The Hills District
Statistical Area - sa2

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

The Hills District's population is around 25,983 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 1,670 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 24,313 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 25,967 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 259 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 821 persons per square kilometer. Natural growth contributed approximately 51.3% of overall population gains during recent periods. The Hills District's 6.9% growth since census positions it within 0.5 percentage points of the SA3 area (7.4%).

Population growth for the area was primarily driven by natural growth. AreaSearch is adopting 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 are adopted, released in 2023 and based on 2021 data. As we examine future population trends, a population increase just below the median of national statistical areas is expected, with the area expected to grow by 1,642 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, recording a gain of 6.3% in total over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within The Hills District when compared nationally

The Hills District has averaged approximately 68 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 341 homes. As of FY26, 14 approvals have been recorded. On average, 3.9 new residents arrive per year for each dwelling constructed between FY21 and FY25. This has resulted in demand significantly exceeding supply, leading to price growth and increased buyer competition.

New properties are constructed at an average value of $334,000. In terms of commercial development, $12.4 million in approvals have been registered this financial year. Compared to Greater Brisbane, The Hills District has around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 30th percentile nationally, indicating relatively constrained buyer choice and supporting interest in existing dwellings. This lower rate reflects market maturity and possible development constraints. New development consists of 47.0% detached dwellings and 53.0% townhouses or apartments, showing a trend towards denser development to provide accessible entry options for downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. The current housing mix is 89.0% houses, reflecting reduced availability of development sites and addressing shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements.

The estimated population density is 549 people per dwelling approval, indicating a quiet, low activity development environment. Future projections suggest The Hills District will add 1,626 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

The Hills District has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 48 projects that could impact the area. Notable projects are Arana Hills Plaza Ambience Upgrade, Everton Rise, Hills Quarter Everton Hills, and Everton Hills Central. The following details projects expected to have the most relevance.

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Employment conditions in The Hills District demonstrate exceptional strength compared to most Australian markets

The Hills District has an educated workforce with professional services well-represented. As of June 2025, the unemployment rate is 3.3%, with an estimated employment growth of 6.7% over the past year.

In this period, 15,875 residents are in work, and the unemployment rate is 0.8% lower than Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation stands at 71.1%, surpassing Greater Brisbane's 64.5%. Leading industries include health care & social assistance, education & training, and public administration & safety. Notably, public administration & safety has employment levels 1.5 times the regional average.

Manufacturing, however, has limited presence with 3.8% employment compared to 64% regionally. The area offers limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census data. Over a 12-month period ending in June 2025, employment increased by 6.7%, while the labour force grew by 7.6%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.8 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Brisbane saw employment rise by 4.4% and unemployment fall by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project national growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to The Hills District's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.0% over five years and 14.2% over ten years.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

The Hills District's median income among taxpayers was $62,741, with an average of $74,303, according to AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for the financial year 2022. This is notably high compared to national figures and Greater Brisbane's median of $55,645 and average of $70,520. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.99% since financial year 2022, current estimates suggest approximately $71,518 (median) and $84,698 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in The Hills District rank highly nationally, between the 81st and 85th percentiles. Income distribution shows 34.6% of the population (8,990 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, similar to the broader area where 33.3% occupy this range. Economic strength is evident with 35.4% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. Housing accounts for 13.6% of income, while strong earnings place residents within the 87th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

The Hills District is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

The Hills District's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census evaluation, consisted of 89.0% houses and 10.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Brisbane metro had 92.2% houses and 7.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in The Hills District was 31.0%, similar to Brisbane metro's level. Mortgaged dwellings were at 49.8% and rented ones at 19.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, below the Brisbane metro average of $2,080. The median weekly rent figure was $455, compared to Brisbane's $440. Nationally, The Hills District's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

The Hills District features high concentrations of family households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 80.9% of all households, including 39.8% couples with children, 28.8% couples without children, and 11.3% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 19.1%, with lone person households at 16.4% and group households making up 2.7%. The median household size is 2.8 people, smaller than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.9.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 33.7% among residents aged 15+, exceeding the SA4 region average of 24.9% and Queensland's state average of 25.7%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 22.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.6%) and graduate diplomas (4.2%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 34.4% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (11.9%) and certificates (22.5%).

Educational participation is high at 29.5%, comprising 10.3% in primary education, 8.4% in secondary education, and 5.5% pursuing tertiary education. The Hills District has four schools with a combined enrollment of 1,315 students. It demonstrates above-average socio-educational conditions, with an ICSEA score of 1082. Education provision is balanced with three primary and one secondary school serving distinct age groups. School places per 100 residents are 5.1, below the regional average of 8.3, indicating some students may attend schools in adjacent areas. Note: for schools showing 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to their parent campus.

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

The Hills District has 94 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by six different routes that together facilitate 475 weekly passenger trips. The district's transport accessibility is considered good, with residents on average being located 386 meters away from the nearest transport stop.

On a daily basis, these routes operate an average of 67 trips, which equates to approximately five weekly trips per individual stop.

The Hills District's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Health data shows relatively positive outcomes for Hills District residents, with low prevalence of common health conditions among the general population, but higher than national averages among older and at-risk groups. Approximately 56% (~14,680 people) have private health cover, compared to Greater Brisbane's 59.0%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions, affecting 9.8% and 7.9% of residents respectively. About 68.7% reported being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to Greater Brisbane's 69.9%. The area has 14.8% (3,850 people) aged 65 and over, lower than Greater Brisbane's 16.2%.

The Hills District ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

The Hills District had a cultural diversity below average, with 83.1% of its population born in Australia, 92.4% being citizens, and 93.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion, comprising 49.9% of people in The Hills District, compared to 52.9% across Greater Brisbane. In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups were English (29.6%), Australian (27.0%), and Irish (10.2%).

Notably, Scottish was overrepresented at 9.2%, while New Zealand and German were similarly represented at 1.0% and 4.8% respectively.

The Hills District's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in The Hills District is 38, slightly higher than Greater Brisbane's figure of 36 but equal to Australia's median age of 38 years. The 45-54 age group constitutes 14.8% of the district's population compared to Greater Brisbane, while the 25-34 cohort makes up 11.8%. Between 2021 and present, the 75-84 age group has increased from 4.6% to 6.2% of the population. Conversely, the 65-74 age group has decreased from 8.7% to 7.1%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in The Hills District's age structure. Notably, the 85+ group is expected to grow by 194%, reaching 1,161 people from a previous figure of 394. This growth contributes to an overall aging population trend, with those aged 65 and above comprising 54% of projected growth. Meanwhile, the 5-14 and 0-4 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.