Slacks Creek
Statistical Area - sa2

Slacks Creek has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Slacks Creek's population was around 10,978 as of Aug 2025, reflecting a 5.5% increase since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 10,408 people. This change is inferred from an estimated resident population of 10,835 in June 2024 and an additional 85 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density was 1,321 persons per square kilometer, above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Slacks Creek's growth rate of 5.5% positions it within 0.7 percentage points of the SA3 area (6.2%). Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 65.1% of overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch adopts 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 released in 2023 based on 2021 data are adopted. These state projections do not provide age category splits, so proportional growth weightings aligned with ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data are applied where utilized. Future population trends anticipate lower quartile growth of national statistical areas, with the area expected to increase by 149 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, reflecting a decline of 0.6% in total over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Slacks Creek according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Slacks Creek has received approximately 28 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 140 homes. As of FY-26, there have been 4 recorded approvals. On average, between FY-21 and FY-25, each new dwelling constructed accommodated around 0.8 new residents per year. This indicates that construction pace is matching or exceeding demand, providing more housing options and potentially driving population growth beyond current projections.

The average expected construction cost value of these homes was $322,000, which is below regional norms, reflecting more affordable housing options. In FY-26, Slacks Creek has registered around $36.7 million in commercial approvals, demonstrating strong momentum in commercial development. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Slacks Creek maintains similar levels of development per capita, indicating a balanced market consistent with the broader area. However, this is below the national average, suggesting maturity and possible planning constraints.

In terms of new building activity, approximately 67% were detached houses, while around 33% consisted of townhouses or apartments. This mix shows an expanding range of medium-density options, catering to various price brackets from traditional family housing to more affordable compact alternatives. Slacks Creek has around 483 people per dwelling approval, indicating a developed market. Given stable or declining population forecasts, Slacks Creek may experience less housing pressure in the future, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

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

The performance of an area is significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 48 projects that are expected to impact the area. Notable projects include Loganlea Road Upgrade - University Drive to Pacific Motorway, Springwood Watland Plaza Mixed-Use Development, Paradise Road Large Format Retail Development, and Kuraby State School Infrastructure Upgrade. The following list details those considered most relevant.

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

Slacks Creek shows employment indicators that trail behind approximately 70% of regions assessed across Australia

Slacks Creek has a diverse workforce with both white and blue collar jobs, notably in manufacturing and industrial sectors. Its unemployment rate is 8.1%, with an estimated employment growth of 6.4% over the past year.

As of June 2025, there are 5,155 employed residents, while the unemployment rate stands at 4.0%, above Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation in Slacks Creek is 54.7%, significantly lower than Greater Brisbane's 64.5%. Residents' employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. Manufacturing shows strong specialization with an employment share 1.6 times the regional level.

Conversely, professional & technical services have a lower representation at 4.5% compared to the regional average of 8.9%. The worker-to-resident ratio is 0.6, indicating above-average local employment opportunities. Over the year to June 2025, employment increased by 6.4%, while labour force grew by 4.9%, reducing unemployment by 1.3 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Brisbane had employment growth of 4.4% and a 0.4 percentage point decrease in unemployment. Statewide, Queensland's employment contracted by 0.23% (losing 8,070 jobs) as of Sep-25, with an unemployment rate of 4.2%, slightly below the national rate of 4.5%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Slacks Creek's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.0%% over five years and 12.8% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

Slacks Creek's median taxpayer income was $45,356 and average income was $53,609 in financial year 2022, according to AreaSearch aggregating postcode level ATO data. This is lower than the national average, with Greater Brisbane having a median income of $55,645 and an average of $70,520. By March 2025, estimates suggest Slacks Creek's median income would be approximately $50,667 and average income $59,887, adjusting for Wage Price Index growth of 11.71% since financial year 2022. Census data indicates that incomes in Slacks Creek fall between the 15th and 20th percentiles nationally. The majority, 31.6%, earn $1,500 - 2,999 annually (3,469 individuals), aligning with regional trends where 33.3% fall into this category. Housing affordability is severe, with only 80.8% of income remaining post-housing costs, ranking at the 18th percentile nationally.

