Southport - South
Statistical Area - sa2

Southport - South lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Southport - South's population is around 20,521 as of Aug 2025. This reflects an increase of 1,628 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 18,893 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 19,921 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 541 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 3,085 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Southport - South's growth rate of 8.6% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area's growth rate of 8.5%, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections released in 2023 based on 2021 data are adopted. It should be noted that these state projections do not provide age category splits; hence proportional growth weightings aligned with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data are applied where utilised. Examining future trends, a significant population increase is forecast for Southport - South, with an expected expansion of 6,093 persons to 2041 reflecting an increase of 26.8% in total over the 17 years based on the latest population numbers.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Southport - South among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Southport - South has approved approximately 138 dwellings annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that from FY2021 to FY2025, around 691 homes received approvals, with one more approved in FY2026 so far. On average, about 1.7 new residents moved into each newly developed home over the past five financial years. This balance between supply and demand supports stable market conditions.

The average construction cost of new dwellings is around $635,000, aligning with regional trends. In FY2026, commercial development approvals totalled approximately $54.7 million, indicating high local commercial activity. Compared to the Rest of Qld, Southport - South has seen slightly more development, about 48.0% above the regional average per person over the past five years. This maintains reasonable buyer options while sustaining property demand. Recently, construction has comprised approximately 13.0% detached houses and 87.0% attached dwellings, reflecting a trend towards denser development to cater to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers.

This shift differs from the current housing mix of 35.0% houses, likely due to reduced availability of development sites and changing lifestyle demands. Southport - South has experienced around 266 people per approval, indicating a transitioning market. By 2041, it is projected to grow by approximately 5,493 residents. Development appears to be keeping pace with this projected growth, although increasing competition among buyers can be expected as the population expands.

Southport - South has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified a total of 30 projects likely to affect the region. Notable projects include Paradiso Place, 21 Minnie Street Affordable Housing, Eden Garden Residences, Southport, and Onyx Residences. The following list details those most relevant.

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

The employment landscape in Southport - South shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Southport-South has a well-educated workforce with prominent tourism and hospitality sectors. Its unemployment rate is 5.0% and it experienced an estimated employment growth of 2.1% in the past year.

As of June 2025, 10,655 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 4.0%, slightly higher than Rest of Qld's 3.9%. Workforce participation is similar to Rest of Qld at 59.1%. Leading employment industries include health care & social assistance, accommodation & food, and retail trade. The area specializes in accommodation & food with an employment share of 1.6 times the regional level, but agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented at 0.4% compared to Rest of Qld's 4.5%.

Employment opportunities locally may be limited as Census working population versus resident population suggests. In the year to June 2025, employment levels increased by 2.1% and labour force grew by 2.1%, with unemployment remaining unchanged. This contrasts with Rest of Qld where employment rose by 1.8%, labour force grew by 2.0%, and unemployment rose by 0.2 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 shows QLD employment contracted by 0.23% (losing 8,070 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%. National unemployment is 4.5%, with national employment growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's forecasts from May 2025 project national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Southport-South's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.8%% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that income in Southport - South is below the national average. The median income is $44,931 and the average income stands at $56,755. This contrasts with Rest of Qld's figures where the median income is $50,780 and the average income is $64,844. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.71% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Southport - South would be approximately $50,192 (median) and $63,401 (average) as of March 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes all rank modestly in Southport - South, between the 25th and 75th percentiles. Distribution data shows that the largest segment comprises 29.6% earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly (6,074 residents), which is similar to the metropolitan region where 31.7% occupy this bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Southport - South, with only 77.1% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 18th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

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

Southport - South's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, showed 34.7% houses and 65.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro Qld had 44.5% houses and 55.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Southport - South was at 26.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 24.2% and rented ones at 49.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, lower than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,750 and the national figure of $1,863. The median weekly rent in Southport - South was $435, higher than Non-Metro Qld's $420 and substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 58.9% of all households, including 18.5% couples with children, 26.0% couples without children, and 12.9% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 41.1%, with lone person households at 31.6% and group households comprising 9.5% of the total. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.3.

The educational profile of Southport - South exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Southport-South's educational attainment is notably high, with 31.2% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications, exceeding the Rest of Qld's 20.6% and the SA4 region's 25.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 21.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.6%) and graduate diplomas (2.4%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 34.0% of residents holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (12.9%) and certificates (21.1%). Educational participation is high, with 32.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, comprising 8.7% in tertiary, 8.3% in secondary, and 6.7% in primary education.

The area's educational provision includes The Southport School and Keebra Park State High School, serving a total of 2,618 students. Southport-South demonstrates typical Australian school conditions with balanced opportunities, having an ICSEA score of 1042. It has one secondary and one K-12 school, offering 12.8 school places per 100 residents, which is below the regional average of 18.0. Some students may attend schools in nearby areas.

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

Transport analysis shows 57 active stops operating in Southport - South. These include lightrail and bus services. There are 10 individual routes serving these stops, providing a total of 2,412 weekly passenger trips.

Residents have excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 189 meters to the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 344 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 42 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Southport - South are marginally below the national average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Southport - South shows below-average health indicators, with common conditions affecting both younger and older residents. Private health cover is low at around 48%, covering approximately 9,911 people, compared to the national average of 55.3%.

Mental health issues and arthritis are the most prevalent conditions, impacting 8.4% and 8.0% of residents respectively. About 69.5% of residents report no medical ailments, similar to the 69.4% across Rest of Qld. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, at 19.0% (3,901 people), compared to 17.1% in Rest of Qld. Health outcomes among seniors present challenges broadly inline with the general population's health profile.

Southport - South is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Southport scores highly in cultural diversity with 25.1% speaking a language other than English at home, and 39.5% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion, comprising 46.0%. Judaism is overrepresented at 0.3%, compared to 0.2% regionally.

In ancestry, English comprises 26.3%, Australian 19.3%, and Other 12.2%. Korean (1.9%) and Russian (0.6%) are notably overrepresented, while Maori is underrepresented at 1.2%.

Southport - South's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Southport - South is 38 years, which is slightly below Rest of Qld's average of 41 but in line with Australia's 38 years. The 25-34 age group constitutes 20.8% of the population, higher than Rest of Qld's percentage and significantly above the national average of 14.5%. Meanwhile, the 5-14 age cohort represents 7.6%, lower compared to Rest of Qld. Post-2021 Census data indicates a decrease in median age from 39 to 38 years, with the 25-34 age group growing from 16.9% to 20.8%. Conversely, the 5-14 cohort declined from 9.3% to 7.6%, and the 45-54 age group decreased from 12.3% to 11.0%. By 2041, Southport - South's age composition is projected to shift significantly, with the 25-34 cohort expected to grow by 2,098 people (49%) from 4,262 to 6,361. In contrast, the 15-24 cohort shows minimal growth of just 1% (35 people).