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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
Curious about local property values? Filter the chart to assess the volume and appreciation (including resales) trends and regional comparisons, or scroll to the map below view this information at an individual property level.
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Thorneside has an estimated 4,020 residents, up from 3,877 at the 2021 Census — a change of 143 people, or 3.7%. That puts 1,506 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
Demographic assessments by AreaSearch indicate that Thorneside has reached a population count of approximately 4,020 as of Aug 2026. This represents an addition of 143 people (3.7%) above the 3,877 people recorded during the 2021 Census. Such movement is derived from the ABS estimated resident population figure of 4,020 established as of June 2025 alongside 6 validated new addresses tracked after the Census date. Consequently, the local density stands at 1,505 persons per square kilometer, placing it above the national benchmark across locations evaluated by AreaSearch. Over the preceding ten years, the suburb maintained steady expansion via a 0.5% compound annual growth rate, outperforming its broader SA3 area.
Inbound overseas migration formed the core driver of these additions, generating roughly 64.9% of net population increases across recent timeframes. Projections utilised by AreaSearch incorporate ABS/Geoscience Australia modeling for SA2 boundaries released in 2024 using 2022 as a base year. Where SA2 regions lack coverage, or across horizons extending past 2032, Queensland State Government SA2 figures published in 2023 (utilising 2021 data) are integrated. Because state releases do not disaggregate by age, proportional adjustments matching ABS Greater Capital Region projections (published in 2023, based on 2022 data) are applied across cohorts. Looking toward long-term demographics, expansion is projected within the lower quartile nationally, as the community is modeled to gain 30 persons through to 2041 under latest annual ERP figures, corresponding to an overall 0.8% rise across the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
56 new dwellings have been approved in Thorneside over the past five years, an average of 11 a year. That is 2.8 approvals per 1,000 residents. Figures come from ABS building approvals aggregated to this SA2 boundary and are updated monthly as the ABS releases them.
Detail
Residential building approvals in Thorneside have tracked at roughly 11 new dwellings per year, accumulating to 56 homes across the prior 5 financial years. The influx of new inhabitants has averaged 1.4 people annually for every home constructed during this 5 financial years timeframe (spanning FY-22 and FY-26), indicating balanced market dynamics between dwelling delivery and demand. Concurrently, average construction value per approved home sits at $504,000, exceeding broader regional benchmarks and pointing toward premium building activity. Per capita residential construction in Thorneside is 18.0% lower than the Greater Brisbane benchmark, ranking in the 37th percentile across national assessments.
This subdued pipeline tightens purchasing options and reinforces demand across existing stock, while sitting below the national median due to the established nature of the suburb and local planning controls. Recent building approvals consist exclusively of detached houses, maintaining the suburban streetscape dominated by family-oriented properties. Home builders are delivering freestanding residences at higher rates than the baseline Census proportion of 64.0%, highlighting ongoing appetite for traditional housing despite broader density trends. An established residential environment is further illustrated by a ratio of roughly 479 people per dwelling approval. Longer-term forecasts point to Thorneside expanding by 30 residents by 2041 relative to the most recent quarterly estimate from AreaSearch. Current rates of residential building activity appear well-positioned to satisfy this level of buyer demand, establishing sound market fundamentals while offering capacity to accommodate population gains beyond current expectations.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Thorneside
Loading development applications…
| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
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SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks 78 current infrastructure and development projects close to Thorneside, worth an estimated $7.72 billion. 17 are already under construction and 22 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans residential development, communities, precincts & urban renewal and sports & recreation. 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
Capital investments, planning strategies, and infrastructure programs play a pivotal role in shaping local development. AreaSearch has pinpointed 1 primary project with direct relevance to the area, amidst broader regional developments such as the Eastwood Birkdale initiative, the Redland Hospital Expansion, the Redlands Coast Smart and Connected City Strategy, and the Cleveland Line Duplication (Park Road to Cleveland).
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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.
Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
358 Manly Road Townhouse Development
30 low-medium density townhouses in 8 building groups. Comprises 25 x 3-bedroom and 5 x 2-bedroom units. Designed by Christian Zambelli with communal spaces and visitor parking.
Birkdale Grove
A private residential neighbourhood of 34 lots in a leafy bayside setting, approximately 17km from Brisbane CBD. Current sales are underway following development approval for reconfiguring a lot and associated works. Easy access to public transport, schools and shopping centres.
Capalaba Town Centre Revitalisation Project
A $183 million to $250 million urban renewal initiative transforming 1.55 hectares into the civic and commercial heart of Capalaba. The masterplan features a new Redland City Council library, customer service centre, arts centre, and community hall. The precinct includes a town square, village green with a large entertainment screen, commercial office space, and boutique residential apartments. Stage 1 construction, focusing on the library and civic facilities, commenced in May 2026 to stimulate a day/night economy and improve transport connectivity.
