Chart Color Schemes
This analysis uses ABS Statistical Areas Level 2 (SA2) boundaries, which can materially differ from Suburbs and Localities (SAL) even when sharing similar names.
SA2 boundaries are defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and are designed to represent communities for statistical reporting (e.g., census and ERP).
Suburbs and Localities (SAL) represent commonly-used suburb/locality names (postal-style areas) and may use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
ABS ERP | -- people | --
2021 Census | -- people
Curious about local property values? Filter the chart to assess the volume and appreciation (including resales) trends and regional comparisons, or scroll to the map below view this information at an individual property level.
Find a Recent Sale
Sales Detail
Wakerley has an estimated 9,865 residents, up from 9,446 at the 2021 Census — a change of 419 people, or 4.4%. 133 new addresses have been validated here since Census night. That puts 1,897 residents on each square kilometre. Population is estimated from ABS Estimated Resident Population releases and GNAF address data, re-based from the 2021 Census and updated annually.
Detail
According to research conducted by AreaSearch, the resident count in Wakerley stands at approximately 9,865 as of Aug 2026. Compared with the 2021 Census tally of 9,446 people, this represents an addition of 419 people (4.4%). These figures are derived by combining the ABS Estimated Resident Population of 9,865 recorded as of June 2025 with 133 validated new addresses registered following the Census. Consequently, population density sits at 1,897 persons per square kilometer, outperforming the benchmark across nationally assessed areas. While trailing the broader SA3 area (7.2%) by only 2.8 percentage points, Wakerley's 4.4% post-census increase underlines solid demographic momentum, with net overseas arrivals delivering the bulk of recent gains at roughly 64.3% of the total increase.
SA2 projections published by ABS/Geoscience Australia in 2024 (using 2022 as a baseline) underpin AreaSearch's modeling, while locations outside this coverage or looking beyond post-2032 utilize Queensland State Government SA2 forecasts from 2023 based on 2021 numbers. Because state projections omit age-specific breakdowns, AreaSearch applies cohort weightings aligned with the 2023 ABS Greater Capital Region release (derived from 2022 data). Looking to the future, local demographic expansion is anticipated to track slightly under the national median, with the community projected to gain 588 persons by 2041 relative to the most recent annual ERP figures, culminating in an overall growth of 6.0% across the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
29 new dwellings have been approved in Wakerley over the past five years, an average of 5 a year. That is 0.6 approvals per 1,000 residents. Figures come from ABS building approvals aggregated to this SA2 boundary and are updated monthly as the ABS releases them.
Detail
Residential building approvals in Wakerley have tracked at roughly 5 new homes annually, tallying 29 homes approved throughout the preceding 5 financial years (between FY-22 and FY-26). Because approximately 6.7 people per year arrived locally for each residence constructed during these 5 financial years (between FY-22 and FY-26), strong demand continues to outpace new housing creation, driving buyer competition and upward pricing pressure. New dwellings carry an average construction value of $598,000, signaling a clear development focus on the higher-end, premium residential tier. Concurrently, commercial building approvals reached $16.7 million this financial year, highlighting solid non-residential capital injection.
Per capita residential development in Wakerley trails Greater Brisbane substantially (lagging the regional benchmark by 86.0%). Such constrained construction output underpins ongoing buyer demand and value resilience for existing housing stock, while also sitting below national levels due to established neighborhood boundaries and potential development constraints. All recent approvals have consisted exclusively of standalone houses, reinforcing the suburb's established low-density character and preference among family buyers seeking space. The presence of roughly 4099 people per dwelling approval reflects a highly mature residential market. Moving forward, projections indicate Wakerley will add 588 residents by 2041 based on the most up-to-date quarterly modeling from AreaSearch. If prevailing construction volumes persist, housing delivery could fail to keep pace with demographic influx, further intensifying competition for properties and bolstering local asset values.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Wakerley
Loading development applications…
| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
|---|
SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks 4 current infrastructure and development projects inside Wakerley, worth an estimated $433 million. A further 82 sit in the immediately surrounding suburbs, taking the tracked pipeline within reach of the area to $7.58 billion. 15 are already under construction and 28 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans residential development, communities, precincts & urban renewal and business parks & technology hubs. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
Major infrastructure additions and development projects play a critical role in shaping local market performance, with AreaSearch cataloging 8 significant initiatives poised to affect the community. Notable developments include the Greenslopes Private Hospital Wakerley Specialist Centre, Mayfair Village Shopping Centre Expansion, Wakerley Park Residential Estate, and The Sanctuary Wakerley.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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.
Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Greenslopes Private Hospital Wakerley Specialist Centre
A new specialist medical facility developed by Ramsay Health Care to serve Brisbane's eastern corridor. The centre provides outpatient clinics, diagnostic imaging, and day procedure services, functioning as an extension of the Greenslopes Private Hospital network to improve local access to specialist care.
Mayfair Village Shopping Centre Expansion
The expansion of Mayfair Village involves a 475sqm addition to the existing neighbourhood shopping centre. The development features a two-level extension in the north-east corner, providing new retail tenancies and a drive-thru facility. The project aims to improve streetscape activation and pedestrian connectivity along Burnett Street while maintaining the existing parking capacity of 348 vehicles.
358 Manly Road Townhouse Development
30 low-medium density townhouses in 8 building groups. Comprises 25 x 3-bedroom and 5 x 2-bedroom units. Designed by Christian Zambelli with communal spaces and visitor parking.
Wakerley Gardens Estate
Completed boutique residential community in Wakerley by Frasers Property, comprising around 120 townhomes and house-and-land packages in a parkland setting off Mossvale Drive.
Chandler Indoor Sports Centre and Precinct
A new 10,000-capacity indoor high-performance sports centre within the Sleeman Sports Complex (Chandler Sports Precinct), funded jointly by the Australian and Queensland Governments through the $1.87 billion Minor Venues Program. The venue features two halls with 10 multi-sport courts and a 2,400 square metre dedicated gymnastics facility suitable for state, national and international events. It is intended for elite basketball, gymnastics, wheelchair basketball, volleyball and netball, with flexibility for badminton, futsal and pickleball. The new centre will be built on the site of the underutilised outdoor velodrome.Precinct works also include accessibility upgrades, improved lighting, a new green hub, and inter-building connectivity across the Brisbane Aquatic Centre, Anna Meares Velodrome, Brisbane SX International BMX Centre and Chandler Arena. Construction commenced in 2025 with completion targeted for 2027, well ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The precinct is expected to support 210 construction jobs and targets a 6-Star Green Star building rating.
Wakerley Park Residential Estate
Wakerley Park is a completed masterplanned residential estate by Cedar Woods in Wakerley, Brisbane. The community delivers around 320 dwellings in a low density house and land format, integrated with local parks, landscaped open spaces and access to nearby schools, shops and community facilities.
The Sanctuary Wakerley
Completed Lendlease house and land estate in Wakerley near Brisbane, delivering around 258 elevated lots with city and bay views, developed over multiple stages and now fully built out as a premium residential community.
Wynnum Plaza Redevelopment
DA approved integrated retail mixed-use redevelopment of Wynnum Plaza by Shayher Group, designed by ZENX Architects. The masterplan covers the existing sub-regional shopping centre site and includes new lifestyle retail precincts, food and beverage areas, residential apartments, commercial space and a cinema, with works planned to be staged so the centre can continue operating.
6,377 residents of Wakerley are employed, from a labour force of 6,446. Unemployment sits at 1.1%, with participation at 84.4%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 6.8% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. The working-day population is estimated at 7,983, about 81% of the resident population, so more people leave the area for work than travel in. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
The local labour pool in Wakerley is characterized by high educational qualifications and strong representation across white-collar sectors, paired with an unemployment rate of merely 1.1% and a 4.0% uptick in employment across the preceding twelve months. As of March 2026, employed residents numbered 6,377, while the jobless rate sat 3.3% below the Greater Brisbane figure of 4.3%. Furthermore, local workforce participation reached an impressive 84.4%, well above the regional standard of 70.1%. Census records indicated that 27.1% of workers carried out their duties from home, though this metric was influenced by Covid-19 restrictions.
