Rocklea - Acacia Ridge
Statistical Area - sa2

An assessment of population growth drivers in Rocklea - Acacia Ridge reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Rocklea - Acacia Ridge's population is 10,082 as of Aug 2025. This figure reflects a growth of 371 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 9,711. The increase is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 10,025 in June 2024 and 33 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density of 449 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration contributed approximately 65.8% to recent population gains in the area.

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. These state projections lack age category splits; hence proportional growth weightings based on ABS Greater Capital Region projections are applied where utilised. Considering projected demographic shifts, national areas' lower quartile growth is anticipated, with the area expected to increase by 350 persons to 2041, recording a gain of 2.9% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Rocklea - Acacia Ridge, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Rocklea - Acacia Ridge has seen approximately 25 residential properties granted approval annually. Development approval data, as per the Australian Bureau of Statistics, shows a total of 126 homes approved over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25. By June 2026, 18 approvals have been recorded for this financial year. Despite population decline, housing supply has maintained balance with demand, offering good buyer choice.

The average expected construction cost of new homes is $398,000, aligning with regional trends. Commercial development in FY-26 amounts to $85.9 million, indicating strong commercial momentum. Comparatively, Rocklea - Acacia Ridge shows significantly reduced construction activity compared to Greater Brisbane, at 73.0% below the regional average per person. This typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing properties but recent intensification suggests changing dynamics. The area's construction activity is also below the national average, suggesting its established nature and potential planning limitations. Recent construction comprises 67.0% standalone homes and 33.0% townhouses or apartments, indicating a shift from the current housing composition of 86.0% houses.

This change reflects decreasing developable sites and evolving lifestyles preferences for more diverse, affordable housing options. With around 318 people per dwelling approval, Rocklea - Acacia Ridge is characterized as a low-density area. By 2041, Rocklea - Acacia Ridge is projected to grow by approximately 293 residents. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections and offering favorable conditions for buyers.

Rocklea - Acacia Ridge has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 55 potential impact projects in total. Key projects include Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Hospital Expansion, The Assembly at Acacia Ridge, Jinlong Residences - Bardolph Place Development, and Solaris Rochedale. Below is a list detailing those likely to be most relevant.

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

Employment conditions in Rocklea - Acacia Ridge face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Rocklea - Acacia Ridge had an unemployment rate of 15.2% as of June 2025. This was 11.2 percentage points higher than Greater Brisbane's rate of 4%.

The workforce participation rate was 57.4%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 64.5%. Key employment industries included health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. Manufacturing had a particularly strong presence, with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level. However, professional & technical services were under-represented at 5.2% of the workforce compared to Greater Brisbane's 8.9%.

There were 2.7 workers for every resident as at the Census, indicating that the area functioned as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding regions. Between June 2024 and June 2025, the labour force increased by 1.9% while employment remained unchanged, leading to a rise in unemployment of 1.7 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Brisbane experienced employment growth of 4.4%. State-level data from Sep-25 showed Queensland's employment had contracted by 0.23%, with an unemployment rate of 4.2%. Nationally, the unemployment rate was 4.5% and employment grew by 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts projected growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Rocklea - Acacia Ridge's employment mix suggested local growth of approximately 6.2% over five years and 13.2% over ten years.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Rocklea - Acacia Ridge had a median taxpayer income of $52,070 in financial year 2022. The average income was $58,694 during the same period. These figures are lower than national averages of $55,645 and $70,520 respectively for Greater Brisbane. As of March 2025, estimated median and average incomes would be approximately $58,167 and $65,567 based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.71%. Census data shows that household, family and personal incomes in Rocklea - Acacia Ridge fall between the 21st and 24th percentiles nationally. The predominant income cohort spans 34.3% of locals (3,458 people) with incomes between $1,500 and $2,999. Housing affordability pressures are severe in the region, with only 80.0% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 20th percentile nationally.

Rocklea - Acacia Ridge is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Rocklea - Acacia Ridge's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, had 85.7% houses and 14.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Brisbane metro's 82.0% houses and 18.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Rocklea - Acacia Ridge stood at 20.8%, with the rest being mortgaged (29.8%) or rented (49.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,517, below Brisbane metro's average of $1,872. Median weekly rent in Rocklea - Acacia Ridge was $335, compared to Brisbane metro's $400. Nationally, Rocklea - Acacia Ridge's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Rocklea - Acacia Ridge features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 64.5% of all households, including 24.3% couples with children, 21.3% couples without children, and 17.0% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 35.5%, with lone person households at 28.8% and group households comprising 6.5%. The median household size is 2.5 people, smaller than the Greater Brisbane average of 3.0.

Rocklea - Acacia Ridge faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 23.5%, significantly lower than the SA4 region average of 42.1%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 16.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.0%) and graduate diplomas (2.2%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 34.8% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas (10.0%) and certificates (24.8%). Educational participation is high at 31.5%, including primary education (10.9%), secondary education (7.2%), and tertiary education (5.6%).

Six schools operate within Rocklea-Acacia Ridge, educating approximately 1,088 students. The educational mix includes four primary, one secondary, and one K-12 school. School places per 100 residents are lower at 10.8 compared to the regional average of 15.6, with some students likely attending schools in nearby areas.

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

Rocklea - Acacia Ridge has 98 active public transport stops, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 26 individual routes, collectively facilitating 3,737 weekly passenger trips. The transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located just 187 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 533 trips per day across all routes, translating to approximately 38 weekly trips per stop.

Health performance in Rocklea - Acacia Ridge is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across the board, though to a considerably higher degree among older age cohorts

Rocklea - Acacia Ridge faces significant health challenges, with common health conditions being somewhat prevalent across all age groups but to a considerably higher degree among older residents. Approximately 49% of the total population (~4,950 people) has private health cover, which is lower than the national average of 55.3%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, affecting 9.8% and 8.4% of residents respectively. However, 66.8% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 77.2% across Greater Brisbane. As of a recent report (15th March 2021), the area has 14.2% of residents aged 65 and over (1,432 people), which is higher than the 12.1% in Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges requiring more attention than the broader population.

Rocklea - Acacia Ridge is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Rocklea-Acacia Ridge has high cultural diversity, with 37.4% of its population born overseas and 33.7% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the main religion in Rocklea-Acacia Ridge, comprising 42.6% of people. Islam is overrepresented compared to Greater Brisbane, making up 9.8% versus 7.5%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (21.2%), Australian (19.8%, higher than the regional average of 14.7%), and Other (18.7%). Notable ethnic group divergences include Samoan at 1.4% (vs 1.3% regionally), Spanish at 0.8% (vs 0.5%), and Vietnamese at 2.2% (vs 2.3%).

Rocklea - Acacia Ridge hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

Rocklea - Acacia Ridge has a median age of 34, which is slightly lower than Greater Brisbane's figure of 36 and substantially below Australia's national median age of 38. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Rocklea - Acacia Ridge has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (17.6%) but fewer residents aged 15-24 (11.9%). Between the 2021 Census and the present day, the population of individuals aged 35 to 44 has increased from 14.1% to 14.9%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 15 to 24 has decreased from 12.5% to 11.9%. By the year 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic shifts in Rocklea - Acacia Ridge. The 45 to 54 age group is projected to grow by 21%, adding 244 residents to reach a total of 1,433. This growth is attributed to demographic aging, with residents aged 65 and older representing 54% of the anticipated population increase. In contrast, the populations of individuals aged 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 are expected to decrease.