Ormiston
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Ormiston's population is around 7,150 as of Aug 2025. This reflects an increase of 771 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,379 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 6,927 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 200 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,450 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Ormiston's growth rate of 12.1% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region's 7.6% and the national average, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by interstate migration that contributed approximately 52.5% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts 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. Considering projected demographic shifts, a population increase of just below the median is expected, with the area expected to grow by 864 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, recording an overall gain of 8.9% over the 17 years.

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. Development approval data is produced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on a financial year basis, with 291 homes approved over the past five financial years between FY2021 and FY2025, including 7 approvals so far in FY2026. On average, each dwelling built gains around 2.4 new residents per year over these five years, indicating strong demand that supports property values. New homes are being constructed at an average value of $731,000, 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 residential character. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Ormiston maintains similar development levels per capita, contributing to regional market stability. Recent construction comprises 72% detached dwellings and 28% townhouses or apartments, preserving the area's suburban nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers.

With around 102 people moving into each dwelling approved, Ormiston exhibits growth area characteristics. Population forecasts project Ormiston will gain 639 residents by 2041. Given current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favorable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling population growth to exceed current forecasts.

Ormiston has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 27thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 11 projects that are likely to impact this region. Notable initiatives include the Redland Hospital Expansion, Redlands Coast Smart and Connected City Strategy, Redlands Research Station Expansion, and Cleveland Line Duplication. 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 Ormiston performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Ormiston has a well-educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 1.7% as of June 2025, lower than Greater Brisbane's 4.1%.

Employment grew by an estimated 4.8% over the past year. In June 2025, 3,773 residents were employed, with a participation rate of 60.4%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 64.5%. Key industries for employment among residents include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and education & training, while public administration & safety had lower representation at 6.0% versus the regional average of 7.0%.

Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 4.8%, labour force grew by 4.3%, and unemployment fell by 0.4 percentage points in Ormiston. State-level data from Sep-25 shows Queensland's employment contracted by 0.23% with an unemployment rate of 4.2%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest growth of 6.7% over five years and 13.8% over ten years in Ormiston, based on industry-specific projections applied to the local employment mix.

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

Ormiston's median taxpayer income was $56,553, with an average of $76,601, according to AreaSearch's postcode level ATO data for the financial year 2022. This is among the highest in Australia, compared to Greater Brisbane's median income of $55,645 and average income of $70,520 during the same period. Based on a Wage Price Index growth rate of 11.71% from financial year 2022 to March 2025, current estimates suggest a median income of approximately $63,175 and an average income of $85,571 in Ormiston as of March 2025. Census 2021 data shows that incomes in Ormiston cluster around the 55th percentile nationally. The largest income segment comprises 27.7% of residents earning between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, consistent with broader trends across the surrounding region where 33.3% fall into the same category. Economic strength is evident in Ormiston through 30.6% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000. After housing expenses, 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). This compares to Brisbane metro's 83.9% houses and 16.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Ormiston stood at 41.6%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (37.3%) or rented (21.1%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, aligning with Brisbane metro's average. The median weekly rent was recorded at $450, compared to Brisbane metro's $425. Nationally, Ormiston's mortgage repayments exceeded 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 account for 77.2% of all households, including 33.5% couples with children, 32.7% couples without children, and 10.3% single parent families. Non-family households constitute 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% among residents aged 15+, surpassing the SA3 area average of 20.6% and the SA4 regional rate 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, with 26.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education: 9.2% in secondary, 8.6% in primary, and 4.8% pursuing tertiary education. Ormiston's three schools have a combined enrollment of 2,097 students; Ormiston demonstrates above-average socio-educational conditions with an ICSEA score of 1094. The educational mix includes one primary, one secondary, and one K-12 school. The area functions as an education hub with 29.3 school places per 100 residents, significantly higher than the regional average of 14.4, attracting students from surrounding communities. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to parent campus.

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

Ormiston has 25 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These stops are a mix of train and bus services. They are serviced by 28 individual routes that collectively provide 2,042 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 233 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 291 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 81 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Ormiston is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Ormiston faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 58% of the total population (4132 people), compared to 54.2% across Greater Brisbane.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, impacting 9.5% and 7.9% of residents respectively. 66.2% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 64.6% across Greater Brisbane. The area has 27.1% of residents aged 65 and over (1936 people), which is higher than the 25.3% in Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Ormiston's cultural diversity was found to be above average, with 9.4% of its population speaking a language other than English at home as of the 2016 Census. In terms of overseas birth, 30.3% of Ormiston residents were born abroad. Christianity is the predominant religion in Ormiston, comprising 56.1% of people, compared to 52.8% across Greater Brisbane.

The top three ancestry groups based on parents' country of birth are English (33.0%), Australian (22.3%), and Scottish (9.5%). Notably, South African ethnicity is overrepresented in Ormiston at 1.6%, compared to the regional average of 1.0%. Similarly, Welsh ethnicity stands at 0.9% in Ormiston versus 0.7% regionally, while New Zealand ethnicity remains consistent with the regional average at 1.2%.

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 of 36 years and is also above Australia's median age of 38 years. Comparing Ormiston with Greater Brisbane, the cohort aged 75-84 years is notably higher at 10.8%, while those aged 25-34 years are under-represented at 5.7%. Between the 2021 Census and present, the percentage of people aged 75 to 84 has increased from 8.6% to 10.8%, while those aged 15 to 24 have risen from 12.1% to 13.6%. Conversely, the proportion of individuals aged 25 to 34 has decreased from 7.0% to 5.7%. Population projections for Ormiston by 2041 suggest significant demographic shifts. The cohort aged 75 to 84 is expected to grow by 378 people (49%), from 770 to 1,149. This aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above accounting for 83% of projected growth. Conversely, the cohorts aged 15 to 24 and 0 to 4 are anticipated to decrease in population.