The primary sectors employing local residents are health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. Professional & technical activities show particular concentration, capturing a local workforce proportion 1.2 times that of the wider region. In contrast, health care & social assistance accounts for a smaller local share at 14.3% versus 16.1% regionally. Given the disparity between Census workplace numbers and resident counts, this predominantly suburban locality provides comparatively fewer direct job opportunities within its own boundaries. AreaSearch's evaluation of ABS and SALM figures indicates that over the 12-month period, both employment and the overall labour force expanded by 4.0%, keeping local unemployment essentially unchanged. Over the same timeline, Greater Brisbane saw employment rise by 3.2% and labour force grow by 3.4%, accompanied by a 0.1 percentage point increase in joblessness. Broader medium-term hiring trends can be evaluated using national projections from Jobs and Skills Australia as of Mar-26. While nationwide employment is slated to rise 6.6% across five years and 13.7% over ten years, industry variations applied to Wakerley's sectoral distribution point to potential local employment gains of 6.8% over five years and 13.9% over ten years (representing an illustrative weighting model rather than localized population forecasting).
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Wakerley is $3,006 a week (about $156,000 a year), with median personal income at $1,220 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $74,437 a year against an average of $95,689. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
According to the latest ATO tax statistics released by AreaSearch at postcode level for financial year 2023, taxpayers in the Wakerley SA2 recorded a median income of $74,437 alongside an average of $95,689, significantly exceeding the Greater Brisbane benchmarks of $58,236 (median) and $72,799 (average). Factoring in an 11.36% increase in the Wage Price Index since financial year 2023, current earnings are estimated at roughly $82,893 for the median and $106,559 on average as of March 2026. Figures from the 2021 Census show that household, family, and individual incomes all placed between the 92nd and 96th percentiles nationally.
Income distribution shows 30.7% of residents (3,028 people) earning in the top bracket of $4000+, unlike the broader region where the $1,500 - 2,999 band forms the largest group at 33.3%. Overall, 50.1% of households generate weekly earnings above $3,000, while housing costs consume 14.0% of income, placing local disposable earnings in the 96th percentile and positioning the suburb in the 9th decile on the SEIFA economic index.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Wakerley had 2,994 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 85% detached houses and 0% apartments. 57% are owned with a mortgage, 21% rented and 22% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $510 a week and the median mortgage repayment $2,383 a month, a total housing cost higher than 94% of areas nationally. Rent absorbs 17.0% of household income here and mortgage repayments 18.3%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
Based on the most recent Census data, the housing stock in Wakerley was made up of 85.3% houses and 14.7% other dwellings, which includes semi-detached units, apartments, and other types of residences. This distribution contrasts with the Brisbane metro area, where 73.5% of residences are houses and 26.5% are other dwellings. Home ownership rates in Wakerley were lower than in the Brisbane metro, standing at 21.8%, while 57.1% of dwellings were mortgaged and 21.2% were rented. The median monthly mortgage payment in Wakerley reached $2,383, which is notably higher than the Brisbane metro average of $1,863.
Weekly rent in the area was $510, compared to $380 in the Brisbane metro. On a national scale, mortgage repayments in Wakerley are well above the Australian average of $1,863, and rental costs are significantly higher than the national figure of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Wakerley counted 2,994 households at the 2021 Census, averaging 3.1 people each. 56% are couples with children, more than in 97% of areas nationally, against 22% couples without children. 10% of households are people living alone, and families average 1.6 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
The vast majority of homes in Wakerley are family-based, representing 88.3% of the total. Couples with children constitute 55.6% of households, while childless couples account for 22.1% and single parent households make up 10.3%. Non-family living arrangements account for the remaining 11.7%, including single-person households at 10.1% and shared group residences at 1.3%. With an average of 3.1 people per home, the median household size exceeds the Greater Brisbane benchmark of 2.6.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
38.4% of adults in Wakerley hold a university qualification, including 25.8% with a bachelor degree and 8.9% with postgraduate qualifications. A further 18.6% hold a vocational qualification. 1 school serves the area, with 289 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 991 against a national benchmark of 1,000. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census; school enrolments, ICSEA and results come from ACARA's current release.
