Toowong

Population growth drivers in Toowong are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Toowong's population was around 13,996 as of February 2026. This reflected an increase of 1,568 people from the 2021 Census figure of 12,428. The change was inferred from the ABS estimated resident population of 13,665 in June 2024 and an additional 300 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a population density ratio of 3,607 persons per square kilometer, placing Toowong in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth rate of 12.6% since the 2021 census exceeded both the national average (9.9%) and the SA3 area average. Overseas migration contributed approximately 84.9% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving this growth.

AreaSearch adopted ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections released in 2023 based on 2021 data were used. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits, so AreaSearch applied proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 and based on 2022 data for each age cohort. Based on demographic trends and latest annual ERP population numbers, Toowong is forecast to experience a significant population increase. By 2041, the area's population is expected to expand by 3,781 persons, reflecting an overall increase of 24.6% over the 17-year period.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Toowong when compared nationally

Toowong has recorded approximately 151 residential properties granted approval annually over the past five financial years, totalling 755 homes. As of FY26, 15 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.4 new residents per year per dwelling constructed were noted between FY21 and FY25, indicating a balanced supply and demand creating stable market conditions. However, recent data shows an increase to 10.3 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, reflecting Toowong's growing popularity and potential supply constraints. New properties are constructed at an average value of $535,000, suggesting developers focus on the premium market with high-end developments.

This year has seen $76.8 million in commercial approvals, indicating robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Toowong shows 137.0% higher construction activity per person, offering buyers greater choice but with development activity moderating recently. This activity is significantly above the national average, demonstrating strong developer interest in the area. New development consists of 7.0% standalone homes and 93.0% townhouses or apartments, reflecting a trend towards denser development to cater to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. This represents a significant shift from the current housing mix of 30.0% houses, likely due to reduced availability of development sites and shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. With around 359 people per dwelling approval, Toowong shows a developed market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Toowong is forecasted to gain 3,450 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.

Toowong 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 45 projects likely impacting the region. Notable ones are Oakman Residences, Sylvan Residences, Monarch Residences Toowong, and Viridian Residences. The following details projects deemed 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.

The employment environment in Toowong shows above-average strength when compared nationally

Toowong has a highly educated workforce with professional services showing strong representation. The unemployment rate was 3.5% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 0.9%. As of September 2025, there were 8,916 residents in work, and the unemployment rate was 0.5% lower than Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.0%.

Workforce participation in Toowong was 75.9%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 70.7%. According to Census responses, 29.9% of residents worked from home. The key industries of employment among residents were professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Professional & technical had a particularly strong representation with an employment share of 1.9 times the regional level, while construction showed lower representation at 4.3% compared to the regional average of 9.0%.

The ratio of workers to residents was 0.7 at the Census, indicating above-normal local employment opportunities. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment increased by 0.9%, while labour force grew by 0.6%, causing a fall in unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Brisbane saw employment rise by 3.8% and the labour force grow by 3.3%, with unemployment falling by 0.5 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that employment should increase by 7.3% over five years and 14.7% over ten years in Toowong, based on a simple weighting extrapolation of industry-specific projections against the local employment mix.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows Toowong SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $60,519 and an average of $90,097. Nationally, these figures are extremely high compared to Greater Brisbane's median of $58,236 and average of $72,799. Based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023, current estimates for Toowong would be approximately $66,516 (median) and $99,026 (average) as of September 2025. Census data indicates household, family and personal incomes in Toowong are around the 68th percentile nationally. Income distribution shows that the largest segment is 34.0% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (4,758 residents), similar to regional levels where 33.3% fall within this range. High housing costs consume 17.7% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 59th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Toowong features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In Toowong, as per the latest Census evaluation, 30.1% of dwellings were houses while 69.9% were other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. In contrast, Brisbane metropolitan area had 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Toowong stood at 21.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 23.2% and rented ones at 55.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,052, higher than Brisbane's average of $1,863. Median weekly rent in Toowong was $420, compared to Brisbane's $380. Nationally, Toowong's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,052 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Toowong features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 54.0% of all households, including 18.5% couples with children, 26.7% couples without children, and 6.4% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 46.0%, with lone person households at 32.0% and group households comprising 14.1%. The median household size is 2.1 people, smaller than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.

Educational achievement in Toowong places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Toowong's educational attainment is notably higher than broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15+, 58.0% hold university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in Queensland (Qld) and 30.4% nationally. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 36.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (17.0%) and graduate diplomas (4.7%). Vocational pathways account for 18.5% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 8.5% and certificates at 10.0%.

Educational participation is high, with 37.6% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 20.7% in tertiary education, 5.7% in secondary education, and 5.5% pursuing primary education.

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

Toowong has 69 active public transport stops offering a mix of ferry, train, and bus services. These stops are served by 110 individual routes, collectively facilitating 7,199 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent with residents typically located 129 meters from the nearest stop. The area is primarily residential, with most commuters traveling outward. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport at 60%, followed by train at 14% and bus at 10%. Vehicle ownership averages 0.9 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high 29.9% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 1,028 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 104 weekly trips per individual stop.

Toowong's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Toowong's health outcomes show excellent results according to AreaSearch's analysis of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The area has a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 66% of the total population (9,223 people), compared to 55.8% in Greater Brisbane and the national average of 55.7%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 9.7 and 7.4% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 75.1%, report being completely free of medical ailments, compared to 69.2% in Greater Brisbane. Working-age residents exhibit low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 11.6% of residents aged 65 and over (1,626 people), lower than the 15.2% figure for Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among seniors are strong but rank lower nationally compared to the broader population.

Toowong was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Toowong has a higher cultural diversity than most local markets, with 24.9% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 35.3% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Toowong, comprising 38.0% of its population. Notably, Judaism is overrepresented in Toowong, making up 0.2% of the population compared to 0.1% across Greater Brisbane.

The top three ancestry groups based on parents' country of birth are English (24.2%), Australian (19.5%), and Irish (10.4%). Some ethnic groups show significant differences in representation: French is overrepresented at 0.7% compared to the regional average of 0.5%, Chinese at 8.1% versus 3.4%, and Welsh at 0.7% compared to 0.5%.

Toowong hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Toowong's median age is 30, which is younger than Greater Brisbane's figure of 36 and substantially under the Australian median of 38. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Toowong has a higher concentration of 15-24 year-olds at 23.4%, but fewer 5-14 year-olds at 7.7%. This 15-24 age group is well above the national average of 12.5%. Between 2021 and now, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 3.3% to 4.5% of the population. Conversely, the 35 to 44 cohort has declined from 13.7% to 12.8%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts in Toowong's age structure. The 15-24 age group is projected to increase by 581 people (18%) from 3,276 to 3,858. The 0 to 4 age group shows more modest growth at 8%, adding only 36 residents.