Rothwell - Kippa-Ring

Rothwell - Kippa-Ring is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

AreaSearch's analysis indicates Rothwell - Kippa-Ring's population was approximately 17,753 as of Feb 2026. This figure reflects an increase of 368 people (2.1%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 17,385. The change is inferred from ABS estimated resident population data: 17,628 as of June 2024 and an additional 116 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 1,153 persons per square kilometer, roughly aligning with averages across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration primarily drove population growth during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts 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 are used, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. However, these state projections lack age category splits; hence proportional growth weightings aligned with ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data) are applied. Considering projected demographic shifts, lower quartile growth is anticipated for national statistical areas. Rothwell - Kippa-Ring is expected to grow by 509 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 2.2% in total over the 17 years based on the latest annual ERP population numbers.

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

Rothwell-Kippa-Ring has seen approximately 42 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling 213 homes. In FY-26 so far, 297 approvals have been recorded. The population decline during this period suggests that new supply has likely kept pace with demand, offering good choices for buyers. The average construction cost of new properties is $191,000, which is below regional levels, indicating more affordable housing options.

There have also been $27.5 million in commercial approvals this financial year, indicating steady investment activity. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Rothwell-Kippa-Ring has significantly less development activity, with 72.0% fewer approvals per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing homes. Nationally, Rothwell-Kippa-Ring's development activity is also lower, reflecting market maturity and possible development constraints. New developments consist of 48.0% detached dwellings and 52.0% attached dwellings, with a skew towards compact living that attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This shows a significant shift from the current housing mix, which is currently 74.0% houses. With around 939 people per dwelling approval, Rothwell-Kippa-Ring reflects a highly mature market.

By 2041, it is expected to grow by approximately 384 residents. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Rothwell - Kippa-Ring has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 45thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 46 projects that could affect this region. Notable ones include Thyme Lifestyle Resort Rothwell (previously Grace Living Rothwell), Kippa-Ring Innovation Precinct, Peninsula Private Hospital Redevelopment, and Kippa-Ring Train Station Precinct, with the following list providing more details on those 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.

The employment landscape in Rothwell - Kippa-Ring shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Rothwell-Kippa Ring has a balanced workforce with white and blue collar jobs, prominent essential services sectors, an unemployment rate of 4.7%, and estimated employment growth of 8.6% in the past year as of September 2025. The area has 7,947 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%, 0.7% higher than Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.0%. Workforce participation is lower at 57.2% compared to Greater Brisbane's 70.7%.

Census responses indicate that only 11.0% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. The leading employment industries are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. However, professional & technical services employ only 4.7% of local workers, lower than Greater Brisbane's 8.9%.

The area appears to have limited local employment opportunities based on the resident population vs working population count. In the 12-month period ending September 2025, employment increased by 8.6%, while labour force grew by 5.7%, reducing the unemployment rate by 2.6 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Brisbane experienced employment growth of 3.8% and labour force growth of 3.3%, with a 0.5 percentage point drop in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall employment expansion by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Rothwell-Kippa Ring's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.6% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

The Rothwell-Kippa Ring SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $50,519 and an average income of $56,823 in the financial year 2023, according to ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. These figures are lower than Greater Brisbane's median income of $58,236 and average income of $72,799 for the same period. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $55,525 (median) and $62,454 (average), based on a 9.91% growth in wages since financial year 2023. The 2021 Census showed that Rothwell-Kippa Ring's household, family, and personal incomes fell between the 16th and 20th percentiles nationally. Income analysis revealed that the largest segment consisted of 5,432 residents earning $1,500-$2,999 weekly, comprising 30.6% of the population, which was consistent with broader trends in the surrounding region at 33.3%. Housing affordability pressures were severe, with only 81.0% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 17th percentile nationally.

Rothwell - Kippa-Ring is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure in Rothwell-Kippa Ring, as per the latest Census, consisted of 74.1% houses and 26.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Brisbane metro had 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Rothwell-Kippa Ring was 32.6%, with the rest either mortgaged (29.4%) or rented (38.0%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,625, below Brisbane metro's average of $1,863. Median weekly rent was $360, compared to Brisbane metro's $380. Nationally, Rothwell-Kippa Ring's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.

Rothwell - Kippa-Ring has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 68.6% of all households, including 25.6% couples with children, 26.2% couples without children, and 15.7% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 31.4%, with lone person households at 28.1% and group households comprising 3.2%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.

Educational outcomes in Rothwell - Kippa-Ring fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 14.1%, significantly lower than Greater Brisbane's average of 30.5%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 10.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.8%) and graduate diplomas (1.8%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 41.3% of residents aged 15+ holding them. Advanced diplomas account for 11.2%, while certificates make up 30.1%.

Educational participation is high at 28.1%, including 10.4% in primary education, 8.8% in secondary education, and 3.4% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Rothwell-Kippa-Ring has 65 active public transport stops serving a mix of train and bus routes. These stops are served by 40 individual routes, providing a total of 3999 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents located an average of 276 meters from the nearest stop. The area is primarily residential, with most commuters traveling outward. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport at 88%, while train usage stands at 5%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.3 per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, only 11% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency across all routes averages 571 trips per day, equating to approximately 61 weekly trips per stop.

Health performance in Rothwell - Kippa-Ring is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Rothwell-Kippa-Ring faces significant health challenges, as indicated by AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Several health conditions affect both younger and older age groups, and private health cover is low at approximately 48% of the total population (around 8,450 people), compared to Greater Brisbane's 55.8%. Nationally, the average is 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 10.7% and 10.2% of residents respectively. Conversely, 58.7% report having no medical ailments, compared to Greater Brisbane's 69.2%. Working-age residents face notable health challenges due to higher chronic condition rates. The area has a larger senior population, with 26.4% aged 65 and over (4,692 people), compared to Greater Brisbane's 15.2%. While national rankings for seniors' health outcomes are broadly in line with the general population, some challenges exist.

In terms of cultural diversity, Rothwell - Kippa-Ring records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Rothwell-Kippa Ring, surveyed in June 2016, had a cultural diversity profile similar to the wider region. 86.3% of its population were Australian citizens, 77.4% were born in Australia, and 92.0% spoke English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, practiced by 53.3%, compared to 47.8% across Greater Brisbane.

The top three ancestry groups were English (30.9%), Australian (26.7%), and Irish (7.8%). Notably, Maori (1.9%) and Samoan (1.3%) populations were higher than the regional averages of 1.1% and 0.9%, respectively. New Zealand-born residents also made up 1.2%, slightly above the regional average of 1%.

Rothwell - Kippa-Ring's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Rothwell-Kippa-Ring is 44 years, which is higher than Greater Brisbane's average of 36 years and exceeds the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 75-84 years make up 11.0% of the population, while those aged 25-34 years comprise only 8.9%. Between 2021 and present, the percentage of the population aged 75-84 has increased from 8.9% to 11.0%, and the 55-64 age group has grown from 11.2% to 12.2%. Conversely, the 25-34 age group has decreased from 10.3% to 8.9%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Rothwell-Kippa-Ring's age structure. The number of people aged 75-84 is projected to increase by 576 (29%), from 1,958 to 2,535. Notably, the combined age groups of 65 and above will account for 86% of total population growth. Meanwhile, the 15-24 and 0-4 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.