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 8,712 by February 2026. This figure represents an increase of 355 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 8,357. The growth is inferred from the estimated resident population of 8,703 in June 2024 and one validated new address since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 133 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Sheldon - Mount Cotton has shown resilient growth with a compound annual growth rate of 1.3%, surpassing the SA4 region's growth. Natural growth contributed approximately 69.7% to 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 are adopted, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. Note that these state projections lack age category splits; thus, AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings using ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort. By 2041, the area is projected to grow by 190 persons, reflecting a total increase of 2.1% over the 17 years.

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

Mount Cotton in 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 7 approved so far in FY26. This results in an average annual increase of around 5.5 new residents per dwelling constructed over these five years. The demand for housing significantly exceeds the supply of new dwellings, which typically leads to price growth and increased competition among buyers.

New properties are constructed at an average expected cost value of $395,000, slightly above the regional average, suggesting a focus on quality developments. In FY26, commercial approvals valued at $4.2 million have been registered, indicating the area's predominantly residential character. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Sheldon - Mount Cotton has significantly less development activity, with 87.0% fewer approvals per person than the regional average. This scarcity of new homes tends to strengthen demand and prices for existing properties in the area. Similarly, when measured against national averages, development activity is lower, reflecting a mature market and suggesting possible development constraints.

Recent building activity in Sheldon - Mount Cotton consists exclusively of detached houses, maintaining the area's traditional low-density character with a focus on family homes that appeal to those seeking spacious living arrangements. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 1051 people, indicative of its quiet, low-activity development environment. Looking ahead, AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate projects Sheldon - Mount Cotton's population to grow by 181 residents through to 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand in the area, offering favorable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating further population growth beyond current projections.

Sheldon - Mount Cotton has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 42ndth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 15 projects that could affect this region. Notable ones 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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AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Sheldon - Mount Cotton performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Mount Cotton has a skilled workforce with notable representation in the construction sector. Its unemployment rate was 1.2% as of September 2025. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 6.3%.

There were 5,537 residents employed by September 2025, with an unemployment rate of 2.8%, below Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.0%. Workforce participation in Mount Cotton was 83.1%, higher than Greater Brisbane's 70.7%. According to Census responses, 20.3% of residents worked from home as of September 2025. Leading employment industries were construction, health care & social assistance, and education & training.

Construction had an employment share 1.7 times the regional level. Health care & social assistance was under-represented at 13.0%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 16.1%. Employment opportunities appeared limited locally based on Census data. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 6.3% and labour force grew by 6.0%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Brisbane had employment growth of 3.8% and labour force growth of 3.3%, with a 0.5 percentage point drop in unemployment. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest Mount Cotton's employment should increase by 6.2% over five years and 13.0% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to its employment mix.

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

AreaSearch data for financial year 2023 shows median income in Sheldon - Mount Cotton SA2 was $58,442, with average income at $69,730. This is slightly above national averages of $57,081 and $67,011 respectively. In Greater Brisbane, median income was $58,236 and average income was $72,799. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $64,234 (median) and $76,640 (average), based on a 9.91% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023. Census data reveals household, family, and personal incomes in Sheldon - Mount Cotton rank between the 82nd and 93rd percentiles nationally. The predominant income bracket spans 36.3% of locals (3,162 people) earning $1,500-$2,999 per week, consistent with broader trends across the area showing 33.3% in the same category. A substantial proportion, 40.5%, earns above $3,000 per week, indicating strong economic capacity. Housing accounts for 13.9% of income, and residents rank 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, comprised 99.4% houses and 0.6% other dwellings. In comparison, Brisbane metro had 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Sheldon - Mount Cotton was at 26.5%, similar to Brisbane metro's level, with the rest being mortgaged (62.7%) or rented (10.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,167, higher than Brisbane metro's average of $1,863. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $475, compared to Brisbane metro's $380. Nationally, Sheldon - Mount Cotton's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households comprise 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 making up 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 residents aged 15+ have 23.4% with university degrees, compared to Greater Brisbane's 30.5%. Bachelor degrees are 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: primary (11.7%), secondary (9.4%), and tertiary (4.0%).

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 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by six different routes that together facilitate 329 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as moderate, with residents on average located 584 meters from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential region, most commuters travel outward, with cars being the primary mode of transportation at 94%. On average, there are 2.2 vehicles per dwelling, which exceeds the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, 20.3% of residents work from home, a figure that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

The service frequency across all routes averages 47 trips per day, resulting in approximately 14 weekly trips per stop.

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

Analysis shows strong health performance in Sheldon - Mount Cotton based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence.

Younger cohorts had particularly low prevalence of common health conditions. Private health cover was at approximately 54% of the total population (~4,695 people), leading the average SA2 area rate. The most prevalent medical conditions were mental health issues (8.2%) and asthma (7.7%), while 72.9% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 69.2% across Greater Brisbane. Under-65 population had better than average health outcomes. The area had 13.6% of residents aged 65 and over (1,186 people), lower than Greater Brisbane's 15.2%. Health outcomes among seniors were above average but ranked lower nationally than 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

Mount Cotton, Sheldon was found to have below average cultural diversity with 80.2% of its population born in Australia, 92.0% being citizens, and 94.2% speaking English only at home. The predominant religion in Mount Cotton, Sheldon is Christianity, comprising 49.0% of the population, compared to 47.8% across Greater Brisbane. In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups are English (33.0%), Australian (27.6%), and Scottish (8.0%).

Notably, South African ethnicity is overrepresented at 1.3%, New Zealand at 1.1%, and Dutch at 1.7%.

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

Sheldon - Mount Cotton 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 age group of 45-54 shows strong representation at 16.1%, compared to Greater Brisbane, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 8.0%. Between 2021 and the present, the 75-84 age group has grown from 3.2% to 5.4% of the population, and the 15-24 cohort has increased from 12.1% to 13.2%. Conversely, the 25-34 cohort has declined from 11.2% to 8.0%, and the 35-44 group has dropped from 15.7% to 14.6%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts in Sheldon - Mount Cotton's age structure. The 75-84 group is expected to grow by 43%, adding 204 people and reaching a total of 678 from the current 473. This aging population trend is evident, 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.