Rocklea - Acacia Ridge

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 10,071 as of May 2026. This is an increase of 360 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 10,061 in June 2025 and 64 new addresses validated since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 448 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration contributed approximately 73% to recent 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 by this data and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections are adopted, based on 2021 data and released in 2023. These state projections lack age category splits; thus, AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings from ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data) for each age cohort. Projected demographic shifts suggest lower quartile growth, with the area expected to increase by 231 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 2.2% over 16 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 granted around 25 residential property approvals annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, a total of 126 homes were approved. By FY-26, another 25 approvals have been recorded.

Despite population decline during this period, development activity has been adequate relative to population change, which is positive for buyers. The average expected construction cost value of new dwellings is $319,000. This year, $85.9 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating strong commercial development momentum in the area. However, compared to Greater Brisbane, Rocklea - Acacia Ridge has significantly less development activity, at 73.0% below the regional average per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established dwellings. Construction activity is also under the national average, suggesting the area's established nature and potential planning limitations.

New developments consist of 67.0% detached houses and 33.0% attached dwellings, with an increasing blend of attached housing types offering choices across price ranges. This represents a notable shift from the area's existing housing composition, which is currently 86.0% houses. The location has approximately 318 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Rocklea - Acacia Ridge is expected to grow by 221 residents through to 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Rocklea - Acacia Ridge has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Area infrastructure performance is significantly influenced by changes in local projects and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified 63 such projects potentially impacting the area. Notable ones include Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Hospital Expansion, Transition - Archerfield Logistics Estate, Acacia Ridge Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Precinct, and Acacia Ridge Industrial Estate Expansion - Warehouse & Logistics Facilities. The following list details those most likely to be 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 drivers in Rocklea - Acacia Ridge are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Rocklea - Acacia Ridge has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate was 14.2% as of December 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 1.2% over the past year. There were 4,475 residents in work while the unemployment rate was 10.0% higher than Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.1%.

Workforce participation lagged at 64.3%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 69.6%. Only 11.8% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Leading employment industries were health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. The area had a particular employment specialization in manufacturing, with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level.

However, professional & technical services had limited presence at 5.2% compared to the regional level of 8.9%. There were 2.7 workers for every resident as of the Census, indicating that the area functioned as an employment hub hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas. Over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 1.2% while labour force increased by 2.5%, resulting in a rise in unemployment by 1.1 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Brisbane experienced employment growth of 3.2% and labour force growth of 3.0%, with a drop in unemployment by 0.1 percentage point. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that while national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Rocklea - Acacia Ridge's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.2% over five years and 13.2% over ten years.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

The median taxpayer income in Rocklea - Acacia Ridge SA2 was $54,172 and the average was $61,249 according to ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2023. This is lower than national averages; Greater Brisbane had a median income of $58,236 and an average of $72,799. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% from financial year 2023 to March 2026, estimated incomes would be approximately $60,326 (median) and $68,207 (average). According to the 2021 Census, Rocklea - Acacia Ridge incomes fall between the 20th and 24th percentiles nationally. Income analysis shows that 34.3% of residents earn between $1,500 and $2,999 annually, with this bracket also dominant regionally at 33.3%. Housing affordability pressures are severe; only 80.0% of income remains 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 dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 85.7% houses and 14.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Brisbane metro's 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Rocklea - Acacia Ridge was at 20.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.8% and rented ones at 49.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,517, below Brisbane metro's average of $1,863. The median weekly rent figure was $335, compared to Brisbane metro's $380. 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, which is smaller than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.

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 held by 34.8% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 10.0% and certificates at 24.8%. Educational participation is high, with 31.5% currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 10.9% in primary education, 7.2% in secondary education, and 5.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Rocklea - Acacia Ridge has 74 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 27 different routes, collectively facilitating 3,461 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically residing 229 meters from the nearest stop. Predominantly residential, most residents commute outward using cars at a rate of 82%, while 6% use buses and another 6% take trains. On average, there are 1.2 vehicles per dwelling, below the regional norm. According to the 2021 Census, only 11.8% of residents work from home, potentially reflecting COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 494 trips daily across all routes, equating to roughly 46 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Rocklea - Acacia Ridge is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Rocklea - Acacia Ridge faces significant health challenges, as assessed by AreaSearch through mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Multiple health conditions affect both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is relatively low at approximately 50% of the total population (~5,015 people), compared to 55.8% in Greater Brisbane and a national average of 55.7%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions, affecting 9.8 and 8.4% of residents respectively. 66.8% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 69.2% in Greater Brisbane. Working-age population health challenges include high chronic condition rates. The area has 13.9% of residents aged 65 and over (1,401 people), lower than the 15.1% in Greater Brisbane. Senior health outcomes present some challenges, generally aligning with national rankings.

Rocklea - Acacia Ridge was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Rocklea-Acacia Ridge has a 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 dominant religion in Rocklea-Acacia Ridge, accounting for 42.6%. However, Islam is significantly overrepresented at 9.8%, compared to Greater Brisbane's average of 2.0%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (21.2%), Australian (19.8%), and Other (18.7%), with notable differences from regional averages: Samoan at 1.4% (vs 0.9%), Spanish at 0.8% (vs 0.4%), and Vietnamese at 2.2% (vs 0.8%).

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 younger than Greater Brisbane's figure of 36 and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Rocklea - Acacia Ridge has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (17.7%) but fewer residents aged 15-24 (11.9%). Between the 2021 Census and the present day, the population in the 35 to 44 age group has increased from 14.1% to 15.2%, while the 15 to 24 cohort has decreased from 12.5% to 11.9%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate substantial changes for Rocklea - Acacia Ridge. The 45 to 54 age group is expected to grow by 19%, adding 219 residents to reach a total of 1,388. This growth is part of an overall trend towards demographic aging, with residents aged 65 and older accounting for 55% of the anticipated population increase. Conversely, the 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 age groups are projected to experience population declines.