Ormiston

Population growth drivers in Ormiston are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

Ormiston's population is approximately 7,054 as of May 2026. This represents an increase of 675 people from the 2021 Census figure of 6,379. The change is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 7,042 in June 2025 and an additional 206 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,430 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Ormiston's growth rate of 10.6% since the 2021 census exceeds both the SA4 region (8.3%) and the national average, positioning it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 63.6% 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 by this data and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections are adopted, released in 2023 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, released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Based on projected demographic shifts, Ormiston is expected to grow by approximately 709 persons to reach a population of around 7,763 by 2041. This reflects an overall gain of about 9.9% in total over the 16-year period, based on the latest annual ERP population numbers.

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

Ormiston has seen approximately 58 new homes approved annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 291 homes were approved, with a further 39 approved in FY26 so far. On average, about 2.4 people have moved to the area per new home constructed over these five years, indicating strong demand that supports property values.

New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost of $429,000, suggesting developers target the premium market segment with higher-end properties. This financial year has seen $4.4 million in commercial approvals registered, reflecting Ormiston's primarily residential nature. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Ormiston maintains similar development levels per person, contributing to regional market stability.

Recent construction consists of 72% detached dwellings and 28% townhouses or apartments, preserving the area's suburban character with a focus on detached housing appealing to space-seeking buyers. With around 102 people per dwelling approval, Ormiston exhibits growth area characteristics. Latest AreaSearch quarterly estimates forecast Ormiston will gain approximately 697 residents by 2041. Given current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling population growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Ormiston has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 47thth percentile nationally

Twelve infrastructure projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the local area. Notable ones include: Redland Hospital Expansion, Redlands Coast Smart and Connected City Strategy, Redlands Research Station Expansion, and Ormiston College Master Plan Redevelopment.

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

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

Ormiston has a well-educated workforce with strong representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 2.0% as of December 2025. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 5.0%.

In December 2025, 3,901 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 2.1%, which is below Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation in Ormiston was 66.1% compared to Greater Brisbane's 69.6%. According to Census responses, 23.1% of residents worked from home.

The key industries of employment among residents were health care & social assistance, retail trade, and education & training. Public administration & safety had lower representation at 6.0%, compared to the regional average of 7.0%. Over the year to December 2025, employment increased by 5.0% while labour force increased by 5.4%, leading to a rise in unemployment by 0.4 percentage points. In Greater Brisbane, employment grew by 3.2%, labour force expanded by 3.0%, and unemployment fell by 0.1 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Ormiston's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

The Ormiston SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $60,098 and an average income of $79,851 in the financial year 2023, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is notably higher than Greater Brisbane's median income of $58,236 and average income of $72,799 during the same period. By March 2026, adjusted for Wage Price Index growth of 11.36%, estimated incomes would be approximately $66,925 (median) and $88,922 (average). Census 2021 data shows that Ormiston's household, family, and personal incomes are at the 55th percentile nationally. The largest income bracket comprises 27.7% of residents earning between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly. Economic strength is evident with 30.6% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000. After housing costs, 86.0% of income remains for other expenses, and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

Ormiston's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 75.7% houses and 24.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Brisbane metro's 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Ormiston was at 41.6%, with the remaining dwellings being mortgaged (37.3%) or rented (21.1%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Ormiston was $2,000, higher than Brisbane metro's average of $1,863. The median weekly rent figure for Ormiston was $450, compared to Brisbane metro's $380. Nationally, Ormiston's mortgage repayments were above the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially higher than the national figure of $375.

Ormiston features high concentrations of family households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 77.2% of all households, consisting of 33.5% couples with children, 32.7% couples without children, and 10.3% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 22.8%, with lone person households at 21.3% and group households comprising 1.4% of the total. The median household size is 2.6 people, which aligns with the Greater Brisbane average.

Ormiston 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 29.8%, exceeding the SA3 area average of 20.6% and the SA4 region average of 23.7%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 19.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.2%) and graduate diplomas (3.5%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 35.1% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas at 13.7% and certificates at 21.4%.

Educational participation is high at 26.9%, including secondary education at 9.2%, primary education at 8.6%, and tertiary education at 4.8%.

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

Ormiston has 25 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 31 routes, collectively facilitating 1,958 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated good with residents typically located 233 meters from the nearest stop. Ormiston, being primarily residential, sees most residents commuting outward. Car remains dominant at 89%, while train usage stands at 6%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.5 per dwelling.

In 2021 Census data, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions, 23.1% of residents work from home. Service frequency averages 279 trips daily across all routes, equating to approximately 78 weekly trips per individual stop.

Ormiston's residents are extremely healthy with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Ormiston. AreaSearch's assessment found mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence to be low, particularly among younger cohorts.

Approximately 60% of Ormiston's total population (4197 people) has private health cover, compared to 55.8% across Greater Brisbane. The most common medical conditions in the area were arthritis and asthma, affecting 9.5% and 7.9% of residents respectively. 66.2% of Ormiston residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.2% across Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes for the under-65 population are better than average. The area has 27.8% of residents aged 65 and over (1960 people), higher than the 15.1% in Greater Brisbane. While health outcomes among seniors in Ormiston are above average, they rank lower nationally compared to the broader population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Ormiston was found to be slightly above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Ormiston had a cultural diversity index above average, with 9.4% of its residents speaking languages other than English at home as of the 2016 Census. Overseas-born population in Ormiston was 30.3%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 35.7%. Christianity was the dominant religion in Ormiston, practiced by 56.1% of people, higher than Greater Brisbane's 47.8%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (33.0%), Australian (22.3%), and Scottish (9.5%). Notably, South Australian ancestry was overrepresented at 1.6%, compared to the regional average of 0.6%. Welsh ancestry also stood out at 0.9% versus Greater Brisbane's 0.5%, as did New Zealand ancestry at 1.2% versus 1.0%.

Ormiston hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Ormiston is 47 years, which exceeds Greater Brisbane's average age of 36 years and is also higher than Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to the Greater Brisbane average, the 75-84 age group is notably over-represented in Ormiston at 10.9%, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 6.0%. Between the 2021 Census and the latest data, the percentage of the population in the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 8.6% to 10.9%, while the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 12.1% to 13.4%. Conversely, the 25 to 34 age group has declined from 7.0% to 6.0%, and the 0 to 4 age group has dropped from 4.1% to 3.1%. Population forecasts for Ormiston indicate significant demographic changes by 2041. The 85+ age cohort is projected to increase dramatically, with an expansion of 372 people (130%) from 286 to 659. This aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above comprising 80% of the projected growth. Conversely, the 15 to 24 and 0 to 4 age groups are expected to experience population declines.