - Bowen Hills features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 45.7% of all households, consisting of 8.0% couples with children, 32.6% couples without children, and 3.9% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 54.3%, with lone person households at 43.5% and group households comprising 10.7%. The median household size is 1.7 people, which is smaller than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.2.

The educational profile of Newstead - Bowen Hills exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

In Newstead-Bowen Hills, a higher proportion of residents aged 15 and above have university qualifications compared to Queensland (25.7%) and Australia (30.4%). Specifically, 56.1% of residents in the area hold such qualifications, with bachelor degrees being the most common at 38.7%. This is followed by postgraduate qualifications at 12.8% and graduate diplomas at 4.6%. Vocational pathways account for 24.0% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas making up 11.0% and certificates 13.0%.

Educational participation is notably high in the area, with 25.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.5% in tertiary education, 2.6% in primary education, and 2.1% pursuing secondary education. However, educational facilities appear to be located outside the immediate catchment boundaries, requiring families to access schools in neighboring areas.

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

The analysis of public transport in Newstead - Bowen Hills shows that there are currently 45 active transport stops operating in the area. These stops offer a variety of services including ferry, train, and bus routes. There are a total of 223 individual routes serving these stops, which collectively facilitate approximately 17,707 weekly passenger trips.

The report rates transport accessibility as excellent, with residents typically located just 131 meters away from the nearest transport stop. On average, there are about 2,529 trips per day across all routes, equating to roughly 393 weekly trips per individual stop.

Newstead - Bowen Hills's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Newstead-Bowen Hills demonstrates excellent health outcomes with very low prevalence of common conditions across all ages. Approximately 69% of its total population (14,679 people) have private health cover, significantly higher than the national average of 55.3%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent conditions, affecting 10.8 and 7.3% of residents respectively. Overall, 73.9% of residents report being free from medical ailments, closely matching Greater Brisbane's 73.7%. The area has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over (11.1%, or 2,342 people) compared to Greater Brisbane (12.2%). Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in Newstead-Bowen Hills are notably strong and align with the broader population's health profile.

Newstead - Bowen Hills 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

Newstead-Bowen Hills has a higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 19.4% of its residents speaking a language other than English at home and 34.6% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Newstead-Bowen Hills, making up 37.4% of the population. However, Judaism is overrepresented compared to Greater Brisbane, comprising 0.3% versus 0.2%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (26.6%), Australian (17.7%), and Other (11.0%). Notably, French (1.0%), Spanish (0.9%), and Welsh (0.8%) ethnicities have higher representations than the regional averages of 0.7%, 0.5%, and 0.7% respectively.

Newstead - Bowen Hills's young demographic places it in the bottom 15% of areas nationwide

Newstead-Bowen Hills has a median age of 34, which is slightly lower than Greater Brisbane's figure of 36 and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Newstead-Bowen Hills has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (34.1%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (2.9%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is notably higher than the national figure of 14.5%. Since the 2021 Census, the average age of residents has increased by 1.1 years, with the median age rising from 33 to 34. Specifically, the proportion of residents aged 75-84 has grown from 2.8% to 4.1%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 25-34 has decreased from 36.4% to 34.1%, and those aged 15-24 have dropped from 12.8% to 10.8%. Demographic projections indicate that Newstead-Bowen Hills' age profile will significantly change by 2041, with the 45-54 age cohort expected to rise substantially, increasing by 1,572 people (68%) from 2,311 to 3,884.