Slacks Creek is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Slacks Creek had 78.5% houses and 21.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings) in its latest Census evaluation, compared to Brisbane metro's 77.9% houses and 22.2% other dwellings. Home ownership was at 21.8% in Slacks Creek, with mortgaged dwellings at 33.8%, and rented ones at 44.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,430, lower than Brisbane metro's average of $1,638. Median weekly rent in the area was $310, compared to Brisbane metro's $320. Nationally, Slacks Creek's median monthly mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,430 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Slacks Creek features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 68.7% of all households, including 26.9% that are couples with children, 20.0% that are couples without children, and 19.9% that are single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 31.3%, with lone person households at 27.1% and group households comprising 4.2%. The median household size is 2.7 people, which is smaller than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.8.

Slacks Creek faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 13.4%, significantly lower than Greater Brisbane's average of 30.5%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 9.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.3%) and graduate diplomas (1.3%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 39.3% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 10.4% and certificates at 28.9%. Educational participation is high, with 31.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education: 11.8% in primary, 9.9% in secondary, and 3.0% in tertiary education.

Mabel Park State High School and Mabel Park State School serve a total of 2,494 students. Educational provision in the area is varied, with one primary and one secondary institution serving different educational needs across Slacks Creek.

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

The analysis of public transport in Slacks Creek indicates that there are 57 active transport stops currently operating. These stops serve a variety of bus routes, with a total of 13 individual routes providing service. Each week, these routes facilitate 1,334 passenger trips collectively.

The accessibility of transport in the area is rated as good, with residents typically located approximately 203 meters from their nearest transport stop. On average, across all routes, there are 190 trips per day, which equates to roughly 23 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Slacks Creek is well below average with considerably higher than average prevalence of common health conditions and to an even higher degree among older age cohorts

Slacks Creek faces significant health challenges with higher prevalence of common health conditions compared to average. This is particularly true for older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover in Slacks Creek is approximately 47% (~5,159 people), which is lower than the Greater Brisbane average of 49.5%, and the national average of 55.3%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most common conditions, affecting 10.5% and 9.1% of residents respectively. However, 64.6% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 68.5% in Greater Brisbane. Slacks Creek has 15.2% of residents aged 65 and over (1,671 people). Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than the broader population.

Slacks Creek 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

Slacks Creek had a higher linguistic diversity than most local areas, with 22.9% of its residents speaking languages other than English at home. Born overseas, 33.2% of Slacks Creek's population contributed to this diversity. Christianity was the predominant religion in Slacks Creek, accounting for 45.7% of people.

However, Islam showed a notable overrepresentation with 7.7%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 7.6%. Regarding ancestry, the top groups were English (23.9%), Australian (21.5%), and Other (16.7%). There were also significant differences in the representation of certain ethnicities: Samoan at 3.2% vs regional 2.4%, Maori at 2.9% vs 2.2%, and New Zealanders at 1.6% vs 1.4%.

Slacks Creek's population is younger than the national pattern

At age 35, Slacks Creek's median age is close to Greater Brisbane's average of 36 years, slightly younger than Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Slacks Creek has a higher proportion of residents aged 15-24 (15.3%), but fewer residents aged 25-34 (12.8%). Between the 2016 and 2021 Census, the percentage of residents aged 15 to 24 increased from 13.7% to 15.3%, while those aged 75 to 84 rose from 4.3% to 5.7%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 25 to 34 decreased from 14.1% to 12.8%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic shifts in Slacks Creek. The 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 36%, adding 223 residents to reach a total of 844. Residents aged 65 and above will drive 64% of the population growth, highlighting demographic aging trends. Conversely, declines are forecast for the 15 to 24 and 0 to 4 age cohorts.