Daveson Road Social and Affordable Housing
Low-rise development delivering 55 one, two and three bedroom social and affordable homes with onsite communal spaces, car parking and sustainability features (targeting 7+ star NatHERS), led by Brisbane Housing Company with Paladin as builder under Queensland Government Quickstarts funding.
Wellington Point Village Streetscape Revitalisation
Redland City Council is upgrading the Wellington Point Village heart to create a more vibrant and walkable precinct. The project includes widening footpaths, installing new street furniture, and integrated landscaping to support local traders and enhance the public realm. Recent efforts in late 2025 and 2026 have focused on activating the precinct through collaboration between the Redlands Coast Chamber of Commerce and local businesses.
Birkdale Community Precinct including Redland Whitewater Centre
A 62-hectare destination transforming Birkdale into a world-class community precinct featuring the Redland Whitewater Centre, an Olympic-standard venue for the Brisbane 2032 Games. The precinct includes 38.8 hectares of conservation area, the heritage-listed Willards Farm, and a WWII Radio Receiving Station, with recent statutory planning and EPBC approvals progressing in 2026. It serves as a swift-water rescue training hub for emergency services and includes public open spaces, adventure playgrounds, and community hubs focused on innovation, entertainment, and recreation.
Mayfair Village Shopping Centre Expansion
The expansion of Mayfair Village involves a 475sqm addition to the existing neighbourhood shopping centre. The development features a two-level extension in the north-east corner, providing new retail tenancies and a drive-thru facility. The project aims to improve streetscape activation and pedestrian connectivity along Burnett Street while maintaining the existing parking capacity of 348 vehicles.
Eastwood Birkdale
Small house-and-land estate opposite the proposed Birkdale Community Precinct, delivering 18 titled lots (all 400m2 or larger) with wide frontages and level blocks. Estate infrastructure complete and lots reported sold out by Sep 2025; individual home construction by purchasers ongoing.
2,323 residents of Thorneside are employed, from a labour force of 2,414. Unemployment sits at 3.8%, with participation at 72.3%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 6.5% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. The working-day population is estimated at 3,058, about 76% 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
The local labour pool exhibits strong capabilities with substantial representation in essential community services, an unemployment rate sitting at 3.8%, and a 4.2% expansion in employment over the preceding year. As of March 2026, employed residents numbered 2,323, while the jobless rate tracked 0.6% beneath the 4.3% benchmark for Greater Brisbane, supported by a 72.3% participation rate against 70.1% across Greater Brisbane. Census data identified that 17.0% of local workers operated from home, a metric subject to the influence of Covid-19 restrictions active during that period. Workforce participation among residents is concentrated heavily within health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training.
The construction industry displays particular prominence, engaging workers at 1.4 times the regional proportion. Conversely, accommodation & food accounts for only 4.6% of local employment, trailing the 6.7% reported across Greater Brisbane. Given the primarily residential fabric of the area, internal job opportunities remain constrained as shown by comparisons between the local Census working population and resident worker counts. Evaluation of ABS and SALM series by AreaSearch shows that during the 12 months leading to March 2026, local employment grew by 4.2% against a 4.1% increase in the total labour force, driving a 0.1 percentage points contraction in the unemployment rate. Over the identical timeframe, Greater Brisbane recorded 3.2% job growth, 3.4% labour force expansion, and a 0.1 percentage points rise in joblessness. Broader industry projections published by Jobs and Skills Australia as of Mar-26 provide context for future workforce requirements. Across the nation, total employment is modeled to rise 6.6% across five years and 13.7% across ten years, with performance varying across sectors. When mapped across Thorneside's existing industry distribution, resident employment is estimated to lift by 6.5% over five years and 13.4% over ten years (representing an illustrative sectoral weighting that does not incorporate localised population forecasts).
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Thorneside is $1,488 a week (about $77,000 a year), with median personal income at $827 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $58,959 a year against an average of $69,206. 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
Taxation records compiled by AreaSearch from the ATO for financial year 2023 place taxpayer earnings in the Thorneside SA2 slightly above national figures. Median taxable income reached $58,959 against an average of $69,206, compared with Greater Brisbane metrics of $58,236 and $72,799 respectively. Accounting for an 11.36% lift in the Wage Price Index since financial year 2023, updated estimates reach approximately $65,657 for median earnings and $77,068 for average income as of March 2026. Looking at 2021 Census data, individual weekly income sat at the 54th percentile ($827 weekly), while household figures were at the 35th percentile.
