Sheldon - Mount Cotton

Sheldon - Mount Cotton has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Sheldon - Mount Cotton's population, as per AreaSearch's analysis, was around 8,742 as of May 2026. This figure represents an increase of 385 people from the 2021 Census count of 8,357. The increase is inferred using ABS' estimated resident population of 8,742 in June 2025 and address validation since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 134 persons per square kilometer. Natural growth contributed approximately 61.1% 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 by this data and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections from 2023, based on 2021 data, are adopted. However, these state projections lack age category splits, so AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings aligned with ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023, based on 2022 data. Future population trends suggest lower quartile growth for statistical areas nationwide. Sheldon - Mount Cotton is projected to expand by 127 persons to reach a total of 8,869 by 2041, reflecting an increase of 1.4% over the 16-year period, based on the latest annual ERP population numbers.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Sheldon - Mount Cotton according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Mount Cotton, Sheldon, has averaged approximately 10 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, with a total of 53 homes approved during this period and an additional 9 approved in FY26. The average number of people moving to the area for each dwelling built over these five years is 5.5 per year. This significant demand outpaces supply, typically exerting upward pressure on prices and increasing competition among buyers.

The average construction value of new homes is $395,000, which is moderately above regional levels, indicating a focus on quality construction. In FY26, $4.2 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, suggesting the area's residential character. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Mount Cotton, Sheldon, shows substantially reduced construction activity, with 87.0% fewer approvals per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing homes. Additionally, recent development has been entirely comprised of standalone homes, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers.

The estimated population count of 1051 people per dwelling approval reflects its quiet, low activity development environment. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Mount Cotton, Sheldon, is expected to grow by 127 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Sheldon - Mount Cotton has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 46thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 16 projects likely impacting the area. Notable projects include Redlands Coast Regional Sport and Recreation Precinct, Birkdale Community Precinct, Redland Whitewater Centre, and Edge 521 Townhouses. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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Employment conditions in Sheldon - Mount Cotton rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

Sheldon - Mount Cotton has a skilled workforce with notable representation in the construction sector. The unemployment rate was 1.4% as of December 2025, lower than Greater Brisbane's 4.1%. Employment grew by an estimated 5.4% over the past year.

As of December 2025, 5,571 residents were employed, with a workforce participation rate of 83.0%, higher than Greater Brisbane's 69.6%. Approximately 20.3% of residents worked from home based on Census responses. The dominant employment sectors are construction, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Construction is particularly specialized in the area with an employment share of 1.7 times the regional level.

Conversely, health care & social assistance has lower representation at 13.0% compared to the regional average of 16.1%. Employment opportunities locally appear limited based on Census working population vs resident population comparison. Over a 12-month period ending in December 2025, employment increased by 5.4% while labour force grew by 5.5%, keeping unemployment relatively stable at 2.8%. In contrast, Greater Brisbane experienced employment growth of 3.2% and labour force growth of 3.0%, with a drop in unemployment rate by 0.1 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest potential future demand within Sheldon - Mount Cotton. Over five years, national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6%, and over ten years by 13.7%. Applying these projections to Sheldon - Mount Cotton's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.2% over five years and 13.0% over ten years, though this extrapolation does not account for localized population projections.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that income in Sheldon - Mount Cotton SA2 is slightly above average nationally. The median income is $58,442 and the average income stands at $69,730. In Greater Brisbane, the median income is $58,236 and the average income is $72,799. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $65,081 (median) and $77,651 (average) as of March 2026. According to the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Sheldon - Mount Cotton rank highly nationally, between the 82nd and 93rd percentiles. Income brackets indicate that 36.3% of locals (3,173 people) fall into the $1,500 - $2,999 category, aligning with the region where this cohort also represents 33.3%. A significant 40.5% earn above $3,000 weekly. Housing accounts for 13.9% of income and strong earnings place residents within the 93rd percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Sheldon - Mount Cotton is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Sheldon - Mount Cotton's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 99.4% houses and 0.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Brisbane metro's 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Sheldon - Mount Cotton mirrored Brisbane metro at 26.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 62.7% and rented ones at 10.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, surpassing the Brisbane metro average of $1,863. The median weekly rent was $475, higher than Brisbane metro's $380 but lower than the national average of $375. Nationally, Sheldon - Mount Cotton's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,167 compared to Australia's $1,863.

Sheldon - Mount Cotton features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 89.6% of all households, including 52.3% couples with children, 27.9% couples without children, and 8.9% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 10.4%, with lone person households at 9.0% and group households comprising 1.5%. The median household size is 3.1 people, larger than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.

Sheldon - Mount Cotton shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Sheldon-Mount Cotton trail's residents aged 15+ have 23.4% with university degrees, compared to Greater Brisbane's 30.5%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 16.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.4%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%). Vocational credentials are held by 42.8%, including advanced diplomas (13.8%) and certificates (29.0%). Educational participation is high, with 31.2% currently enrolled in formal education: 11.7% in primary, 9.4% in secondary, and 4.0% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 31.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.7% in primary education, 9.4% in secondary education, and 4.0% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Sheldon-Mount Cotton has 23 operational public transport stops, all of which are bus services. These stops are covered by six different routes that collectively facilitate 329 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as moderate, with residents on average located 584 meters away from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential region, most commuters travel outward, primarily using cars (94%). On average, there are 2.2 vehicles per dwelling, exceeding the regional norm. According to the 2021 Census, 20.3% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

The service frequency averages 47 trips per day across all routes, equating to roughly 14 weekly trips per individual stop.

Sheldon - Mount Cotton's residents are extremely healthy with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Sheldon-Mount Cotton based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence with younger cohorts seeing particularly low prevalence of common health conditions.

The rate of private health cover is approximately 54% of the total population (~4,711 people), leading that of the average SA2 area. The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues impacting 8.2% of residents and asthma impacting 7.7%. A total of 72.9% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 69.2% across Greater Brisbane. The under-65 population demonstrates better than average health outcomes. The area has 13.4% of residents aged 65 and over (1,170 people), which is lower than the 15.1% in Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among seniors are above average but rank lower nationally than those of the broader population.

Sheldon - Mount Cotton ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Sheldon-Mount Cotton, surveyed in June 2016, had low cultural diversity: 80.2% were Australian-born, 92.0% were citizens, and 94.2% spoke English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion (49.0%), slightly higher than Greater Brisbane's 47.8%. The top three ancestral groups were English (33.0%, compared to 26.8% regionally), Australian (27.6%), and Scottish (8.0%).

Notably, South Australian ancestry was overrepresented at 1.3% (vs regional 0.6%), as were New Zealand (1.1%) and Dutch (1.7%) groups.

Sheldon - Mount Cotton's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Sheldon - Mount Cotton has a median age of 38, which is slightly older than Greater Brisbane's figure of 36 but equal to Australia's median age of 38 years. The age group of 45-54 shows strong representation at 16.2%, compared to Greater Brisbane, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 8.6%. Between 2021 and present, the 75-84 age group has grown from 3.2% to 5.0% of the population. Conversely, the 25-34 cohort has declined from 11.2% to 8.6%, and the 35-44 group has dropped from 15.7% to 14.6%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections reveal significant shifts in Sheldon - Mount Cotton's age structure. The 75-84 group is expected to grow by 43%, adding 187 people and reaching a total of 626 from the current figure of 438. This growth reflects an aging population dynamic, with those aged 65 and above comprising 60% of projected growth. Meanwhile, the 15-24 and 25-34 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.