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, as per AreaSearch's analysis, was around 19,805 by May 2026. This figure shows a growth of 1,720 people, a 9.5% increase since the 2021 Census which reported 18,085 residents. The change is inferred from ABS' estimated resident population of 19,742 in June 2025 and an additional 121 validated new addresses post-Census. This results in a density ratio of 3,075 persons per square kilometer, placing Sunnybank Hills in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch's assessments. The area's growth rate exceeded the national average (9.3%), making it a regional growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 97.6% of overall population gains recently.

AreaSearch uses 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 from 2023 (based on 2021 data) are adopted. These state projections lack age category splits, so AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings aligned with ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Projecting demographic shifts, Sunnybank Hills is expected to grow by around 1,634 persons to 2041, reflecting a 7.9% increase over the 16-year period, based on the latest annual ERP population numbers.

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, 33 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 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 by developers.

In FY-26, $8.0 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating limited commercial development focus compared to residential. When compared to Greater Brisbane, Sunnybank Hills shows comparable development activity per person, maintaining market equilibrium consistent with surrounding areas. 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 and high-density housing, offering choices across price ranges from spacious family homes to more affordable compact options. This represents a shift from the area's existing housing composition, which is currently 85.0% houses, reflecting decreasing availability of developable sites and changing lifestyles.

At around 335 people per approval, Sunnybank Hills reflects a transitioning market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the area is expected to grow by 1,571 residents through to 2041. If current development rates continue, 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 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 23 projects likely to impact the area. Notable projects include Gowan Village Shopping Centre Redevelopment, Pavilion The Residences, Gardner Road Townhouses Stage 3, and Solaris Rochedale. 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 and an unemployment rate of 5.1%. Over the past year, estimated employment growth was 1.8%. As of December 2025, 9,803 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 5.6%, which is 0.9% higher than Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.1%.

Workforce participation in Sunnybank Hills is lower at 62.1%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 69.6%. According to Census responses, 15.5% of residents work from home. The dominant employment sectors are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and accommodation & food. Sunnybank Hills has a notable concentration in accommodation & food, with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average.

However, construction is under-represented, with only 6.8% of Sunnybank Hills's workforce compared to Greater Brisbane's 9.0%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities. In the year to December 2025, employment increased by 1.8%, while labour force grew by 2.7%, resulting in an unemployment rate rise of 0.8 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Brisbane recorded employment growth of 3.2% and a fall in unemployment by 0.1 percentage points. National employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Sunnybank Hills's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.6% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Sunnybank Hills SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $43,412 and an average of $56,318 in financial year 2023, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This was below Greater Brisbane's median income of $58,236 and average income of $72,799. By March 2026, estimates based on Wage Price Index growth suggest the median would be approximately $48,344 and the average around $62,716. The 2021 Census showed household income ranked at the 48th percentile ($1,725 weekly) and personal income at the 22nd percentile. Income brackets indicated that 34.9% of individuals earned between $1,500 - 2,999 annually. 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

In Sunnybank Hills, as per the latest Census evaluation, 84.7% of dwellings were houses while 15.3% consisted of other types such as semi-detached homes and apartments. This differs from Brisbane's metropolitan area where 73.5% are houses and 26.5% are other dwellings. Home ownership in Sunnybank Hills stood at 36.9%, with mortgaged properties making up 31.8% and rented dwellings comprising 31.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,853, lower than Brisbane's average of $1,863. Weekly rent in Sunnybank Hills was recorded at $410 compared to Brisbane's $380. Nationally, Sunnybank Hills' mortgage repayments are below the Australian average of $1,863 while rents exceed the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 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 comprise the remaining 22.1%, with lone person households at 17.0% and group households at 5.1%. The median household size is 3.0 people, larger than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.

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

Sunnybank Hills' residents aged 15+ have a higher educational attainment than broader benchmarks. 37.2% hold university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in Queensland (QLD) and 30.4% nationally. Bachelor degrees are most common at 24.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (10.9%) and graduate diplomas (2.3%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 26.0% of residents holding them – advanced diplomas at 10.7% and certificates at 15.3%.

Educational participation is high, with 31.7% 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 moderate compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Sunnybank Hills has 60 operational public transport stops, all serving buses. These stops are covered by 17 different routes, offering a total of 3,043 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is deemed good, with residents' average distance to the nearest stop being 223 meters. As predominantly residential, most commuters travel outward. Cars remain the primary mode at 83%, while buses account for 9%. On average, there are 1.5 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 15.5% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Across all routes, service frequency averages 434 trips daily, translating to roughly 50 weekly trips per individual stop.

Sunnybank Hills's residents are relatively healthy in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Sunnybank Hills' health metrics are close to national benchmarks, based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are fairly standard across both young and old age cohorts. Private health cover is found to be very low at approximately 48% of the total population (~9,407 people), compared to 55.8% in Greater Brisbane and the national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 5.7 and 5.5% of residents respectively. 75.7% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.2% in Greater Brisbane. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 18.1% of residents aged 65 and over (3,574 people), higher than the 15.1% in Greater Brisbane. National rankings are broadly in line with the general population.

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 a high level of cultural diversity, 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. However, Buddhism is notably overrepresented, comprising 7.2% compared to the Greater Brisbane average of 2.0%.

In terms of ancestry, Chinese residents make up 27.1%, significantly higher than the regional average of 3.4%. The 'Other' category comprises 15.0%, also higher than the regional average of 9.4%. English ancestry is less prevalent at 14.1% compared to the regional average of 26.8%. Additionally, Korean (1.9%) and Vietnamese (2.3%) residents are overrepresented in Sunnybank Hills compared to regional averages of 0.5% and 0.8%, respectively.

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

Sunnybank Hills has a median age of 37 years, nearly matching Greater Brisbane's average of 36 years and close to Australia's median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Sunnybank Hills has a higher proportion of residents aged 65-74 (9.7%) but fewer residents aged 45-54 (10.7%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the population aged 15-24 has grown from 11.9% to 13.7%, while the 0-4 cohort has declined from 5.8% to 4.5% and the 5-14 group has dropped from 12.4% to 11.2%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Sunnybank Hills's age profile will change significantly. The 75-84 cohort is projected to grow by 53%, adding 644 residents to reach 1,870. Residents aged 65 and above are expected to drive 66% of population growth, reflecting demographic aging trends. Meanwhile, the 0-4 and 5-14 cohorts are projected to experience population declines.