Paddington - Milton
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Paddington-Milton's population is approximately 13,292 as of November 2025. This figure represents an increase of 1,095 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,197. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 13,272 in June 2024 and an additional 178 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 3,712 persons per square kilometer, placing Paddington-Milton in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's 9% growth since the 2021 census exceeds the national average of 8.9%, indicating it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 72.5% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary population growth.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. 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 the ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort, released in 2023 and based on 2022 data. Examining future population trends, an above median population growth is projected for national statistical areas. Paddington-Milton is expected to grow by 2,003 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, with a total increase of 14.9% over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Paddington - Milton according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Paddington - Milton has seen approximately 91 dwellings receive development approval annually over the past five financial years, totalling 456 homes. As of FY-26, two approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.8 new residents per year have arrived with each new home constructed between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating a balanced supply and demand dynamic. However, recent data shows an intensification to 34.3 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, suggesting growing popularity and potential undersupply. New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost of $204,000, which is below regional norms, offering more affordable housing options.

In FY-26, commercial development approvals totalling $40.1 million have been recorded, highlighting high levels of local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Paddington - Milton has experienced slightly more development, with 46.0% above the regional average per person over the past five years. This balances buyer choice while supporting current property values, although development activity has moderated in recent periods. New developments consist of 21.0% detached houses and 79.0% townhouses or apartments, reflecting a shift from the area's existing housing composition, which is currently 52.0% houses. This trend indicates decreasing availability of developable sites and changing lifestyles that require more diverse, affordable housing options.

The location has approximately 1197 people per dwelling approval, demonstrating an established market. Population forecasts project Paddington - Milton to gain 1,983 residents by 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.

Paddington - Milton has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Area infrastructure changes significantly influence local performance. AreaSearch identified 60 potential impact projects in total. Key initiatives include The Manning by Mosaic, 305-Unit Milton Development, The Governess, 49 Reading Street, and Kings Row Redevelopment. Below list details those likely most relevant.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

AreaSearch analysis reveals Paddington - Milton significantly outperforming the majority of regions assessed nationwide

Paddington-Milton has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 2.7% as of June 2025, below Greater Brisbane's 4.1%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 3.0%. As of June 2025, 9,540 residents were employed with a participation rate of 77.2%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 64.5%. Key industries for employment include professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. The area specializes in professional & technical jobs, with an employment share twice the regional level, but has lower representation in construction at 5.5% versus the regional average of 9.0%.

There are 1.6 workers for every resident, indicating it functions as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding areas. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 3.0%, labour force grew by 2.9%, and unemployment fell by 0.1 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Brisbane saw employment rise by 4.4% over the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project a 6.6% increase in employment over five years and 13.7% over ten years nationally. Applying these projections to Paddington-Milton's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.4% over five years and 14.8% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

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

Paddington-Milton has an exceptionally high national income level according to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data for financial year 2022. The median income among taxpayers in Paddington-Milton is $68,379, with the average standing at $111,494. These figures compare to Greater Brisbane's median and average incomes of $55,645 and $70,520 respectively. Based on a 13.99% growth in wages since financial year 2022, current estimates for Paddington-Milton would be approximately $77,945 (median) and $127,092 (average) as of September 2025. Census data shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Paddington-Milton rank highly nationally, between the 89th and 93rd percentiles. Income distribution reveals that 30.8% of the population falls within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, with a substantial proportion of high earners (41.0%) above $3,000 per week. High housing costs consume 16.0% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 87th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

Paddington - Milton displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

The dwelling structure in Paddington-Milton, as per the latest Census, consisted of 52.2% houses and 47.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Brisbane metropolitan area had 56.6% houses and 43.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Paddington-Milton was at 21.2%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (27.3%) or rented (51.5%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,500, below Brisbane metro's average of $2,513. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $450, compared to Brisbane metro's $430. Nationally, Paddington-Milton's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Paddington - Milton features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 58.2% of all households, including 23.3% couples with children, 26.8% couples without children, and 6.3% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 41.8%, with lone person households at 30.7% and group households comprising 11.1%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.5.

Paddington - Milton shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Paddington-Milton's educational attainment significantly exceeds broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15+, 58.3% hold university qualifications compared to 25.7% in Queensland and 30.4% nationally. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 38.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (14.6%) and graduate diplomas (5.0%). Vocational pathways account for 19.1% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas making up 9.0% and certificates 10.1%.

Educational participation is high, with 31.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.2% in tertiary, 7.1% in primary, and 5.9% pursuing secondary education. The area's three schools have a combined enrollment of 985 students. Paddington-Milton demonstrates significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement, with an ICSEA score of 1142. Education provision is balanced with two primary and one secondary school serving distinct age groups. Local school capacity is limited at 7.4 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 17.1, leading many families to travel for schooling.

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

Paddington - Milton has 79 active public transport stops. These include ferry, train, and bus services. There are 105 individual routes operating across these stops, collectively serving 7,755 weekly passenger trips.

Residents have excellent accessibility to transport, with an average distance of 135 meters to the nearest stop. Service frequency is high, with an average of 1,107 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 98 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Paddington - Milton demonstrates excellent health outcomes with a low prevalence of common conditions across all ages. Approximately 76% of its total population (10,128 people) has private health cover, compared to 72.2% in Greater Brisbane and a national average of 55.3%. Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent conditions, affecting 9.8% and 7.9% of residents respectively.

About 74.3% of residents report having no medical ailments, compared to 74.7% in Greater Brisbane. The area has 10.4% of residents aged 65 and over (1,375 people), lower than the 11.6% in Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, largely aligned with the general population's health profile.

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

Paddington-Milton, surveyed in 2016, had above average cultural diversity with 13.6% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 25.2% born overseas. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 40.8%. Judaism, at 0.2%, was similarly represented compared to Greater Brisbane.

In ancestry, English (27.3%), Australian (20.8%), and Irish (12.3%) were most prevalent. Scottish (9.4%) and French (0.8%) were notably overrepresented while Welsh (0.7%) showed no significant divergence from regional figures.

Paddington - Milton's young demographic places it in the bottom 15% of areas nationwide

Paddington-Milton's median age is 33 years, which is slightly younger than Greater Brisbane's average of 36 years and significantly lower than Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Paddington-Milton has a higher concentration of residents aged 25-34 (23.6%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (8.7%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is well above the national average of 14.5%. According to post-2021 Census data, the population aged 75-84 has grown from 2.4% to 3.2%, while the 0-4 age group has declined from 4.9% to 4.1%. Demographic modeling suggests that Paddington-Milton's age profile will significantly evolve by 2041, with the 55-64 age cohort projected to grow by 35%, adding 439 residents to reach a total of 1,705. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 0-4 and 35-44 age cohorts.