Sunnybank Hills

An assessment of population growth drivers in Sunnybank Hills reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Sunnybank Hills' population is around 19,538 as of November 2025. This reflects an increase of 1,453 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 18,085. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 19,514 in June 2024 and an additional 95 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 3,033 persons per square kilometer, placing Sunnybank Hills in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's 8.0% growth since census is within 0.9 percentage points of the national average (8.9%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 92.0% 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 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 base year. Considering projected demographic shifts, Sunnybank Hills is expected to grow by just below the median of national areas, reaching a population of 21,659 by 2041 based on latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 10.7% in total over the 17 years.

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

Sunnybank Hills has averaged approximately 54 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 274 homes. As of FY-26, 16 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.4 people moved to the area per year for each dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating balanced supply and demand. However, this ratio has intensified to 7.7 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, suggesting growing popularity and potential undersupply. New homes are being constructed at an average expected cost of $519,000, reflecting a focus on the premium market.

In FY-26, $8.0 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating limited commercial development activity compared to residential. When comparing development activity per person with Greater Brisbane, Sunnybank Hills shows comparable figures, maintaining market equilibrium consistent with surrounding areas. However, this is lower than national averages, suggesting market maturity and possible development constraints. New development consists of 60.0% detached dwellings and 40.0% medium to high-density housing, offering a blend of attached housing types at varying price ranges. This shift from the area's existing housing composition (currently 85.0% houses) indicates decreasing availability of developable sites and reflects changing lifestyles and demand for diverse, affordable housing options.

With approximately 335 people per approval, Sunnybank Hills reflects a transitioning market. By 2041, the area is projected to grow by 2,097 residents (according to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate). At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Sunnybank Hills has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified a total of 22 projects likely to impact the area. Notable projects include Pavilion The Residences, Gardner Road Townhouses Stage 3, Solaris Rochedale, and Gowan Village Shopping Centre Redevelopment. The following list details those most relevant.

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 Hills has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Sunnybank Hills has an educated workforce with diverse sector representation. Its unemployment rate is 5.3%.

Over the past year, it has maintained relative employment stability. As of September 2025, 9,580 residents are employed while the unemployment rate stands at 6.3%, which is 1.3% higher than Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.0%. Workforce participation in Sunnybank Hills lags behind Greater Brisbane at 57.9% compared to 64.5%. The dominant employment sectors among residents are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and accommodation & food.

Notably, the concentration in accommodation & food is high, with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average. Conversely, construction is under-represented, employing only 6.8% of Sunnybank Hills' workforce compared to Greater Brisbane's 9.0%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities as suggested by the difference between Census working population and resident population figures. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment in Sunnybank Hills increased by 0.0% while labour force grew by 0.8%, leading to an unemployment rate rise of 0.8 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Brisbane saw employment growth of 3.8% and a fall in unemployment by 0.5 percentage points during the same period. Statewide, Queensland's employment contracted by 0.01% (losing 1,210 jobs) as of 25-Nov-25, with an unemployment rate of 4.2%, closely aligned with the national rate of 4.3%. According to Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25, total employment is projected to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. However, growth rates vary significantly across industry sectors. Applying these projections to Sunnybank Hills' employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.6% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Sunnybank Hills SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $42,371 and an average income of $55,848 in financial year 2022, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This was below the national average for that year. Greater Brisbane's median income was $55,645 with an average income of $70,520 during the same period. By September 2025, estimated median and average incomes in Sunnybank Hills SA2 would be approximately $48,299 and $63,661 respectively, based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.99% since financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, household income ranked at the 48th percentile ($1,725 weekly) while personal income was at the 22nd percentile. Income brackets showed that 34.9% of individuals (6,818 people) earned between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly. High housing costs consumed 15.3% of income but disposable income remained at the 50th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 5th decile.

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

Sunnybank Hills' housing structure, as per the latest Census, had 84.7% houses and 15.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other'). Brisbane metro had 80.4% houses and 19.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Sunnybank Hills was higher at 36.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 31.8% and rented ones at 31.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,853, above Brisbane metro's $1,800. Median weekly rent was $410, compared to Brisbane metro's $400. Nationally, Sunnybank Hills' mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Sunnybank Hills features high concentrations of group households and family households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households comprise 77.9% of all households, including 39.0% couples with children, 24.7% couples without children, and 12.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 22.1%, with lone person households at 17.0% and group households comprising 5.1%. The median household size is 3.0 people, matching the Greater Brisbane average.

Sunnybank Hills shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Educational attainment in Sunnybank Hills is notably higher than broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15 and above, 37.2% have university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in Queensland (QLD) and 30.4% nationwide. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 24.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 10.9% and graduate diplomas at 2.3%. Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 26.0% of residents holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (10.7%) and certificates (15.3%).

Educational participation is high, with 31.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.8% in primary education, 7.4% in tertiary education, and 7.1% pursuing secondary education.

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

Sunnybank Hills has 62 operational public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 23 distinct routes that collectively facilitate 3000 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is deemed good, with residents on average located 222 meters from the nearest stop.

On a daily basis, an average of 428 trips are made across all routes, translating to about 48 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Sunnybank Hills is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Sunnybank Hills shows better-than-average health outcomes with lower prevalence of common conditions among its general population compared to national averages. However, older and at-risk cohorts have higher rates of these conditions.

Private health cover is low, with approximately 48% coverage (~9,300 people) compared to the national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (5.7%) and mental health issues (5.5%). About 75.7% of residents report no medical ailments, slightly lower than Greater Brisbane's 77.0%. The area has a higher proportion of residents aged 65 and over at 18.3% (3,569 people) compared to Greater Brisbane's 15.5%.

Sunnybank Hills 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 Hills has one of the highest levels of cultural diversity in Australia, with 57.8% of its residents speaking a language other than English at home and 54.9% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Sunnybank Hills, accounting for 39.0% of the population. Buddhism is notably more prevalent here compared to Greater Brisbane, making up 7.2% versus 6.4%.

The top three ancestry groups based on country of birth of parents are Chinese (27.1%), Other (15.0%), and English (14.1%). There are also significant differences in the representation of Korean, Samoan, and Vietnamese populations: Korean is overrepresented at 1.9% compared to the regional average of 2.9%, Samoan at 1.1% versus 0.8%, and Vietnamese at 2.3% against a regional average of 2.1%.

Sunnybank Hills's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Sunnybank Hills's median age is nearly 37 years, closely matching Greater Brisbane's average of 36 and Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Sunnybank Hills has a higher percentage of residents aged 65-74 (9.8%) but fewer residents aged 45-54 (10.9%). Between the 2021 Census and present, the population aged 15-24 has grown from 11.9% to 13.3%, while the 0-4 cohort has declined from 5.8% to 4.9%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Sunnybank Hills's age profile will change significantly. The 75-84 cohort is projected to grow by 61%, adding 738 residents to reach 1,946. Residents aged 65 and above will drive 65% of population growth, indicating demographic aging trends. Conversely, the 0-4 and 5-14 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.