Wakerley

Population growth drivers in Wakerley are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

Wakerley's population, as of November 2025, is approximately 9,829 people. This figure represents an increase of 383 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 9,446. The change is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 9,820 in June 2024 and an additional 133 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,890 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Wakerley's growth rate of 4.1% since the Census places it within 2.5 percentage points of its SA3 area (6.6%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Natural growth contributed approximately 52.2% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses 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. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits, so AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings from ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data) for each age cohort when utilised. Future population trends suggest a growth of 698 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 7.0% over the 17-year period, based on the latest annual ERP population numbers.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Wakerley according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Wakerley has averaged approximately 9 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 49 homes. As of FY26, 2 approvals have been recorded. Historically, each newly constructed dwelling has attracted about 5 new residents per year on average between FY21 and FY25. This significant demand outpaces supply, typically driving price growth and intensifying buyer competition, with new properties valued at an average of $304,000 upon completion.

In the current financial year, $16.7 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating balanced commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Wakerley has notably less development activity, standing at 77.0% below the regional average per person. This limited new construction often reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings. Furthermore, Wakerley's development activity is also lower than the national average, suggesting market maturity and potential development constraints. All new constructions in Wakerley have been detached dwellings, maintaining the area's suburban identity with a concentration of family homes catering to space-seeking buyers.

With around 7344 people per approval, Wakerley exhibits characteristics of a mature, established area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Wakerley is projected to add 689 residents by 2041. If current development rates persist, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting stronger price growth.

Wakerley has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 21stth percentile nationally

Area infrastructure changes significantly influence local performance. AreaSearch identified eight projects likely impacting the area. Major initiatives include Greenslopes Private Hospital expansion, Wakerley Specialist Centre development, Mayfair Village Shopping Centre enlargement, Wakerley Park Residential Estate construction, and The Sanctuary Wakerley project. Below is a list of most relevant projects.

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

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The exceptional employment performance in Wakerley places it among Australia's strongest labour markets

Wakerley has a well-educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate is 0.8% and it experienced an estimated employment growth of 6.0% over the past year, as of September 2025. In this month, 6,329 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 3.2%, lower than Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.0%.

Workforce participation was high at 85.7%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 70.8%. According to Census responses, 27.1% of residents worked from home, possibly influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. Notably, professional & technical employment is at 1.2 times the regional average, while health care & social assistance has a limited presence with 14.3% compared to the regional 16.1%.

Over the year to September 2025, employment increased by 6.0% and labour force grew by 5.8%, reducing unemployment by 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Brisbane saw employment rise by 3.8%, labour force grow by 3.3%, and unemployment fall by 0.5 percentage points. National employment forecasts from May-25 project a growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Wakerley'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 extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

In AreaSearch's latest data released for financial year 2023, Wakerley SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $74,437 and an average of $95,689. Nationally, these figures place Wakerley in the top percentile. Comparing to Greater Brisbane's median of $58,236 and average of $72,799 further highlights this disparity. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes for September 2025 would be approximately $81,814 (median) and $105,172 (average). Census data indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in Wakerley rank highly nationally, between the 92nd and 96th percentiles. The earnings profile shows that 30.7% of residents earn over $4,000 per week, with a total of 3,017 people falling into this category. This is unlike the surrounding region where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket predominates at 33.3%. The area's affluence is evident, with 50.1% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. Housing accounts for 14.0% of income, while strong earnings place residents in the 96th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Wakerley is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

In Wakerley, as per the latest Census evaluation, 85.3% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 14.7% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments and other types. This differs from Brisbane's metropolitan area, where 73.5% of dwellings are houses and 26.5% are other types. Home ownership in Wakerley stood at 21.8%, with the majority of dwellings either mortgaged (57.1%) or rented (21.2%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Wakerley was $2,383, higher than Brisbane's metropolitan average of $1,863. The median weekly rent in Wakerley was recorded at $510, compared to Brisbane metro's $380. Nationally, Wakerley's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially above the national figure of $375.

Wakerley features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 88.3% of all households, consisting of 55.6% couples with children, 22.1% couples without children, and 10.3% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 11.7%, with lone person households at 10.1% and group households comprising 1.3% of the total. The median household size is 3.1 people, which is larger than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.

The educational profile of Wakerley exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Wakerley's educational attainment is notably higher than broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15+, 38.4% hold university qualifications, compared to 23.7% in the SA4 region and 25.7% in Queensland. Bachelor degrees are most common at 25.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.9%) and graduate diplomas (3.7%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 31.4% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas at 12.8% and certificates at 18.6%.

Educational participation is high, with 35.6% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 14.6% in primary education, 10.2% in secondary education, and 5.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Wakerley has 23 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by six different routes that together facilitate 377 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 289 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to Wakerley being primarily residential. Cars remain the dominant mode of transportation at 91%. On average, there are 1.8 vehicles per dwelling, which is above the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high proportion of residents, 27.1%, work from home, potentially due to COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 53 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 16 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Health outcomes data shows excellent results across Wakerley as assessed by AreaSearch. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are very low across all age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 69% of the total population (6,752 people), compared to 55.8% in Greater Brisbane and 55.7% nationally.

The most common medical conditions are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 7.4 and 6.6% of residents respectively. 77.5% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.2% in Greater Brisbane. Wakerley has 10.0% of residents aged 65 and over (984 people), lower than the 15.0% in Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Wakerley was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Wakerley's population was found to be more culturally diverse than most local markets, with 16.5% speaking a language other than English at home and 29.7% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion in Wakerley, making up 56.2% of its population, compared to 47.8% across Greater Brisbane. The top three ancestry groups were English (28.8%), Australian (23.2%), and Other (8.3%).

Notably, South African (1.8%) was overrepresented in Wakerley compared to the regional average of 0.6%, as were New Zealanders (1.4% vs 1.0%) and Koreans (0.7% vs 0.5%).

Wakerley's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Wakerley'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, Wakerley has a higher percentage of residents aged 5-14 (18.3%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (6.9%). This 5-14 concentration is above the national average of 12.2%. Between the 2021 Census and present, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 11.3% to 13.7%, while the 45 to 54 cohort has grown from 16.5% to 17.8%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort has declined from 19.9% to 18.3%, and the 35 to 44 group has dropped from 18.9% to 17.3%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Wakerley's age profile. The 55 to 64 cohort is projected to grow by 36%, adding 358 residents to reach 1,346. Meanwhile, both the 25 to 34 and 0 to 4 age groups are expected to decrease in number.