Paddington - Milton

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

Paddington - Milton's population is approximately 13,626 as of May 2026. This figure shows an increase of 1,429 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,197. The growth is inferred from ABS estimated resident population data of 13,364 in June 2025 and validated new addresses post-Census. This results in a population density ratio of 3,806 persons per square kilometer, placing the area in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch assessments. Paddington - Milton's growth rate of 11.7% since the 2021 Census exceeds the national average of 9.3%. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 82.3% of overall population gains.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections released in 2023 based on 2021 data are adopted, with proportional growth weightings applied for age cohorts. Future population trends project an above median growth rate, with the area expected to grow by 1,792 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 11.2% over the 16-year period based on latest annual ERP population numbers.

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 dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling 456 homes. As of FY26173 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.8 new residents arrive annually for each new home built between FY21 and FY25, indicating balanced supply and demand. However, this has increased to 34.3 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, suggesting growing popularity and potential undersupply. New homes are being constructed at an average cost of $204,000, below regional norms.

Commercial development approvals totalling $40.1 million have been recorded in FY26, reflecting high local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Paddington-Milton has had 47.0% more development per person over the past five years, balancing buyer choice while supporting current property values. However, development activity has moderated recently. Of new developments, 21.0% are detached houses and 79.0% are townhouses or apartments, offering affordable entry pathways for downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This shift contrasts with the area's existing housing composition of 52.0% houses, indicating decreasing developable sites and changing lifestyles.

The location has approximately 1197 people per dwelling approval, suggesting an established market. According to AreaSearch quarterly estimates, Paddington-Milton is forecasted to gain 1,530 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond current projections.

Paddington - Milton has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 53 projects likely affecting the region. Notable initiatives include Milton Development (305 units), Kings Row Redevelopment, The Governess, 49 Reading Street, and The Manning by Mosaic. Relevant projects are detailed below.

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

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AreaSearch assessment positions Paddington - Milton ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

Paddington - Milton has an educated workforce with strong professional services representation. Its unemployment rate was 3.3% in the past year, with estimated employment growth of 0.9%. As of December 2025, 9,359 residents were employed at a rate of 0.9% lower than Greater Brisbane's 4.1%.

Workforce participation was high at 82.3%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 69.6%. Home workership was prevalent at 30.5%, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Key employment sectors were professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. The area had a notable specialization in professional & technical jobs (2.0 times the regional level) but lower representation in construction (5.5% vs 9.0%).

There were 1.6 workers per resident as of the Census, indicating it serves as an employment hub attracting external workers. In the 12-month period ending May-25, employment increased by 0.9%, labour force by 1.5%, and unemployment rose by 0.5 percentage points. This contrasted with Greater Brisbane's figures: employment rose by 3.2%, labour force grew by 3.0%, and unemployment fell by 0.1 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Paddington - Milton's employment mix suggests local employment could grow by 7.4% in five years and 14.8% in ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

The Paddington-Milton SA2 had exceptionally high national income levels according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers was $69,140 and the average income stood at $107,732, which compared to Greater Brisbane's figures of $58,236 and $72,799 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $76,994 (median) and $119,970 (average) as of March 2026. Census data revealed household, family and personal incomes all ranked highly in Paddington-Milton, between the 88th and 93rd percentiles nationally. Income distribution showed that 30.8% of the population (4,196 individuals) fell within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, consistent with broader trends across regional levels showing 33.3% in the same category. A substantial proportion of high earners, at 41.0%, indicated strong economic capacity throughout Paddington-Milton. High housing costs consumed 16.0% of income, though strong earnings still placed disposable income at the 87th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking placed 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). This compares to Brisbane metro's 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Paddington-Milton stood at 21.2%, with the rest being mortgaged (27.3%) or rented (51.5%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,500, higher than Brisbane metro's average of $1,863. The median weekly rent in Paddington-Milton was $450, compared to Brisbane metro's $380. 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, smaller than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.

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

Paddington - Milton has a higher educational attainment than Queensland (QLD) and Australia overall. Among residents aged 15 and above, 58.3% have university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in QLD and 30.4% nationally. This high level of education is beneficial for knowledge-based opportunities. 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 at 9.0% and certificates at 10.1%. Educational participation is high, with 31.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.2% in tertiary education, 7.1% in primary education, and 5.9% pursuing secondary education.

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 offering a mix of ferry, train, and bus services. These stops are served by 121 individual routes, facilitating 7,920 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 134 meters from the nearest stop. The area, predominantly residential, sees most residents commuting outward. Car remains the dominant mode of transport at 64%, followed by bus at 10% and walking at 10%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.1 per dwelling, lower than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high 30.5% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 1,131 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 100 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 based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 74% of the total population (10,083 people), compared to 55.8% in Greater Brisbane and a national average of 55.7%. Mental health issues impacted 9.8% of residents, while asthma affected 7.9%, with 74.3% declaring themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.2% across Greater Brisbane.

The under-65 population in the area shows better than average health outcomes. There are 10.4% of residents aged 65 and over (1,417 people), lower than the 15.1% in Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among seniors in the area are particularly strong, broadly in line with national rankings for the general population.

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

Paddington-Milton's cultural diversity was found to be above average, with 13.6% of its population speaking a language other than English at home, as recorded in the 2016 Census. Additionally, 25.2% of Paddington-Milton's residents were born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion, making up 40.8% of the population in Paddington-Milton during this period.

However, Judaism showed an overrepresentation compared to Greater Brisbane, comprising 0.2% of Paddington-Milton's population versus 0.1%. Regarding ancestry, the top three represented groups were English at 27.3%, Australian at 20.8%, and Irish at 12.3%. Notably, Scottish ancestry was overrepresented in Paddington-Milton at 9.4% compared to 7.4% regionally, French at 0.8% versus 0.5%, and Welsh at 0.7% versus 0.5%.

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 the national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Paddington - Milton has a higher concentration of residents aged 25-34 (24.1%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (8.3%). This 25-34 concentration is well above the national average of 14.6%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 75-84 age group has increased from 2.4% to 3.3% of the population, while the 0-4 cohort has declined from 4.9% to 3.7%. Demographic modeling suggests that Paddington - Milton's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 45-54 cohort is projected to grow by 21%, adding 376 residents to reach a total of 2,134. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 25-34 and 0-4 cohorts.