Stafford
Statistical Area - sa2

Stafford has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Stafford's population is approximately 7,404 as of August 2025. This figure represents an increase of 487 people, or 7.0%, since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 6,917. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 7,378 in June 2024 and an additional 33 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,152 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Stafford's growth rate of 7.0% since the census is within 0.2 percentage points of the SA3 area's 7.2%, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Natural growth contributed approximately 56.3% 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 by this data and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections are adopted, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits, so 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. Future population trends suggest a growth just below the national median by 2041, with an expected increase of 604 persons and a total increase of 7.8% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Stafford recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Stafford received approximately 21 dwelling approvals annually. ABS data shows 109 approvals across FY-21 to FY-25, with 65 in FY-26 so far. Each year, an average of 3.9 new residents arrived per dwelling constructed during these years. This high demand outpaces supply, potentially increasing prices and buyer competition.

New dwellings are developed at an average cost of $693,000, targeting the premium market segment. In FY-26, $17.7 million in commercial approvals were registered. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Stafford has about three-quarters the building activity per person, ranking in the 33rd percentile nationally. This results in relatively constrained buyer choice and interest in existing homes.

Recent construction comprises 80% detached houses and 20% attached dwellings, maintaining Stafford's traditional suburban character focused on family homes. With around 518 people per dwelling approval, Stafford indicates a developed market. Population forecasts project an increase of 578 residents by 2041, suggesting current development aligns with future needs, supporting steady market conditions without extreme price pressure.

Stafford has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 48thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 17 projects likely impacting the area. Notable projects include Norman Avenue Apartments in Lutwyche, Brookwood Residences, Brisbane Metro, and Lamington Markets. The following details projects expected to be most relevant.

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

Employment performance in Stafford has been broadly consistent with national averages

Stafford's workforce is well-educated with strong professional services representation. The unemployment rate was 5.4% in the past year, showing an estimated employment growth of 11.1%.

As of June 2025, 4,439 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 5.7%, slightly higher than Greater Brisbane's 4.1%. Workforce participation was 68.4%, close to the regional average of 64.5%. The leading employment industries among residents were health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. Stafford had a particularly high share of employment in professional & technical services, at 1.3 times the regional level.

Manufacturing employed only 4.3% of local workers, compared to Greater Brisbane's 6.4%. The worker-to-resident ratio was 0.7, indicating above-average local employment opportunities. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 11.1%, and the labour force grew by 10.6%, resulting in a 0.4 percentage point drop in unemployment rate. In contrast, Greater Brisbane experienced employment growth of 4.4% and labour force growth of 4.0%, with a similar unemployment rate decrease. As of Sep-25, Queensland's employment had contracted by 0.23%, losing 8,070 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.2%. Nationally, the unemployment rate was 4.5%, and employment growth was 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Stafford's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.0% over five years and 14.2% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that Stafford has a high national median income of $60,061 and an average income of $72,211. In comparison, Greater Brisbane has a median income of $55,645 and an average income of $70,520. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.71% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes for March 2025 would be approximately $67,094 (median) and $80,667 (average). According to the 2021 Census, personal income ranks at the 76th percentile ($968 weekly), while household income is at the 51st percentile. Income brackets indicate that 31.6% of Stafford residents earn between $1,500 and $2,999 (2,339 individuals). Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 81.8% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 49th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

Stafford displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Stafford's dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Brisbane metro had 67.2% houses and 32.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Stafford was at 19.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 30.9% and rented ones at 49.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, below Brisbane metro's average of $2,100. Median weekly rent in Stafford was $360, compared to Brisbane metro's $390. Nationally, Stafford's median mortgage repayments were higher at $2,000 versus the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were lower at $360 compared to the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 60.6% of all households, including 23.0% couples with children, 24.4% couples without children, and 11.6% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 39.4%, with lone person households at 33.3% and group households comprising 6.1%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.4.

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

Stafford's educational attainment significantly exceeds broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15 and above, 36.3% hold university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in Queensland and 30.4% nationally. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 25.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.2%) and graduate diplomas (3.2%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 32.6% of residents holding them - advanced diplomas (10.6%) and certificates (22.0%).

Educational participation is high, with 29.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.8% in primary, 7.9% in tertiary, and 6.3% pursuing secondary education. Two primary schools serve the area - Queen of Apostles Primary School and Stafford State School, with a combined total of 581 students. The Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA) for Stafford is 1060, indicating above-average socio-educational conditions. Both schools focus exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in surrounding areas. Local school capacity is limited, with 7.8 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 16.0, leading many families to travel for schooling.

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

Stafford has 64 active public transport stops, all of which are bus services. These stops are served by 14 different routes that collectively facilitate 2,222 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 123 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 317 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 34 weekly trips per individual stop.

Stafford's residents are relatively healthy in comparison to broader Australia with the level of common health conditions among the general population somewhat typical, though higher than the nation's average among older cohorts

Stafford's health metrics are close to national benchmarks.

Common health conditions among its general population are somewhat typical but higher than the national average among older cohorts. Approximately 55% of Stafford's total population (~4,094 people) has private health cover, which is very high compared to other areas. The most common medical conditions in Stafford are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 11.4% and 8.8% of residents respectively. 67.9% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.1% across Greater Brisbane. As of 2021, 11.9% of Stafford's residents are aged 65 and over (878 people), which is lower than the 16.6% in Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than those of the broader population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Stafford was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Stafford's population shows cultural diversity with 20.1% born overseas and 12.3% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the dominant religion, practiced by 49.1% of Stafford residents. The 'Other' religious category represents 1.0%, similar to Greater Brisbane.

In terms of ancestry, English (26.9%), Australian (24.0%), and Irish (10.9%) are the top groups in Stafford. Some ethnic groups have notable differences: Italian is slightly overrepresented at 3.9% compared to 4.0% regionally, New Zealand at 0.8% versus 0.9%, and German at 4.0% versus 4.1%.

Stafford's population is younger than the national pattern

Stafford's median age in 2021 is 35 years, nearly matching Greater Brisbane's average of 36 years, which is somewhat younger than Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Stafford has a higher concentration of residents aged 25-34 (20.3%) but fewer residents aged 75-84 (3.4%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is well above the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and the previous census, the proportion of residents aged 5 to 14 has grown from 10.9% to 11.6%, while the proportion of residents aged 65 to 74 has declined from 7.0% to 6.4%. Population forecasts for Stafford indicate substantial demographic changes by 2041. The strongest projected growth is in the 45-54 age cohort, with a projected increase of 24%, adding 202 residents to reach a total of 1,061 in this age group. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 5 to 14 and 0 to 4 age cohorts.