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This analysis uses ABS Statistical Areas Level 2 (SA2) boundaries, which can materially differ from Suburbs and Localities (SAL) even when sharing similar names.
SA2 boundaries are defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and are designed to represent communities for statistical reporting (e.g., census and ERP).
Suburbs and Localities (SAL) represent commonly-used suburb/locality names (postal-style areas) and may use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
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ABS ERP | -- people | --
2021 Census | -- people
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The Hills District has an estimated 26,230 residents, up from 24,313 at the 2021 Census — a change of 1,917 people, or 7.9%. Growth has averaged 1.1% a year over five years. 276 new addresses have been validated here since Census night. Overseas migration accounts for 56.3% of that increase. That puts 830 residents on each square kilometre. Population is estimated from ABS Estimated Resident Population releases and GNAF address data, re-based from the 2021 Census and updated annually.
Detail
As of Aug 2026, demographic assessments by AreaSearch estimate The Hills District's total residents at roughly 26,230. Since the 2021 Census tally of 24,313 people, the community has expanded by 1,917 people (7.9%). This upward trajectory is derived from the ABS estimated resident population figure of 26,166 recorded as of June 2025 alongside 276 validated new addresses documented post-Census. With 829 persons per square kilometer, the locality's density aligns closely with typical benchmarks evaluated across AreaSearch regions. Tracking at 7.9% growth post-census, the district sits within 1.6 percentage points of the 9.5% nationwide benchmark, highlighting solid underlying expansion.
Inbound overseas migration served as the foremost growth driver, accounting for roughly 56.3% of total demographic additions over recent intervals. Projections for each SA2 district rely on ABS/Geoscience Australia models published in 2024 using 2022 baseline figures. For timeframes extending past 2032 or locations absent from that dataset, AreaSearch implements Queensland State Government SA2 forecasts issued in 2023 based on 2021 benchmarks. Because state-level releases omit age-bracket breakdowns, proportional weightings reflecting the ABS Greater Capital Region projections (published in 2023 utilizing 2022 inputs) are applied across individual cohorts. Looking toward future demographic shifts, growth is projected to track slightly underneath the nationwide median across statistical territories, expanding by 1,275 persons out to 2041 according to current annual ERP benchmarks, representing an aggregate rise of 4.6% throughout the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
362 new dwellings have been approved in The Hills District over the past five years, an average of 72 a year. That places the area in the 70th percentile for residential development activity nationally, about 3 approvals per 1,000 residents a year. Of the 69 dwellings approved in the latest reporting year, 43% were detached houses and the rest townhouses or apartments. Figures come from ABS building approvals aggregated to this SA2 boundary and are updated monthly as the ABS releases them.
Detail
Annual residential approvals within The Hills District average approximately 72 new homes, culminating in 362 homes approved across the preceding 5 financial years (between FY-22 and FY-26). Because approximately 3.9 people have arrived annually for every residential unit delivered across the past 5 financial years (between FY-22 and FY-26), local demand substantially outstrips additions, fostering heightened buyer competition and escalating pricing pressure. Concurrently, newly built dwellings reflect an average expected construction cost of $474,000. On the commercial front, $12.4 million in approvals has been logged across the current financial year, signaling an even pace of non-residential development.
When evaluated against Greater Brisbane, per-capita building volume in The Hills District sits at roughly 57%, placing it within the 39th percentile of territories evaluated across the country. Such subdued activity narrows prospective buyer selection while reinforcing demand for established dwellings. This below-average national standing mirrors both the mature character of the suburb and potential local planning constraints. Regarding building composition, detached houses represent 43.0% of recent approvals, whereas medium and high-density housing constitutes 57.0%. Prioritizing denser formats introduces accessible price thresholds tailored to first-home buyers, downsizers, and investors. This signals a notable pivot from the existing stock profile (where houses comprise 89.0%), addressing evolving affordability requirements and lifestyle preferences amid diminishing site availability. An estimated metric of 400 people per approved dwelling underscores the tranquil, restrained pace of local development. According to the most recent quarterly estimate from AreaSearch, forward-looking demographic projections indicate that The Hills District is set to add 1,211 residents leading up to 2041. Should current construction tempos persist, incoming housing stock appears poised to satisfy anticipated demand comfortably, establishing favorable purchasing conditions and potentially accommodating demographic growth exceeding present baseline forecasts.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around The Hills District
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| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
|---|
SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks 8 current infrastructure and development projects inside The Hills District, worth an estimated $449 million. A further 69 sit in the immediately surrounding suburbs, taking the tracked pipeline within reach of the area to $13.5 billion. 18 are already under construction and 31 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans residential development, transport & logistics and retail. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
Civic projects, infrastructure upgrades, and strategic planning initiatives play a decisive role in shaping local growth. AreaSearch has pinpointed 45 total initiatives expected to influence the community. Prominent developments include Hills Quarter Everton Hills, Arana Hills Plaza Ambience Upgrade, Everton Rise, and Everton Hills Central, with key undertakings outlined below.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Arana Hills Plaza Ambience Upgrade
The Arana Hills Plaza Ambience Upgrade by Charter Hall involves extensive external and internal refurbishments to modernize the convenience-based shopping centre. The works focus on a refreshed branding identity, improved shopper amenities, and architectural elements that reflect the surrounding hills and bushland. Key features include upgraded entry statements and enhanced common area aesthetics to improve the overall community experience.
