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 is around 12,705 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 1,024 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 11,681 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 12,642 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 213 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 962 persons per square kilometer, which is relatively in line with averages seen across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Upper Kedron - Ferny Grove's growth rate of 8.8% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area (8.1%) and the SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 40.8% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections released in 2023 based on 2021 data are adopted. It should be noted that these state projections do not provide age category splits; hence proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort are applied where utilised. Moving forward, a population increase just below the median of statistical areas across the nation is expected, with the area expected to grow by 1,824 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 13.9% in total 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 a further 40 approved in FY26 to date. On average, 3.2 people have moved to the area per dwelling built over these years.

This high demand has outpaced supply, potentially influencing property prices and competition among buyers. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $290,000. In FY26, $88.4 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating significant local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Upper Kedron - Ferny Grove has 77.0% more building activity per person.

While this offers buyers greater choice, building activity has slowed recently. New building activity consists of 92.0% detached houses and 8.0% medium and high-density housing, maintaining the area's suburban identity with a focus on family homes. With around 337 people moving in for each dwelling approval, Upper Kedron - Ferny Grove shows a growing market. By 2041, it is projected to gain 1,761 residents based on current development patterns and AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate. If current trends continue, new housing supply should meet demand, providing favorable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond projections.

Upper Kedron - Ferny Grove has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Ten projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the area significantly. Key projects 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 likely to be most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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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 strong professional services representation and an unemployment rate of 2.8%. As of September 2025, 6781 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.2% lower than Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.0%. Workforce participation is similar to Greater Brisbane's 70.8%.

According to Census responses, 27.1% of residents work from home. Leading employment industries include public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and professional & technical services. The area has a high specialization in public administration & safety (2.4 times the regional level) but lower representation in manufacturing (2.9% vs regional average of 6.4%). Employment opportunities appear limited locally based on Census working population counts versus resident population.

Between September 2024 and September 2025, the labour force decreased by 3.5%, employment declined by 2.8%, leading to a 0.7 percentage point fall in unemployment rate. Greater Brisbane recorded employment growth of 3.8% during this period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Upper Kedron - Ferny Grove's employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to the local employment mix.

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 for financial year 2023, Upper Kedron - Ferny Grove SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $68,493 and an average of $81,759. This is notably high compared to the national median of $58,236 and average of $72,799 in Greater Brisbane. Based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023, current estimates suggest a median income of approximately $75,281 and an average of $89,861 as of September 2025. Census 2021 data shows Upper Kedron - Ferny Grove's household, family, and personal incomes rank high nationally, between the 83rd and 92nd percentiles. Income analysis reveals that 33.3% of residents earn $1,500 - 2,999 weekly, mirroring the metropolitan region where this bracket also comprises 33.3%. 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 above-average rates of outright home ownership

Upper Kedron-Ferny Grove's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, had 93.4% houses and 6.6% other dwellings. Brisbane metro had 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Upper Kedron-Ferny Grove was at 29.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 45.9% and rented ones at 24.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, compared to Brisbane metro's $1,863. Median weekly rent in the area was $400, while Brisbane metro's figure was $380. Nationally, Upper Kedron-Ferny Grove's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were higher than 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 constitute 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 comprise the remaining 12.7%, with lone person households at 11.7% and group households making up 1.1%. The median household size is 3.0 people, larger than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.

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 prevalent at 22.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.1%) and graduate diplomas (4.0%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 34.4% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (13.1%) and certificates (21.3%). Educational participation is 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 34 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 25 individual routes, collectively facilitating 1,901 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy good transport accessibility, with an average distance of 360 meters to the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most residents commute outward. Cars remain the primary mode of transportation at 82%, while trains account for 12%. Vehicle ownership stands at 1.7 per dwelling, exceeding the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 27.1% of residents work from home, a figure that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 271 trips per day across all routes, translating to approximately 55 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Upper Kedron - Ferny Grove is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Upper Kedron - Ferny Grove faces significant health challenges based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions are somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts.

The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 60% of the total population (7,610 people), compared to 55.8% across Greater Brisbane. The most common medical conditions in the area were found to be mental health issues affecting 9.4% of residents and asthma impacting 7.0%. A total of 71.4% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.2% across Greater Brisbane. The under-65 population demonstrates better than average health outcomes. The area has 13.2% of residents aged 65 and over (1,670 people), which is lower than the 15.0% in Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general 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's cultural diversity was roughly equal to the broader area's average. 78.3% of its residents were born in Australia, 91.7% were citizens, and 89.6% spoke English at home. Christianity dominated religiously with 50.4%.

Hinduism, however, was slightly higher than Greater Brisbane's average (1.7% vs 2.2%). Top ancestry groups were English (28.3%), Australian (27.0%), and Irish (9.1%). South African (1.0% vs 0.6%), Hungarian (0.4% vs 0.2%), and Welsh (0.7% vs 0.5%) were notably overrepresented.

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

Upper Kedron - Ferny Grove's median age is nearly 37 years, close to Greater Brisbane's average of 36 and the Australian 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 those aged 75-84 increased from 3.4% to 4.7%. Conversely, the age group of 5-14 has declined from 17.1% to 15.1%, and the 65-74 group dropped from 8.1% to 7.1%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Upper Kedron - Ferny Grove's age profile will change significantly. The 45-54 cohort is projected to grow by 25%, adding 500 residents to reach 2,482. Meanwhile, both the 0-4 and 25-34 age groups are expected to decrease in number.