Sunnybank

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Sunnybank's population is around 10,313 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,280 people (14.2%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 9,033 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 10,292 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 42 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 2,349 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Sunnybank's 14.2% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area (9.6%) and the national average, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 91.5% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and for years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections, released in 2023 and based on 2021 data, are adopted. It should be noted that these state projections do not provide age category splits; hence, where utilised, AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data) for each age cohort. As we examine future population trends, an above-median population growth of statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch is projected, with the area expected to expand by 2,056 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 19.7% in total over the 17 years.

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

Sunnybank has experienced around 36 dwellings receiving development approval each year, totalling 182 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26, 22 approvals have been recorded. Given an average of 4.7 new residents per year arriving per dwelling constructed over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), supply is substantially lagging demand, which generally means heightened buyer competition, leading to pricing pressures, while new homes are being built at an average value of $453,000, demonstrating a developer focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. Additionally, $17.0 million in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, demonstrating moderate levels of commercial development.

When measured against Greater Brisbane, Sunnybank has slightly more development (23.0% above regional average per person over the 5 year period), balancing buyer choice with support for current property values, though building activity has slowed in recent years. Recent construction comprises 96.0% standalone homes and 4.0% townhouses or apartments, preserving the area's suburban nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. With around 345 people per dwelling approval, Sunnybank shows a developed market.

Future projections show Sunnybank adding 2,035 residents by 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Construction is maintaining a reasonable pace with projected growth, although buyers could encounter growing competition as population increases.

Sunnybank has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 23 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include 12-20 Bothwell Street Apartments, Pavilion The Residences, Macgregor State High School Major Upgrade & Expansion, and Sunnybank Market Square and Plaza Redevelopment, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

Employment performance in Sunnybank has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Sunnybank possesses a highly educated workforce with diverse sector representation, an unemployment rate of 5.6%, and 2.3% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 5,323 residents are in work, while the unemployment rate is 1.5% above Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.1%, and workforce participation lags significantly (63.5% compared to Greater Brisbane's 71.2%). Based on Census responses, a moderate 13.8% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Leading employment industries among residents comprise health care & social assistance, accommodation & food, and retail trade. The area demonstrates a particularly notable concentration in accommodation & food, with employment levels at 1.9 times the regional average. In contrast, public administration & safety employs just 4.4% of local workers, below Greater Brisbane's 7.0%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of the Census working population versus the resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 2.3% while the labour force increased by 2.8%, resulting in an unemployment rise of 0.5 percentage points. This contrasts with Greater Brisbane, where employment rose by 3.2%, the labour force grew by 3.0%, and unemployment fell 0.1 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Sunnybank. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Sunnybank's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for FY-23 reveals that income in the Sunnybank SA2 is below the national average, with the median assessed at $42,909 while the average income stands at $55,571. This contrasts with Greater Brisbane's figures of a median income of $58,236 and an average income of $72,799. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $47,161 (median) and $61,078 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, individual incomes lag at the 15th percentile ($630 weekly), while household income performs better at the 41st percentile. Income brackets indicate the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 31.4% of the community (3,238 individuals), consistent with broader trends across the area showing 33.3% in the same category. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 83.3% of income remaining, ranking at the 40th percentile, and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Sunnybank is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure within Sunnybank, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 86.3% houses and 13.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Brisbane metro's 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Sunnybank was well beyond that of Brisbane metro, at 36.6%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (22.7%) or rented (40.7%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was above the Brisbane metro average at $1,961, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $400, compared to Brisbane metro's $1,863 and $380. Nationally, Sunnybank's mortgage repayments are higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceed the national figure of $375.

Sunnybank features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households dominate at 70.4% of all households, comprising 30.3% couples with children, 25.2% couples without children, and 12.5% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 29.6%, with lone person households at 20.0% and group households comprising 9.6% of the total. The median household size of 3.0 people is larger than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.

Sunnybank performs slightly above the national average for education, showing competitive qualification levels and steady academic outcomes

Educational attainment in Sunnybank significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 37.8% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 25.7% in QLD and 30.4% in Australia. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 25.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (10.1%) and graduate diplomas (2.6%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 25.5% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (10.9%) and certificates (14.6%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 32.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.9% in tertiary education, 7.9% in primary education, and 6.9% pursuing secondary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 57 active transport stops operating within Sunnybank, comprising a mix of trains and buses. These stops are serviced by 58 individual routes, collectively providing 5,032 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 185 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 75%, with 11% by bus and 8% by train. Vehicle ownership averages 1.4 per dwelling. Some 13.8% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 718 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 88 weekly trips per individual stop.

Sunnybank's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Health outcomes data demonstrates outstanding results across Sunnybank, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. There is a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups, though the rate of private health cover is low at approximately 47% of the total population (~4,888 people). This compares to 55.8% across Greater Brisbane and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are asthma and arthritis, impacting 5.4% and 5.3% of residents, respectively, while 77.8% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 69.2% across Greater Brisbane. Working-age residents are notably healthy with low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 16.0% of residents aged 65 and over (1,654 people). Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, though they rank lower nationally than the broader population.

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

Sunnybank is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country, with 59.6% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 58.5% born overseas. The main religion in Sunnybank is Christianity, which makes up 35.8% of the population. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Buddhism, which comprises 7.9% of the population, substantially higher than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.0%.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Sunnybank are Chinese, comprising 29.3% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 3.4%, English, comprising 15.4% of the population, which is notably lower than the regional average of 26.8%, and Other, comprising 14.1% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Korean is notably overrepresented at 2.8% of Sunnybank (vs 0.5% regionally), Vietnamese at 2.5% (vs 0.8%) and Filipino at 2.7% (vs 1.2%).

Sunnybank's population is younger than the national pattern

At 35 years, Sunnybank's median age nearly matches the Greater Brisbane average of 36 and is similarly somewhat younger than Australia's 38 years. Relative to Greater Brisbane, Sunnybank has a higher concentration of 25 - 34 residents (20.1%) but fewer 5 - 14 year-olds (10.1%). This 25 - 34 concentration is well above the national 14.4%. Since the 2021 Census, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 13.9% to 16.4% of the population. Conversely, the 65 to 74 cohort has declined from 9.0% to 7.9%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Sunnybank. The 45 to 54 cohort shows the strongest projected growth at 33%, adding 374 residents to reach 1,500. In contrast, the 0 to 4 cohort shows minimal growth of just 4% (13 people).