Ripley
Statistical Area - sa2

Ripley lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

Ripley's population was around 24,373 as of November 2025. This reflected an increase of 11,599 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,774 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 20,406 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 4,111 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equated to a density ratio of 186 persons per square kilometer. Ripley's growth rate exceeded the national average (8.9%) and the state average, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration, contributing approximately 84.9% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopted 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 were used, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. Considering projected demographic shifts, exceptional growth was predicted over the period, with the area expected to increase by 60,635 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, recording a gain of 232.5% in total over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Ripley was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

Ripley recorded approximately 1,014 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, 5,073 homes were approved, with an additional 510 approved in FY26 so far. On average, 2.3 people moved to the area per new home constructed over these years, indicating solid demand supporting property values.

New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost of $291,000. This year, $24.4 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, suggesting balanced commercial development activity compared to Greater Brisbane, where Ripley shows 551.0% higher construction activity per person. The new development consists of 96.0% standalone homes and 4.0% attached dwellings, maintaining the area's traditional low density character focused on family homes. There are approximately 15 people per dwelling approval in the location, indicating an expanding market. Future projections estimate Ripley will add 56,668 residents by 2041.

If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Ripley has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 106 projects that may impact the area. Notable projects include Aurora Ripley, Amory, Satterley Ripley Valley Estate, and Stockland South Ripley Development. The following list details those likely to be 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.

Employment conditions in Ripley demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally

Ripley has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate is 3.1%.

Employment in the area has been relatively stable over the past year. As of June 2025, there are 10,520 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.0% lower than Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation is high at 78.6%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 64.5%. The leading employment industries among residents are health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and retail trade.

Ripley has a particular specialization in public administration & safety, with an employment share of 2.0 times the regional level. However, professional & technical services have limited presence at 4.5%, compared to the regional average of 8.9%. The area may offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the difference between Census working population and resident population figures. Over the 12 months to June 2025, labour force levels increased by 0.3% in Ripley, while employment declined by 0.4%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate of 0.7 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Brisbane saw employment growth of 4.4% and a fall in unemployment of 0.4 percentage points during the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest potential future demand within Ripley. These projections estimate national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates across different industry sectors. Applying these projections to Ripley's employment mix indicates local growth of approximately 6.3% over five years and 13.4% over ten years.

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

Ripley's median taxpayer income was $59,247, with an average of $67,706, according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. This is higher than the national average, contrasting with Greater Brisbane's median income of $55,645 and average income of $70,520. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.99% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $67,536 (median) and $77,178 (average). According to the 2021 Census, Ripley's household, family, and personal incomes rank highly nationally, between the 72nd and 83rd percentiles. Income analysis shows that the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 45.9% of residents (11,187 people), aligning with regional levels where this cohort also represents 33.3%. 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.

Ripley is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Ripley's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 95.8% houses and 4.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Brisbane metro's 88.4% houses and 11.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Ripley stood at 10.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 48.7% and rented ones at 40.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,785, higher than Brisbane metro's average of $1,517. Median weekly rent in Ripley was $380, compared to Brisbane metro's $300. Nationally, Ripley's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 79.7% of all households, including 41.4% couples with children, 24.0% couples without children, and 13.0% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 20.3%, with lone person households at 17.2% and group households comprising 3.3%. The median household size is 2.8 people, larger than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.

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

Ripley Trail has 22.2% of residents aged 15 and above holding university degrees, compared to Greater Brisbane's 30.5%. This indicates potential for educational development. Bachelor degrees are the most common (16.0%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.0%) and graduate diplomas (2.2%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 45.3% of residents holding them, including advanced diplomas (12.8%) and certificates (32.5%).

Current educational participation is high at 33.2%, with 12.7% in primary, 7.9% in secondary, and 5.4% in tertiary education. Ripley's four schools have a combined enrollment of 2,874 students, serving distinct age groups, with balanced educational opportunities (ICSEA: 1008). School places per 100 residents are lower than the regional average (12.1 vs. 18.0), suggesting some students may attend schools in nearby areas.

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

Ripley has 15 active public transport stops. These are served by buses only. There is one route operating across all stops, offering a total of 152 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of these services is limited, with residents on average located 809 meters from the nearest stop. On average, there are 21 trips per day across all routes, which equates to about 10 weekly trips per individual stop.

Ripley's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Ripley's health outcomes data shows notable results, with younger age groups having a low prevalence of common health conditions. Approximately 53% (~13,015 people) have private health cover, compared to Greater Brisbane's 49.9%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent conditions, affecting 9.3% and 9.2% respectively. 74.6% of residents report no medical ailments, higher than Greater Brisbane's 62.2%. Ripley has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 5.2% (1,255 people), compared to Greater Brisbane's 15.3%. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than the broader population.

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

Ripley's population shows above-average cultural diversity, with 19.4% born overseas and 13.2% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Ripley, accounting for 45.5%. Notably, the 'Other' religious category comprises 1.8%, higher than Greater Brisbane's 0.8%.

In terms of ancestry, Australians make up 28.4%, followed by English at 27.7% and Other at 7.8%. Some ethnic groups show significant differences: Samoans are overrepresented at 1.2% (vs regional 0.9%), Maori also at 1.2% (vs regional 0.9%), and Germans stand out at 5.2% (vs regional 6.4%).

Ripley hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Ripley's median age is 29, lower than Greater Brisbane's 36 and Australia's 38. The 5-14 year-olds are prominent at 17.6%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 12.2%. The 65-74 group is smaller at 3.5%. Post-2021 Census data shows the 35-44 age group grew from 15.6% to 18.2%, while the 25-34 cohort declined from 23.1% to 19.9% and the 0-4 group dropped from 10.7% to 9.4%. By 2041, Ripley's 35-44 age cohort is projected to grow exceptionally, increasing by 9,781 people (220%) from 4,448 to 14,230.