North Lakes
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in North Lakes are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

North Lakes' population is 24,474 as of August 2025, according to AreaSearch's analysis. This figure represents an increase of 1,444 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 23,030. The growth is inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 24,454 in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since then. This results in a population density of 2,074 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, North Lakes has shown consistent growth with a compound annual growth rate of 2.4%, outperforming its SA4 region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 75.5% of overall population gains recently.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024, based on 2022 data. For areas not covered and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections from 2023, using 2021 data, are adopted. However, these state projections lack age category splits, so AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings based on ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023, using 2022 data for each age cohort. Future population projections indicate lower quartile growth, with North Lakes expected to grow by 939 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 3.8% over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within North Lakes when compared nationally

North Lakes has received approximately 95 dwelling approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that from Financial Year 2020 to 2025, around 479 homes were approved, with one recorded in FY-26 so far. On average, 7.3 new residents arrive per year for each dwelling constructed over the past five financial years. This has led to a substantial supply lagging demand, resulting in heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures.

The average construction cost of new dwellings is $366,000, which is below regional levels, indicating more affordable housing choices for buyers. In FY-26, there have been $14.2 million worth of commercial approvals, demonstrating moderate levels of commercial development compared to the Greater Brisbane region. North Lakes records significantly lower building activity, at 84% below the regional average per person, suggesting established nature and potential planning limitations. Recent construction comprises 17% standalone homes and 83% medium to high-density housing, marking a shift from the current 85% houses pattern, indicating diminishing developable land availability and responding to evolving lifestyle preferences. With around 6265 people per dwelling approval, North Lakes reflects a highly mature market. By 2041, North Lakes is projected to grow by 919 residents. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Looking ahead, North Lakes is expected to grow by 919 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

North Lakes has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 35 projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include North Lakes Industrial Development Site, North Lakes Health Hub Expansion, Narangba Heights Shopping Centre, and Azure North Lakes Mixed Development. The following list details those most relevant.

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

The employment environment in North Lakes shows above-average strength when compared nationally

North Lakes has a skilled labour force with prominent representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 4.5% as of June 2021, with an estimated employment growth of 6.4%.

As of June 2025, the unemployment rate is 4.9%, which is 0.4% higher than Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.5%. The workforce participation rate in North Lakes is 70.2%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 64.5%. Dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and education & training. Retail trade shows notable concentration with employment levels at 1.2 times the regional average.

Conversely, professional & technical services have lower representation at 7.1% compared to the regional average of 8.9%. Many North Lakes residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data analysis. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 6.4%, while the labour force grew by 7.5%, leading to an unemployment rise of 1.0 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Brisbane recorded employment growth of 4.4% and a decrease in unemployment by 0.4 percentage points during the same period. As of Sep-25, Queensland's employment contracted by 0.23%, with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to North Lakes' employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.7% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

North Lakes' median taxpayer income was $56,801 and average income was $67,728, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2022. This is higher than national averages of $55,645 (median) and $70,520 (average) in Greater Brisbane. By March 2025, estimated median income would be approximately $63,452 and average income $75,659, based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.71% since financial year 2022. Census 2021 data shows North Lakes' incomes cluster around the 68th percentile nationally. Income distribution indicates that 38.5% (9,422 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 range. This is consistent with broader regional trends, where 33.3% also fall in this category. High housing costs consume 17.0% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 70th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

North Lakes is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

North Lakes' residential structures, as per the latest Census evaluation, consisted of 84.9% houses and 15.1% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' types. In contrast, Brisbane metropolitan area had 75.0% houses and 25.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in North Lakes stood at 18.3%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (43.0%) or rented (38.8%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in North Lakes was $1,950, higher than Brisbane metro's average of $1,820. The median weekly rent figure for North Lakes was recorded at $420, compared to Brisbane metro's $380. Nationally, North Lakes' mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

North Lakes features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 82.1% of all households, including 43.7% couples with children, 24.3% couples without children, and 13.4% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 17.9%, with lone person households at 15.7% and group households comprising 2.2% of the total. The median household size is 2.9 people, which is larger than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.8 people.

The educational profile of North Lakes exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

North Lakes has a higher proportion of residents with university qualifications (26.5%) compared to the broader area average (22.3%). Bachelor degrees are the most common at 18.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.6%) and graduate diplomas (2.7%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 38.5% of residents aged 15+ holding such skills, including advanced diplomas (13.6%) and certificates (24.9%).

Educational participation is high, with 34.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.4% in primary, 10.3% in secondary, and 5.0% in tertiary education. North Lakes has four schools with a combined enrollment of 4,889 students, indicating typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1019). The educational mix includes one primary, one secondary, and two K-12 schools.

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

North Lakes has 45 active public transport stops operating as of now. These are mixed bus stops serviced by 11 routes that collectively provide 2,398 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated good with residents typically located 288 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 342 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 53 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in North Lakes is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

North Lakes shows better-than-average health outcomes, with lower prevalence of common conditions in its general population compared to national averages but higher among older, at-risk groups. Approximately 53% (~13,069 people) have private health cover, slightly higher than Greater Brisbane's 51.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues (8.8%) and asthma (7.3%), with 72.2% reporting no medical ailments, compared to 69.9% in Greater Brisbane. About 12.1% (~2,958 people) of residents are aged 65 and over. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than those for the broader population.

North Lakes 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

North Lakes, as per the census conducted on Tuesday 9 June 2020, exhibited higher cultural diversity than most local markets. Specifically, 18.5% of its residents spoke a language other than English at home, and 35.7% were born overseas. Christianity was identified as the predominant religion in North Lakes, with 48.4% of people adhering to it.

However, the category 'Other' showed an overrepresentation among North Lakes residents, comprising 2.0%, compared to 2.7% across Greater Brisbane. In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (27.7%), Australian (22.8%), and Other (10.1%). Notably, South African descent was overrepresented at 1.7%, compared to the regional average of 1.0%. New Zealand (1.5%) and Maori (1.5%) also showed similar representation to their respective regional averages.

North Lakes's population is younger than the national pattern

North Lakes's median age is 35 years, nearly matching Greater Brisbane's average of 36, which is somewhat younger than Australia's median age of 38. Compared to Greater Brisbane, North Lakes has a higher concentration of residents aged 5-14 (15.3%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (12.8%). Between the 2021 Census and present, the population share for those aged 55-64 increased from 8.4% to 9.6%, while the share of those aged 15-24 rose from 13.3% to 14.4%. Conversely, the share of residents aged 5-14 decreased from 17.1% to 15.3%. By 2041, North Lakes' population is projected to experience substantial demographic changes. The cohort aged 75-84 shows the strongest growth projection at 63%, adding 689 residents to reach a total of 1,786. Residents aged 65 and above are expected to drive 65% of population growth, highlighting aging trends in demographics. Conversely, population declines are projected for those aged 0-4 and 15-24.