Sherwood
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in Sherwood are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Sherwood's population, as of August 2025, is approximately 7,001 people. This figure represents an increase of 549 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,452 people. The growth is inferred from the estimated resident population of 6,985 in June 2024 and an additional 47 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 3,070 persons per square kilometer, placing Sherwood in the upper quartile compared to other locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's 8.5% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region's 8.2%, indicating it as a growth leader within its region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 63.3% of overall population gains during recent periods, with natural growth and interstate migration also being 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 and based on 2021 data, are used. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits; therefore, AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort, released in 2023 using 2022 data as the base year. Based on current population trends, Sherwood is expected to increase by approximately 764 persons by 2041, representing a total gain of 10.7% over the 17-year period.

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

Sherwood has received approximately 25 dwelling approvals per year. The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports a total of 127 approvals in the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, with an additional two approved so far in FY-26. On average, each new home built between FY-21 and FY-25 accommodates about 5.5 new residents annually. This results in a significant demand exceeding supply, leading to price growth and increased buyer competition.

The average expected construction cost for new dwellings is $683,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment. In this financial year alone, $2.2 million worth of commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting the area's residential nature. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Sherwood has 17.0% less building activity per person but ranks in the 52nd percentile nationally among assessed areas. New developments consist equally of detached houses and townhouses or apartments (50.0% each), promoting higher-density living which offers more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers.

With around 450 people per dwelling approval, Sherwood indicates a developed market. Future projections estimate an increase of 748 residents by 2041. Current construction rates appear balanced with future demand, maintaining steady market conditions without excessive price pressure.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified three projects potentially impacting the area: Parklands at Sherwood, Cross River Rail - Graceville Station, Oxley Creek Transformation, and Centenary Motorway Bypass. The following details those most relevant.

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

Employment performance in Sherwood exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Sherwood has an educated workforce with professional services well-represented, and its unemployment rate is 3.4%. As of June 2025, 3951 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 0.7% lower than Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.1%, with a workforce participation rate of 68.6%.

The dominant employment sectors in Sherwood include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. Notably, professional & technical services employ 1.7 times the regional average. Conversely, construction employs only 4.8% of local workers compared to Greater Brisbane's 9.0%. Between June 2024 and June 2025, Sherwood's labour force decreased by 1.4%, with employment declining by 1.3%; unemployment remained stable.

Meanwhile, Greater Brisbane saw employment growth of 4.4% and a 0.4 percentage point drop in unemployment. In Queensland, as of Sep-25, employment contracted by 0.23% (losing 8070 jobs), with an unemployment rate of 4.2%, trailing the national rate of 4.5%. Looking ahead, Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Sherwood's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.1% over five years and 14.5% over ten years.

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

Sherwood's median income among taxpayers was $66,970 according to ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. The average income stood at $91,328 in the same period, which compares to figures for Greater Brisbane of $55,645 and $70,520 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.71% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $74,812 (median) and $102,023 (average) as of March 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Sherwood, between the 71st and 84th percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate that 28.8% of locals (2,016 people) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 category, similar to the metropolitan region where this cohort represents 33.3%. Higher earners make up a substantial presence with 34.3% exceeding $3,000 weekly, indicating strong purchasing power within the community. High housing costs consume 15.3% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 72nd percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Sherwood displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Sherwood's dwelling structures were 53.9% houses and 46.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings) as per the latest Census, compared to Brisbane metro's 48.9% houses and 51.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Sherwood was at 29.8%, similar to Brisbane metro, with mortgaged dwellings at 33.8% and rented ones at 36.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Sherwood was $2,210, higher than the Brisbane metro average of $2,167. The median weekly rent figure for Sherwood was recorded at $395, compared to Brisbane's $410. Nationally, Sherwood's mortgage repayments exceed the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are higher than the national figure of $375.

Sherwood features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 65.6% of all households, including 30.6% couples with children, 25.1% couples without children, and 8.2% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 34.4%, with lone person households at 30.6% and group households making up 4.1%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.5.

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

Educational attainment in Sherwood is notably high, with 50.8% of residents aged 15 years and over holding university qualifications as of the latest data point, compared to state and national averages of 25.7% and 30.4%, respectively. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 32.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (13.9%) and graduate diplomas (4.6%). Vocational pathways account for 21.5% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 9.6% and certificates at 11.9%. Educational participation is high, with 31.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 9.0% in primary, 9.0% in tertiary, and 8.9% pursuing secondary education.

Sherwood State School serves the local area, enrolling 643 students as of the given date. The school focuses exclusively on primary education, with an ICSEA score of 1140. Secondary schooling options are available in nearby areas due to limited local capacity (9.2 places per 100 residents compared to regional averages of 26.1).

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

Sherwood has 22 active public transport stops, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 76 individual routes, collectively facilitating 3,329 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of transport is rated as good, with residents typically located 213 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 475 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 151 weekly trips per individual stop.

Sherwood'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 Sherwood. Both young and old age cohorts have low prevalence of common health conditions.

The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 67% of the total population (4,697 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%. The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues impacting 8.3% of residents and asthma impacting 7.4%. A total of 72.9% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.7% across Greater Brisbane. The area has 18.0% of residents aged 65 and over (1,262 people), which is higher than the 14.4% in Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

Sherwood was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Sherwood's population is more linguistically diverse than most local markets, with 14.9% speaking a language other than English at home. Born overseas, 26.5% of Sherwood residents were born outside Australia. Christianity dominates Sherwood's religious landscape, comprising 47.5%.

Notably, Judaism, at 0.3%, is proportionally equal to Greater Brisbane's 0.3%. In terms of ancestry, English (27.5%), Australian (22.1%), and Irish (11.1%) are the top three groups in Sherwood. Some ethnicities show variations: Scottish (9.9% vs regional 8.7%), Russian (0.6% vs 0.5%), and Welsh (0.7% vs 0.6%) are notably overrepresented in Sherwood.

Sherwood's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Sherwood's median age is 38, which is slightly higher than Greater Brisbane's figure of 36 but equal to Australia's median age of 38. The 75-84 age group constitutes 7.6% of Sherwood's population, compared to Greater Brisbane, while the 25-34 cohort makes up 12.8%. Between 2021 and present, the 75-84 age group has increased from 5.2% to 7.6%, while the 25-34 cohort has decreased from 13.8% to 12.8%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Sherwood's age structure. The 75-84 group is projected to grow by 75%, reaching 932 people from the current figure of 532. Those aged 65 and above are expected to comprise 71% of this growth. Conversely, the 15-24 and 5-14 age cohorts are anticipated to experience population declines.