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 12,708 as of Feb 2026. This showed an increase of 1,027 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 11,681. The change was inferred from ABS estimated resident population of 12,642 in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses of 214 since the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 962 persons per square kilometer. Growth of 8.8% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area's growth of 8.1%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 40.8% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts 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 are adopted, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. These state projections do not provide age category splits, so proportional growth weightings from ABS Greater Capital Region projections are applied for each age cohort. By 2041, the population is expected to increase by 1,824 persons based on latest annual ERP population numbers, 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 40 approved in FY26 to date. On average, 3.2 people have moved to the area per dwelling built over these five financial years.

This demand significantly outpaces supply, typically driving up prices and increasing competition among buyers. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $290,000. In FY26, commercial development approvals totaled $88.4 million, indicating high local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Upper Kedron-Ferny Grove has 77.0% more building activity per person, offering buyers greater choice despite a recent slowdown in building activity.

New building activity comprises 92.0% detached houses and 8.0% medium and high-density housing, maintaining the area's suburban identity with a concentration of family homes. With around 337 people per dwelling approval, Upper Kedron-Ferny Grove exhibits a developing market. Population forecasts indicate an increase of 1,758 residents by 2041 (AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Given current development patterns, new housing supply should meet demand, creating favorable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current 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. These 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.

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 an educated workforce with professional services well-represented. Its unemployment rate is 2.8%. As of September 2025, 6781 residents are employed, with a rate 1.2% lower than Greater Brisbane's 4.0%.

Workforce participation is similar to Greater Brisbane's 70.7%. Census data shows 27.1% work from home, considering Covid-19 impacts. Leading industries include public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and professional & technical services. The area specializes in public administration & safety (2.4 times the regional level), but manufacturing representation is lower at 2.9%.

Employment opportunities seem limited locally, as indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, labour force decreased by 3.5% and employment declined by 2.8%, reducing unemployment by 0.7 percentage points. Greater Brisbane recorded employment growth of 3.8% and labour force growth of 3.3%, with unemployment falling by 0.5 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's May-25 forecasts suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth varies between sectors. Applying these projections to Upper Kedron - Ferny Grove's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.9% over ten years.

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

Upper Kedron - Ferny Grove SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $68,493 and an average of $81,759 in financial year 2023, according to AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data. Nationally, these figures are extremely high, with Greater Brisbane having a median of $58,236 and an average of $72,799. By September 2025, estimates based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% suggest the median income will be approximately $75,281 and the average will be around $89,861. Census 2021 data shows that incomes in Upper Kedron - Ferny Grove rank highly nationally, between the 83rd and 92nd percentiles for households, families, and personal incomes. Income analysis reveals that 33.3% of residents earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, which mirrors the metropolitan region's income distribution. 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 dwellings, as per the latest Census, were 93.4% houses and 6.6% other types (semi-detached, apartments, 'other'). Brisbane metro had 73.5% houses and 26.5% others. Home ownership in Upper Kedron-Ferny Grove was 29.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 45.9% and rented at 24.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, higher than Brisbane's $1,863 average. Median weekly rent was $400, compared to Brisbane's $380. Nationally, mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded 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 comprise 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 account for the remaining 12.7%, with lone person households at 11.7% and group households comprising 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 common at 22.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.1%) and graduate diplomas (4.0%). Vocational credentials are held by 34.4% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 13.1% and certificates at 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. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 360 meters from the nearest stop. The area is primarily residential, with most commuters traveling outward. Car remains the dominant mode of transport at 82%, while train accounts for 12%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.7 per dwelling, exceeding the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high 27.1% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 271 trips per day across all routes, equating 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 (7,612 people), compared to 55.8% across Greater Brisbane. The most common medical conditions in the area were found to be mental health issues and asthma, impacting 9.4 and 7.0% of residents respectively, while 71.4% 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 13.4% of residents aged 65 and over (1,700 people), which is lower than the 15.2% 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 aligns with its region, with 78.3% born in Australia, 91.7% being citizens, and 89.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion, at 50.4%. Hinduism is overrepresented at 1.7%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 2.2%.

Top ancestry groups are English (28.3%), Australian (27.0%), and Irish (9.1%). Notable divergences include South African (1.0% vs regional 0.6%), Hungarian (0.4% vs 0.2%), and Welsh (0.7% vs 0.5%).

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

Upper Kedron-Ferny Grove's median age in 2021 was 37 years, closely matching Greater Brisbane's average of 36 and nearing the Australian median of 38. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Upper Kedron-Ferny Grove had a higher proportion of residents aged 45-54 (15.6%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (9.5%). Between the 2021 Census and the previous one, the 15-24 age group grew from 11.7% to 14.3%, while the 75-84 cohort increased from 3.4% to 4.9%. Conversely, the 5-14 age group declined from 17.1% to 15.1%, and the 25-34 group dropped from 10.7% to 9.5%. Demographic projections suggest significant changes in Upper Kedron-Ferny Grove's age profile by 2041. The 45-54 cohort is projected to grow by 25%, adding 497 residents to reach a total of 2,482. Meanwhile, both the 0-4 and 25-34 age groups are expected to decrease in number.