Upper Kedron - Ferny Grove

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

Upper Kedron - Ferny Grove's population was around 12,708 as of Nov 2025. This reflected an increase of 1,027 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 11,681. The change was inferred from ABS data: estimated resident population of 12,642 in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. Population density was 962 persons per square kilometer. Growth rate exceeded SA3 area (8.0%) and SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 40.8% of overall population gains recently.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with base year 2022. For areas not covered and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections are used, based on 2021 data but without age category splits. Future demographic trends suggest a population increase just below the median statistical area across the nation by 2041. The latest annual ERP population numbers indicate an expected growth of 1,824 persons to 2041, reflecting a total gain of 13.8% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Upper Kedron - Ferny Grove among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Upper Kedron - Ferny Grove has seen approximately 86 new homes approved annually. Between FY21 and FY25431 homes were approved, with an additional 30 approved in FY26 to date. On average, 3.2 people moved to the area each year for every dwelling built during these years.

This high demand has outpaced supply, potentially influencing property prices and competition among buyers. The average construction cost of new properties was $290,000. In FY26, commercial development approvals totaled $88.4 million, indicating significant local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Upper Kedron - Ferny Grove has 77.0% more building activity per person.

While offering greater choice for buyers, building activity has slowed in recent years. Detached houses accounted for 92.0% of new building activity, with the remaining 8.0% being medium and high-density housing. This sustains the area's suburban identity, appealing to buyers seeking family homes with space. With around 337 people per dwelling approval, Upper Kedron - Ferny Grove indicates a developing market. By 2041, it is projected to gain approximately 1,758 residents based on current AreaSearch estimates. If development patterns continue, new housing supply should meet demand, creating favorable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Upper Kedron - Ferny Grove has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified ten projects likely to affect the region. Notable initiatives include Ferny Grove Central - Mixed Use Development, Ferny Grove Station Car Park Upgrade, Ferny Hills Precinct Planning Project, and Great Western Super Centre Expansion & Renovation. 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.

The labour market in Upper Kedron - Ferny Grove shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

Upper Kedron - Ferny Grove has a well-educated workforce with professional services being strongly represented. Its unemployment rate is 2.8%.

As of September 2025, there are 6,781 residents employed, which is 1.2% below Greater Brisbane's unemployment rate of 4.0%. The area's workforce participation rate is 70.9%, higher than Greater Brisbane's 64.5%. Leading employment industries among residents include public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and professional & technical services. Public administration & safety is particularly strong, with an employment share of 2.4 times the regional level.

However, manufacturing shows lower representation at 2.9% compared to the regional average of 6.4%. The predominantly residential area offers limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. From September 2024 to September 2025, the labour force decreased by 3.5%, while employment declined by 2.8%, leading to a fall in unemployment rate by 0.7 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Brisbane recorded employment growth of 3.8% and labour force growth of 3.3%, with unemployment falling by 0.5 percentage points. State-level data from QLD as of 25-Nov shows employment contracted by 0.01%, losing 1,210 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Upper Kedron - Ferny Grove's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

In AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022, Upper Kedron - Ferny Grove SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $65,155 and an average of $77,404. This is notably higher than national levels, with Greater Brisbane's median being $55,645 and average at $70,520. Based on Wage Price Index growth from financial year 2022 to September 2025 (13.99%), estimated incomes would be approximately $74,270 (median) and $88,233 (average). According to Census 2021 income data, Upper Kedron - Ferny Grove ranks highly nationally for household, family, and personal incomes, between the 83rd and 92nd percentiles. Income analysis shows that the largest segment comprises 33.3% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (4,231 residents), mirroring metropolitan regions where 33.3% occupy this bracket. Notably, 41.3% of residents earn above $3,000 per week, indicating strong economic capacity in the suburb. After housing costs, residents retain 87.3% of their income, reflecting robust purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Upper Kedron - Ferny Grove is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Upper Kedron-Ferny Grove's dwellings were 93.4% houses and 6.6% other types at the latest Census. Brisbane metro had 81.6% houses and 18.5% others. Home ownership was 29.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 45.9% and rented ones at 24.9%. Median monthly mortgage repayments were $2,167, matching Brisbane's average, while median weekly rent was $400, also equal to the Brisbane metro figure. Nationally, Upper Kedron-Ferny Grove's mortgage repayments exceeded Australia's average of $1,863 and rents surpassed the national figure of $375.

Upper Kedron - Ferny Grove features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 87.3% of all households, including 48.0% couples with children, 27.8% couples without children, and 10.6% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 12.7%, with lone person households at 11.7% and group households comprising 1.1% of the total. The median household size is 3.0 people, which is larger than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.7.

Upper Kedron - Ferny Grove 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 34.4%, significantly lower than the SA4 region average of 47.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 22.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.1%) and graduate diplomas (4.0%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 34.4% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (13.1%) and certificates (21.3%). Educational participation is high, with 32.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, comprising 12.0% in primary, 10.1% in secondary, and 5.3% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 32.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.0% in primary education, 10.1% in secondary education, and 5.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Upper Kedron - Ferny Grove has 35 active public transport stops. These comprise a mix of train and bus services. The area is served by 22 individual routes that collectively facilitate 1,760 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated as good with residents typically located 360 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 251 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 50 weekly trips per stop.

The level of general health in Upper Kedron - Ferny Grove is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Upper Kedron - Ferny Grove shows superior health outcomes with fewer common health conditions among its general population compared to national averages, but higher rates are seen in older and at-risk cohorts. Approximately 59% of the total population (7,472 people) has private health cover, slightly lower than Greater Brisbane's 61.5%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent conditions, affecting 9.4 and 7.0% of residents respectively. About 71.4% of residents report being free from medical ailments, compared to 69.6% in Greater Brisbane. The area has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 13.2% (1,671 people), compared to 15.2% in Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than those of the broader population.

In terms of cultural diversity, Upper Kedron - Ferny Grove records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Upper Kedron-Ferny Grove, in line with its wider region's average, had 78.3% of its population born in Australia, 91.7% being citizens, and 89.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion, comprising 50.4%. Hinduism showed slight overrepresentation at 1.7%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 1.4%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (28.3%), Australian (27.0%), and Irish (9.1%). Notable divergences included South African (1.0% vs regional 0.8%), Hungarian (0.4% vs 0.3%), and Welsh (0.7% vs 0.6%).

Upper Kedron - Ferny Grove's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Upper Kedron - Ferny Grove's median age is nearly 37 years, closely matching Greater Brisbane's average of 36 and Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Upper Kedron - Ferny Grove has a higher concentration of residents aged 45-54 (15.6%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (10.0%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the population aged 15-24 has grown from 11.7% to 14.0%, while the 75-84 cohort increased from 3.4% to 4.7%. Conversely, the 5-14 age group declined from 17.1% to 15.1%, and the 65-74 group dropped from 8.1% to 7.1%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Upper Kedron - Ferny Grove's age profile. The 45-54 cohort is projected to grow by 25%, adding 499 residents to reach 2,482. In contrast, both the 0-4 and 25-34 age groups are expected to decrease in numbers.