Everton Hills Central
A proposed neighbourhood shopping centre anchored by a full-line Woolworths supermarket, with specialty retail, medical centre, gym, and childcare facility. The centre will have direct frontage to South Pine Road in Everton Hills, serving the surrounding Hills District community in the City of Moreton Bay.
Hills Quarter Everton Hills
Masterplanned residential community delivering 120 premium townhomes in a hillside setting with resort-style amenities including pool, gym, and landscaped parklands.
Arana Central
Arana Central is a proposed mixed-use town centre redevelopment by Pellicano on the former Kmart site. The proposal includes around 300 apartments across multiple buildings, retail and commercial uses, dining, public spaces and a new plaza. The project is progressing alongside the City of Moreton Bay's Arana Hills Precinct Planning process, with the precinct planning framework currently being finalised before future planning scheme amendments and development outcomes are considered.
Arana Views Estate
Small boutique land subdivision in the final stages of Arana Hills, releasing 28 elevated residential lots with northerly views. Lot sales appear to be complete.
Ferny Grove Transit Oriented Development
$140 million jointly funded TOD with new multi-storey commuter car park (905 spaces), retail and residential apartments (82 units), cinema, medical centre, and childcare facilities. Joint venture with MaxCap Group.
Ferny Grove to Samford Road Cycleway (Stage 2)
Construction of a 2.5km off road shared path connecting Ferny Hills and Arana Hills and linking into the broader North Brisbane cycle network as part of the wider Samford to Ferny Grove active transport corridor.
Keperra Country Golf Club Residential Precinct
Master-planned residential community within Keperra Country Golf Club incorporating up to 450 new dwellings, including townhouses and low-rise apartments, while retaining the 27-hole golf course. Progressing with significant golf course and clubhouse redevelopment works.
15,785 residents of The Hills District are employed, from a labour force of 16,267. Unemployment sits at 3.0%, with participation at 76.7%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 7.0% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. The working-day population is estimated at 20,449, about 78% of the resident population, so more people leave the area for work than travel in. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Boasting an educated talent pool, The Hills District maintains significant depth across professional services, an unemployment rate standing at only 3.0%, and annual employment expansion estimated at 0.6%. As of March 2026, employed residents total 15,785, keeping local unemployment 1.4% underneath the 4.3% benchmark recorded across Greater Brisbane. Labor force involvement remains exceptionally high, registering 76.7% against 70.1% regionally. Census returns also revealed that 25.2% of workers performed their duties from home, an outcome influenced by prevailing Covid-19 lockdown circumstances. Health care & social assistance, education & training, alongside public administration & safety constitute the predominant employment sectors for local residents.
The workforce displays pronounced concentration in public administration & safety, capturing an employment share 1.5 times the regional benchmark. Conversely, manufacturing footprint is subdued, generating 3.8% of jobs locally versus 6.4% across the wider region. Given its largely residential character, local employment opportunities within the immediate boundary remain comparatively limited, as evidenced by comparing resident employee totals against Census working population figures. Analysis by AreaSearch using SALM and ABS figures indicates that the 12-month span recorded a 0.6% rise in employment and a 0.4% increase in the labour force, which led to a 0.2 percentage point decline in the unemployment rate. Greater Brisbane, however, showed stronger figures with employment growing by 3.2% and the labour force expanding by 3.4%, resulting in a 0.1 percentage point increase in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Mar-26 provide additional perspective on anticipated future demand in The Hills District. These forecasts span five and ten-year horizons and have been overlaid with the local employment profile to project potential growth trajectories. National employment is projected to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, though sectoral growth varies considerably. When these industry-specific projections are applied to the employment composition of The Hills District, local employment is estimated to rise by 7.0% over five years and 14.2% over ten years, though this represents a straightforward weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not incorporate localised population projections.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in The Hills District is $2,334 a week (about $121,000 a year), with median personal income at $1,023 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $66,157 a year against an average of $78,595. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
ATO postcode statistics for financial year 2023 compiled by AreaSearch indicate that taxpayers within The Hills District SA2 achieve a median income of $66,157 and an average income of $78,595. These metrics stand well above national figures and exceed Greater Brisbane's median of $58,236 and average of $72,799. Factoring in Wage Price Index appreciation of 11.36% since financial year 2023, updated estimates as of March 2026 reach roughly $73,672 for the median and $87,523 for the average. According to 2021 Census records, family, personal, and household earnings position the area between the 80th and 85th percentiles nationwide.
