Rosewood
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Rosewood's population was around 16,653 as of August 2025. This figure reflects an increase of 2,436 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 14,217. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 15,987 in June 2024 and an additional 766 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 24 persons per square kilometer. Rosewood's growth rate of 17.1% since the 2021 census exceeded both national (8.6%) and state averages, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 78.3% of overall population gains recently, although all drivers were positive factors.

AreaSearch adopts 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 released in 2023 based on 2021 data are used. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits, so AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data for each age cohort. Looking ahead, demographic trends predict exceptional growth over the period to 2041, with an expected increase of 23,200 persons and a total increase of 135.3%.

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

Rosewood has granted approximately 206 residential property approvals per year over the past five financial years. This totals 1,033 homes. In FY-26 so far, there have been 15 approvals recorded. The average number of new residents gained for each dwelling built in Rosewood is around 2.5 per year between FY-21 and FY-25.

New homes are being constructed at an average expected construction cost value of $379,000. This financial year has seen $39.0 million worth of commercial approvals registered in the area. When compared to Greater Brisbane, Rosewood records 60.0% more new home approvals per person. New building activity consists of approximately 98.0% standalone homes and 2.0% townhouses or apartments. The population forecasts indicate that Rosewood will gain around 22,534 residents by the year 2041.

Population forecasts indicate Rosewood will gain 22,534 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Rosewood has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 84 potential impact projects. Notable ones are South East Queensland Intermodal Terminal Capacity, Ebenezer Regional Industrial Area, Dawn Walloon, and Western Ipswich Bypass Proposal. The following details those deemed most relevant.

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

Rosewood has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Rosewood's workforce is balanced across white and blue-collar jobs. Key sectors include public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and construction.

As of June 2025, there are 7,480 employed residents with an unemployment rate of 4.1%, matching Greater Brisbane's rate. Workforce participation is lower at 53.9%. Employment in public administration & safety is high at 1.9 times the regional average. However, professional & technical jobs are under-represented, at 4.5% compared to Greater Brisbane's 8.9%.

Over the year ending June 2025, Rosewood's employment increased by 0.2%, while labour force grew by 0.2%, with unemployment unchanged. In contrast, Greater Brisbane saw employment growth of 4.4% and a 0.4 percentage point drop in unemployment. Statewide in Queensland to Sep-25, employment contracted by 0.23%, with an unemployment rate of 4.2%. Nationally, the unemployment rate is 4.5%, with employment growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Rosewood's industry mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.9% over five years and 12.5% over ten years.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

Rosewood's median income among taxpayers was $54,222 and average income stood at $62,364 in financial year 2022. This compares to Greater Brisbane's figures of $55,645 and $70,520 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.71%, current estimates for Rosewood would be approximately $60,571 (median) and $69,667 (average) as of March 2025. According to census data, household, family and personal incomes in Rosewood rank modestly, between the 40th and 40th percentiles. Income analysis reveals that 33.9% of the population (5,645 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, consistent with broader trends across the surrounding region showing 33.3% in the same category. After housing expenses, 85.5% of income remains for other expenses.

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

Rosewood's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 95.0% houses and 4.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Brisbane metro had a slightly higher percentage of houses at 96.6%. Home ownership in Rosewood stood at 33.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 40.4% and rented dwellings at 26.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,600, which is higher than Brisbane metro's average of $1,517 but lower than the national average of $1,863. The median weekly rent figure for Rosewood was $300, matching Brisbane metro's figure but substantially lower than the national average of $375.

Rosewood has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 75.3% of all households, including 31.6% couples with children, 30.8% couples without children, and 12.3% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 24.7%, with lone person households at 21.9% and group households comprising 2.7%. The median household size is 2.7 people, which is larger than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.

Educational outcomes in Rosewood fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 12.2%, significantly lower than Greater Brisbane's average of 30.5%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 8.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.8%) and graduate diplomas (1.5%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 44.3% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (10.1%) and certificates (34.2%). Educational participation is high at 35.1%, comprising 13.5% in primary, 11.2% in secondary, and 3.7% in tertiary education.

Rosewood has a network of 10 schools educating approximately 1,587 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 950) and balanced educational opportunities. The schools include 8 primary, 1 secondary, and 1 K-12 school. School places per 100 residents are lower at 9.5 compared to the regional average of 12.6, with some students likely attending nearby schools. Note: for schools showing 'n/a' in enrolments, please refer to their parent campus.

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

Rosewood has 24 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These are served by 28 routes, together facilitating 1,188 weekly passenger trips. Transport access is rated limited, with residents averaging 1563 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 169 daily trips across all routes, translating to about 49 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Rosewood is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data indicates significant health challenges in Rosewood, with common conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover stands at approximately 51% of the total population (~8,509 people), slightly lower than the average SA2 area's rate of 48.5%.

Mental health issues affect 10.2% of residents, while arthritis impacts 9.9%. A total of 63.1% report no medical ailments, compared to 60.9% across Greater Brisbane. Rosewood has 17.9% of residents aged 65 and over (2,987 people), lower than Greater Brisbane's 21.8%. Senior health outcomes present challenges broadly in line with the general population's profile.

The latest Census data sees Rosewood placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Rosewood's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 82.8% of its population being citizens, 90.1% born in Australia, and 97.6% speaking English only at home. The primary religion in Rosewood is Christianity, which accounts for 52.5% of the population, compared to 54.9% across Greater Brisbane. Regarding ancestry, the top three represented groups are Australian (32.4%), English (30.6%), and Scottish (8.3%).

Notably, certain ethnic groups have different representations in Rosewood compared to the region: German is overrepresented at 7.3% (versus 8.8%), Australian Aboriginal at 3.7% (versus 3.2%), and Dutch at 1.4% (versus 1.3%).

Rosewood's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Rosewood has a median age of 38, which is slightly higher than Greater Brisbane's figure of 36 but equal to Australia's median age of 38 years. The 55-64 age group constitutes 12.7% of Rosewood's population, stronger than Greater Brisbane's representation, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 12.8%. Between 2021 and the present, the 75 to 84 age group has increased from 4.6% to 6.0% of Rosewood's population. Conversely, the 15 to 24 age group has decreased from 14.3% to 12.9%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Rosewood's age structure, with the 45 to 54 group expected to grow by 159%, adding 3,341 people and reaching a total of 5,446 from its current figure of 2,104.