Samford Valley
Statistical Area - sa2

Samford Valley has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Samford Valley's population is approximately 13,193 as of August 2025. This figure reflects an increase of 808 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 12,385. The growth is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 13,100 in June 2024 and an additional 257 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 79 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Samford Valley has shown resilient growth with a compound annual growth rate of 1.1%, outpacing its SA3 area. Overseas migration primarily drove this growth, contributing approximately 58.6% of overall population gains recently.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections from 2023 based on 2021 data are adopted, with proportional growth weightings applied for age cohorts. Future population trends indicate lower quartile growth, with the area expected to grow by 514 persons to 2041, recording a total gain of 3.2% over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Samford Valley when compared nationally

Samford Valley has averaged approximately 64 new dwelling approvals annually. Development approval data from the ABS is recorded on a financial year basis, totaling 321 approvals over the past five financial years, from FY-2021 to FY-2025, with 5 approvals so far in FY-2026. On average, each dwelling has accommodated around 2.1 new residents per year over these five years, indicating steady demand that supports property values. New homes are being constructed at an average expected cost of $805,000, reflecting a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties.

This financial year has seen $14.0 million in commercial approvals registered, suggesting balanced commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Samford Valley has shown slightly more development activity, approximately 20.0% above the regional average per person over the past five years, balancing buyer choice while supporting current property values. However, construction activity has recently eased. New building activity comprises around 77.0% detached houses and 23.0% attached dwellings, preserving the area's low-density nature with a focus on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers.

This represents a significant shift from the current housing mix, which is predominantly houses (currently 98.0%), reflecting reduced availability of development sites and addressing shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. The location currently accommodates approximately 309 people per dwelling approval, indicating potential for growth. Looking ahead, Samford Valley is projected to grow by around 421 residents by the year 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing favorable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond current projections.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 17 projects likely affecting the region. Notable ones include Ferny Grove Central - Mixed Use Development, Ferny Grove Station Car Park Upgrade, Ferny Hills Precinct Planning Project, and Palmer Road Rural Residential Subdivision. The following list details those most relevant.

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

The exceptional employment performance in Samford Valley places it among Australia's strongest labour markets

Samford Valley has a highly educated workforce with professional services well represented. The unemployment rate is 2.0%, lower than Greater Brisbane's 4.1%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 7.1%. As of June 2025, 7,651 residents are employed and the workforce participation rate is similar to Greater Brisbane's 64.5%. The leading employment industries include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and construction. Notably, professional & technical services have an employment level 1.3 times the regional average.

Manufacturing is under-represented, with only 4.2% of Samford Valley's workforce compared to Greater Brisbane's 6.4%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the Census working population versus resident population count. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 7.1%, labour force by 7.5%, raising the unemployment rate by 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Brisbane experienced employment growth of 4.4% and labour force growth of 4.0%, with a 0.4 percentage point drop in unemployment. State-level data to Sep-25 shows Queensland's employment contracted by 0.23% (losing 8,070 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%. Nationally, the unemployment rate is 4.5%, and employment growth is 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Samford Valley's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.9% over five years and 14.1% over ten years.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

Samford Valley had a median taxpayer income of $60,935 and an average income of $90,848 according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2022. These figures are notably higher than Greater Brisbane's median income of $55,645 and average income of $70,520. By March 2025, estimates suggest a median income of approximately $68,070 and an average income of around $101,486, based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.71% since the financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, household incomes in Samford Valley rank at the 95th percentile with weekly earnings of $2,806. The predominant income cohort comprises 32.4% of locals (4,274 people) earning over $4,000 annually, unlike the regional pattern where the $1,500 - $2,999 category dominates at 33.3%. Strong economic indicators are evident with 47.1% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, which supports elevated consumer spending in the area. After accounting for housing costs, residents retain 88.5% of their income, reflecting robust purchasing power. The SEIFA income ranking places Samford Valley in the 9th decile.

Samford Valley is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Samford Valley's dwelling structure, as recorded in the latest Census, consisted of 97.5% houses and 2.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Brisbane metro's 92.2% houses and 7.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Samford Valley stood at 42.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 50.2% and rented ones at 7.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,492, surpassing Brisbane metro's average of $2,080. Meanwhile, the median weekly rent figure in Samford Valley was $495, compared to Brisbane metro's $440. Nationally, Samford Valley's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than Australia's average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 87.5% of all households, including 45.7% couples with children, 34.3% couples without children, and 7.1% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 12.5%, with lone person households at 11.2% and group households comprising 1.3%. The median household size is 3.0 people, which is larger than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.9.

Educational achievement in Samford Valley places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Samford Valley's residents aged 15 and above have a high level of educational attainment. 39.0% hold university qualifications, which is significantly higher than the broader SA4 region (24.9%) and Queensland (25.7%). Bachelor degrees are the most common at 25.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (9.3%) and graduate diplomas (4.3%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent with 32.0% of residents holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (12.8%) and certificates (19.2%).

Educational participation is notably high in Samford Valley, with 30.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes primary education (11.2%), secondary education (9.8%), and tertiary education (5.1%). The three schools in Samford Valley have a combined enrollment of 1,135 students. The area demonstrates above-average socio-educational conditions with an ICSEA score of 1092. Educational mix includes two primary schools and one K-12 school.

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

Transport analysis shows 17 active public transport stops in Samford Valley. These stops offer bus services only, with one route serving all stops, providing a total of 20 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is limited, with residents usually located 2001 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages two trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately one weekly trip per individual stop.

Samford Valley's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Samford Valley with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 67% of the total population (8,799 people), compared to 59.0% across Greater Brisbane, which aligns closely with the national average of 55.3%. The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 7.3 and 7.0% of residents respectively, while 72.2% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.9% across Greater Brisbane.

Samford Valley has 21.4% of residents aged 65 and over (2,825 people), which is higher than the 16.2% in Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

Samford Valley ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Samford Valley was found to have below average cultural diversity, with 79.4% of its population born in Australia, 92.4% being citizens, and 95.1% speaking English only at home. The predominant religion in Samford Valley is Christianity, comprising 50.5% of the population, compared to 52.9% across Greater Brisbane. In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups are English (33.4%), Australian (25.3%), and Irish (10.3%).

Notably, Scottish ancestry is overrepresented in Samford Valley at 10.1%, compared to 8.9% regionally; South African ancestry remains consistent at 1.0%; while Welsh ancestry is slightly higher at 0.8%, compared to 0.7% regionally.

Samford Valley hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Samford Valley's median age is 45, which exceeds Greater Brisbane's figure of 36 and significantly surpasses the national average of 38. The age group of 55-64 is strongly represented at 15.6%, compared to Greater Brisbane, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 4.5%. Post the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group has increased from 5.4% to 7.7%, and the 15 to 24 group has risen from 11.5% to 13.7%. Conversely, the 35 to 44 cohort has decreased from 11.7% to 10.2%, and the 25 to 34 group has dropped from 5.9% to 4.5%. By 2041, demographic modeling predicts significant changes in Samford Valley's age profile. The 85+ group is projected to grow by 249%, reaching 853 people from 244. The aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above accounting for 88% of the projected growth. Meanwhile, the 15 to 24 and 0 to 4 age groups are expected to experience population declines.