In terms of earnings distribution, 34.6% of residents (9,075 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket, mirroring the surrounding region where 33.3% sit within the same band. Household financial capacity is underscored by 35.4% generating weekly receipts above $3,000, underpinning elevated retail spending. Residential shelter costs absorb 13.6% of income, while solid earnings elevate the community into the 86th percentile for disposable funds, placing the locality in the 8th decile for SEIFA income.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
The Hills District had 8,602 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 89% detached houses and 0% apartments. 50% are owned with a mortgage, 19% rented and 31% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $455 a week and the median mortgage repayment $2,000 a month. Rent absorbs 19.5% of household income here and mortgage repayments 19.8%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
The residential landscape recorded in The Hills District at the latest Census comprised 89.0% houses and 10.9% other dwellings (incorporating apartments, semi-detached properties, and 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Brisbane metro's split of 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Outright home ownership stood at 31.0%, substantially exceeding Brisbane metro proportions, while remaining properties were mortgaged (49.8%) or rented (19.2%). The area's median monthly mortgage repayment reached $2,000 compared to $1,863 across Brisbane metro, while median weekly rent sat at $455 versus $380 regionally. Relative to broader benchmarks, mortgage commitments exceed the Australian average of $1,863, and weekly rents track considerably above the nationwide mark of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
The Hills District counted 8,602 households at the 2021 Census, an estimated 9,280 today, averaging 2.8 people each. 40% are couples with children, more than in 79% of areas nationally, against 29% couples without children. 16% of households are people living alone, and families average 1.5 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Families form the vast majority of local living arrangements at 80.9%, comprising 39.8% couples with children, 28.8% couples without children, and 11.3% single parent families. Non-family residences constitute the remaining 19.1%, made up of lone person households at 16.4% alongside group households at 2.7%. With an average of 2.8 people, the district's median household size exceeds the Greater Brisbane benchmark of 2.6.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
33.7% of adults in The Hills District hold a university qualification, including 22.9% with a bachelor degree and 6.6% with postgraduate qualifications, higher than 83% of areas nationally. A further 22.5% hold a vocational qualification. 4 schools serve the area, with 1,315 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 1,082 against a national benchmark of 1,000. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census; school enrolments, ICSEA and results come from ACARA's current release.
Detail
Attainment levels across the locality surpass wider regional benchmarks, with 33.7% of residents aged 15+ holding university degrees, exceeding both the SA4 region average of 24.9% and the 25.7% proportion recorded across QLD. Bachelor degrees account for 22.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 6.6% and graduate diplomas at 4.2%. Vocational qualifications are likewise prevalent, with 34.4% of residents aged 15+ possessing technical training across certificates (22.5%) and advanced diplomas (11.9%). Formal academic engagement is robust throughout the suburb, with 29.5% of residents participating in structured study. This total includes 10.3% attending primary education, 8.4% enrolled in secondary education, and 5.5% undertaking tertiary education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Getting around The Hills District means driving: households keep an average of 1.7 vehicles, and no scheduled public transport appears in the current timetable feeds. Service data is built from operators' published GTFS timetables; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
68.7% of residents in The Hills District report no long-term health condition. 4.5% need daily assistance with core activities, and 58.4% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 4.4 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
Based on AreaSearch assessments of chronic illness and mortality, The Hills District maintains positive overall health metrics. Long-term medical issues remain infrequent among the general population, though incidence rises above national levels among mature, vulnerable groups. Private health insurance participation is notably elevated, covering roughly 58% of all residents (~15,318 people) compared to 55.8% across Greater Brisbane. Mental health conditions and asthma represent the leading health challenges in the community, diagnosed in 9.8 and 7.9% of residents, respectively. Meanwhile, 68.7% of the populace reported having no chronic medical conditions, closely matching the 69.2% recorded across Greater Brisbane.