Detail
Academic credentials among Wakerley residents sit well above broader regional metrics, with 38.4% of individuals aged 15+ holding a higher education qualification, compared to 23.7% across the SA4 region and 25.7% statewide in QLD. Bachelor degrees represent the most prevalent tier at 25.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 8.9% and graduate diplomas at 3.7%. Technical and trade qualifications are also widespread, with 31.4% of the population aged 15+ possessing vocational certifications, divided between advanced diplomas (12.8%) and certificate courses (18.6%). Formal learning engagement across the suburb is extensive, with 35.6% of the population enrolled in an educational institution.
This proportion consists of 14.6% attending primary school, 10.2% in secondary education, and 5.2% engaged in tertiary studies.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Getting around Wakerley means driving: households keep an average of 1.8 vehicles, and no scheduled public transport appears in the current timetable feeds. Service data is built from operators' published GTFS timetables; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
77.5% of residents in Wakerley report no long-term health condition, a healthier profile than 95% of areas nationally. 2.7% need daily assistance with core activities, and 68.7% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 3.3 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
Community health indicators in Wakerley are exceptionally favorable, with AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality figures and chronic illnesses showing a remarkably low incidence of common medical conditions across all cohorts. Private health insurance coverage is notably widespread, held by roughly 69% of the local population (6,777 people), outpacing the Greater Brisbane standard of 55.8% and the Australian average of 55.7%. Asthma and mental health conditions are the most prevalent ailments locally, diagnosed in 7.4 and 6.6% of residents respectively. Conversely, 77.5% of the community reported having no long-term health conditions, higher than the 69.2% recorded for Greater Brisbane.
Older adults aged 65 and over comprise 10.0% of the population (986 people), below the 15.0% regional proportion, and maintain robust health outcomes that align closely with broader national standards.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
29.7% of Wakerley residents were born overseas and 16.5% speak a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are English (28.8%) and Australian (23.2%). Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Cultural diversity in Wakerley is prominent relative to most residential markets, with 29.7% of the community born overseas and 16.5% utilizing a non-English language at home. Christianity is the predominant religious faith, encompassing 56.2% of residents compared to 47.8% throughout Greater Brisbane. Ancestry records show that English heritage leads at 28.8% of the local population, followed by Australian at 23.2% and Other backgrounds at 8.3%. In addition, certain diaspora groups display elevated local concentrations, notably South Australian residents at 1.8% of Wakerley (compared to 0.6% regionally), New Zealanders at 1.4% (vs 1.0%), and Koreans at 0.7% (vs 0.5%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Wakerley is 37. That is 1 year older than at the 2021 Census. 22.5% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
Wakerley's age structure features a prominent combination of children and mature adults. Per AreaSearch's August 2026 estimates, 28.6% of residents belong to the middle-aged and pre-retiree bracket (45 - 64) compared with 22.6% regionally, while young to middle-aged adults (25 - 44) account for 23.7% against 30.6% across Greater Brisbane. As at August 2026, the estimated median age is 37, climbing from 36 at the 2021 Census and sitting 1 year higher than Greater Brisbane's Census figure of 36. Across specific demographics, the 25 to 44 cohort has reduced from 27.4% at the Census to an estimated 23.7%.
Similarly, the 5 to 14 age group contracted from 19.9% to an estimated 17.1%, while youth aged 15 to 24 grew from 11.3% to 15.2%, reflecting an established demographic cohort advancing in age without a corresponding influx of younger families. Projections to 2041 show middle-aged and pre-retiree groups expanding the most in absolute numbers, increasing by 537 residents (19%) to 3,360, while seniors and retirees (65+) will experience the fastest proportional growth, rising 49% to 1,473 residents. In contrast, young to middle-aged adults, children, and young adults are expected to contract.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Wakerley
9 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Sep 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the SA2 boundary shown above, on a 2021 Census baseline. Only 3 sections — housing, households and cultural diversity — still wait on the 2026 Census.