The $1,500 - 2,999 bracket encompassed 30.1% of local earners (1,210 individuals), closely tracking the 33.3% share observed across the wider metropolitan territory. Housing costs exert considerable pressure, leaving 82.6% of income unallocated (ranking in the 34th percentile), while the SEIFA income measure positions the area within the 5th decile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Thorneside had 1,620 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 64% detached houses and 1% apartments. 37% are owned with a mortgage, 29% rented and 34% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $370 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,787 a month. Rent absorbs 24.9% of household income here and mortgage repayments 27.7%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
At the time of the previous Census, the dwelling landscape in Thorneside comprised 63.6% detached houses and 36.4% alternative dwellings (incorporating semi-detached residences, apartments, and other dwellings), whereas Brisbane metro recorded 73.5% houses alongside 26.5% other dwellings. Outright property ownership in Thorneside stood substantially above Brisbane metro at 34.0%, while 36.8% of properties were owned with a mortgage and 29.1% were leased. Typical monthly mortgage payments were lower than the Brisbane metro figure of $1,863 at $1,787, with median weekly rent recording $370 against $380 regionally. Nationally, local mortgage commitments remain below the Australian average of $1,863, and weekly rents track underneath the nationwide median of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Thorneside counted 1,620 households at the 2021 Census, averaging 2.3 people each. 25% are couples with children, against 26% couples without children. 30% of households are people living alone, and families average 1.7 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Family units constitute 67.0% of all households in the area, divided between couples with children at 24.8%, couples without children at 26.4%, and single parent families at 15.2%. Non-family living arrangements account for the remaining 33.0%, consisting of lone person households at 29.6% and group households at 3.2%. The typical household size sits at 2.3 people, which is smaller than the 2.6 average recorded for Greater Brisbane.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
22.4% of adults in Thorneside hold a university qualification, including 16.0% with a bachelor degree and 3.6% with postgraduate qualifications. A further 29.1% hold a vocational qualification. 1 school serves the area, with 31 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 1,040 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
Tertiary educational attainment within Thorneside is below the broader metropolitan standard, with 22.4% of residents aged 15+ holding a higher education degree compared to 30.5% in Greater Brisbane. Bachelor degrees represent the largest category at 16.0%, accompanied by postgraduate qualifications at 3.6% and graduate diplomas at 2.8%. Vocational education forms a major component of the local profile, with 41.0% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (11.9%) and certificates (29.1%). Learning engagement across the suburb is strong, with 26.3% of the community undertaking formal studies. This cohort comprises 10.0% attending primary education, 7.7% enrolled in secondary education, and 3.3% participating in tertiary education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Getting around Thorneside means driving: households keep an average of 1.3 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
64.2% of residents in Thorneside report no long-term health condition. 4.8% need daily assistance with core activities, and 53.3% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 5.4 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
Indicators compiled by AreaSearch regarding mortality and long-term health issues highlight elevated health needs across both younger and older residents. Private health insurance coverage covers roughly 53% of the population (~2,142 people), slightly exceeding typical SA2 benchmarks while trailing the 55.8% seen across Greater Brisbane. Mental health conditions and arthritis represent the primary chronic ailments among residents, recorded at 10.2 and 8.8% respectively, while 64.2% of the population reported no long-term illnesses compared to 69.2% in Greater Brisbane. Chronic illness rates are elevated across working-age inhabitants. Seniors aged 65 and over make up 21.4% of the population (859 people), surpassing the 15.0% proportion in Greater Brisbane, with older residents registering above-average health metrics that outrank the wider population on a national scale.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Thorneside is largely Australian-born, at 78.5% of residents, with 6.7% speaking a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are English (30.1%) and Australian (27.9%). Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Cultural diversity markers in Thorneside sit below wider averages, with 78.5% of inhabitants Australian-born, 89.8% holding citizenship, and 93.3% speaking solely English within the home. Christianity stands as the predominant religious affiliation at 48.1% of the community, mirroring the 47.8% recorded throughout Greater Brisbane. Looking at parental heritage, the most common ancestries among Thorneside residents are English at 30.1%, Australian at 27.9%, and Irish at 9.1%. Specific overseas backgrounds demonstrate higher representation locally than regional averages, including New Zealand at 1.2% (against 1.0% regionally), Russian at 0.6% (against 0.3%), and German at 5.0% (against 4.2%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Thorneside is 41. 23.6% 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
The demographic profile of Thorneside leans heavily toward older cohorts, with those aged 65+ comprising 21.4% of the population as of August 2026, compared to 15.0% across Greater Brisbane. In contrast, adults aged 25 - 44 account for 25.0% locally, compared with 30.6% regionally. The median age is estimated at 41 as at August 2026, matching the 2021 Census and exceeding the Greater Brisbane figure of 36 from that Census by 5 years. Since the Census, the senior cohort has expanded from 19.1% to 21.4%. Looking ahead to 2041, senior age brackets are projected to capture the vast majority of demographic gains, increasing by 302 residents (35%) to 1,161, while younger adult cohorts alongside children and young adults are expected to contract.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Thorneside
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, Local governments Daily | May 2026 5 months ago all 2 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 May 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 — 6 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for Aug 2026, not a 2021 count (3,877 at the 2021 Census → 4,020 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 (301011005). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.