Health profiles across working-age citizens remain typical. Seniors aged 65 and over account for 14.7% of residents (3,858 people), positioning the cohort below broader nationwide benchmarks.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
The Hills District is largely Australian-born, at 83.1% of residents, with 7.0% speaking a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are English (29.6%) and Australian (27.0%). Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
The Hills District demonstrates lower cultural diversity relative to broader standards, with 83.1% of residents Australian-born, 92.4% holding citizenship, and 93.0% using English only at home. Christianity forms the predominant faith, practiced by 49.9% of the population compared to 47.8% throughout Greater Brisbane. Regarding parental lineage, the primary ancestries reported across The Hills District are English at 29.6%, Australian at 27.0%, and Irish at 10.2%. Specific cultural cohorts show distinct representation patterns: Scottish heritage is well represented at 9.2% compared to 7.4% regionally, German ancestry comprises 4.8% versus 4.2%, and New Zealand ancestry matches regional levels at 1.0% (vs 1.0%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of The Hills District is 38. 25.5% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
Demographic age distributions across The Hills District align closely with Greater Brisbane, exhibiting a maximum deviation of only 3.1 percentage points. AreaSearch assesses the local median age at 38 as at August 2026, remaining unchanged from the 2021 Census and sitting 2 years above the Greater Brisbane median of 36 recorded at that Census. Projections to 2041 indicate that expansion will be concentrated among seniors and retirees aged 65+, increasing by 1,084 residents (28%) to 4,942. In contrast, populations of young to middle-aged adults, as well as children and young adults, are anticipated to diminish over this timeframe.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for The Hills District
9 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Oct 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the SA2 boundary shown above, on a 2021 Census baseline. Only 3 sections — housing, households and cultural diversity — still wait on the 2026 Census.
The ledger — source, cycle and currency by section
| Section | Source & update cycle | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Updated within the last 12 months 9 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release) and updated with new dwellings from GNAF address data. Current to Aug 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to Aug 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · Jul 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Oct 2026 this month headline measures · Sep 2026 baseline |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Oct 2026. | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, State agencies, Local governments Daily | Jun 2026 4 months ago all 10 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated Jun 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 7 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Sep 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Sep 2026 last month all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 2 sections | ||
| Income | ABS, ATO Annual (ATO) | FY 2023 3 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| ATO taxable income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index. Census household income provides the distribution detail. | ||
| Health | ABS, ATO Annual | 2024 2 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Census-measured — next update: 2026 Census 3 sections No more current small-area source exists for these, so they are labelled as Census-measured rather than implied to be current. | ||
| Housing | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 30 measures |
| Households | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 18 measures |
| Cultural diversity | ABS, Geoscience Australia 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 44 measures |
"Currency" is the most recent release feeding that section. Where the Census supplies the structural baseline underneath a current headline figure, the row says so.
How the numbers are built
Population
The Census provides the small-area baseline, aggregated from mesh blocks to this boundary. It is then re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release), and new dwellings built since Census night are counted from address data — 276 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for Aug 2026, not a 2021 count (24,313 at the 2021 Census → 26,230 now). Annual growth rates are compound (CAGR), not simple averages.
Age profile
Cohort shares are not raw Census counts. Every cohort is held as a pair — the Census baseline and a current estimate — and the split is re-based using ERP and state population projections, current to Aug 2026. Median age is the Census median plus modelled change since. Charts that show both are labelled "2021 Census vs Current Estimate".
Property sales
Sourced from the state valuation authority's sales register — current, not Census, and refreshed weekly. Medians are calculated from settled transactions in the period shown; periods with very low transaction counts are flagged or suppressed, because a handful of sales can move a median substantially.
Rents
Derived from state rental bond lodgement data, by dwelling type and bedroom count. Bonds are lodged at the start of a new tenancy, so this reflects new lettings, not the whole rented stock.
Development & infrastructure
Building approvals come from current ABS releases; development applications are collected from council and state planning portals; the infrastructure pipeline is compiled from Infrastructure Australia and local government sources. Applications are matched to this boundary by address or coordinates, so very recent lodgements may not yet appear.
Employment & income
Industry and occupation structure comes from the Census, but the headline labour-market indicators do not. Unemployment and labour force are derived from ABS Small Area Labour Markets (quarterly). The employment outlook applies Department of Employment forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to this area's own industry mix (the agency is now Jobs and Skills Australia), as does the Internet Vacancy Index used for job demand. Because it is weighted on industry composition alone, that outlook carries no allowance for local population growth — in fast-growing areas the real rise in local jobs will typically be higher. Income combines Census household income with ATO taxable-income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index.
Education, transport & amenities
School enrolments, ICSEA and performance come from ACARA's current release, not the Census. Public transport stops and service frequency are derived from GTFS timetable feeds published by state transport departments. Services and amenities are proximity and count scores built from provider directories, refreshed on their own cycle. The Census contributes only the travel-to-work and qualification measures.
Rankings and benchmarks. Where we rank this area, the comparison set is every area of the same boundary type — suburbs against suburbs, SA2s against SA2s. Benchmarks compare this area against its greater capital city region and the national figure for the same measure and period.
Limits worth knowing. Small areas carry larger error margins, and the ABS introduces small random adjustments to Census counts to protect confidentiality — so totals may not sum exactly. Estimates re-based from regional data describe the area's expected trajectory, not a direct count of it. Figures are indicative for research and are not financial, planning or valuation advice.
Cross-check us. The Census baseline for this boundary is at ABS 2021 Census QuickStats (314011386). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.