The ledger — source, cycle and currency by section
| Section | Source & update cycle | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Updated within the last 12 months 9 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | Aug 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release) and updated with new dwellings from GNAF address data. Current to Aug 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | Aug 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to Aug 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Aug 2026 last month headline measures · Jul 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Sep 2026 this month all 21 measures |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Sep 2026. | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, State agencies, Local governments Daily | May 2026 4 months ago all 4 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated May 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 6 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Aug 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Jul 2026 2 months ago all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 2 sections | ||
| Income | ABS, ATO Annual (ATO) | FY 2023 3 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| ATO taxable income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index. Census household income provides the distribution detail. | ||
| Health | ABS, ATO Annual | 2024 2 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Census-measured — next update: 2026 Census 3 sections No more current small-area source exists for these, so they are labelled as Census-measured rather than implied to be current. | ||
| Housing | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 30 measures |
| Households | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 18 measures |
| Cultural diversity | ABS, Geoscience Australia 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 44 measures |
"Currency" is the most recent release feeding that section. Where the Census supplies the structural baseline underneath a current headline figure, the row says so.
How the numbers are built
Population
The Census provides the small-area baseline, aggregated from mesh blocks to this boundary. It is then re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release), and new dwellings built since Census night are counted from address data — 133 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for Aug 2026, not a 2021 count (9,446 at the 2021 Census → 9,865 now). Annual growth rates are compound (CAGR), not simple averages.
Age profile
Cohort shares are not raw Census counts. Every cohort is held as a pair — the Census baseline and a current estimate — and the split is re-based using ERP and state population projections, current to Aug 2026. Median age is the Census median plus modelled change since. Charts that show both are labelled "2021 Census vs Current Estimate".
Property sales
Sourced from the state valuation authority's sales register — current, not Census, and refreshed weekly. Medians are calculated from settled transactions in the period shown; periods with very low transaction counts are flagged or suppressed, because a handful of sales can move a median substantially.
Rents
Derived from state rental bond lodgement data, by dwelling type and bedroom count. Bonds are lodged at the start of a new tenancy, so this reflects new lettings, not the whole rented stock.
Development & infrastructure
Building approvals come from current ABS releases; development applications are collected from council and state planning portals; the infrastructure pipeline is compiled from Infrastructure Australia and local government sources. Applications are matched to this boundary by address or coordinates, so very recent lodgements may not yet appear.
Employment & income
Industry and occupation structure comes from the Census, but the headline labour-market indicators do not. Unemployment and labour force are derived from ABS Small Area Labour Markets (quarterly). The employment outlook applies Department of Employment forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to this area's own industry mix (the agency is now Jobs and Skills Australia), as does the Internet Vacancy Index used for job demand. Because it is weighted on industry composition alone, that outlook carries no allowance for local population growth — in fast-growing areas the real rise in local jobs will typically be higher. Income combines Census household income with ATO taxable-income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index.
Education, transport & amenities
School enrolments, ICSEA and performance come from ACARA's current release, not the Census. Public transport stops and service frequency are derived from GTFS timetable feeds published by state transport departments. Services and amenities are proximity and count scores built from provider directories, refreshed on their own cycle. The Census contributes only the travel-to-work and qualification measures.
Rankings and benchmarks. Where we rank this area, the comparison set is every area of the same boundary type — suburbs against suburbs, SA2s against SA2s. Benchmarks compare this area against its greater capital city region and the national figure for the same measure and period.
Limits worth knowing. Small areas carry larger error margins, and the ABS introduces small random adjustments to Census counts to protect confidentiality — so totals may not sum exactly. Estimates re-based from regional data describe the area's expected trajectory, not a direct count of it. Figures are indicative for research and are not financial, planning or valuation advice.
Cross-check us. The Census baseline for this boundary is at ABS 2021 Census QuickStats (301031019). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.