Wavell Heights
Statistical Area - sa2

An assessment of population growth drivers in Wavell Heights reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

AreaSearch's analysis indicates Wavell Heights' population was approximately 11,144 as of Aug 2025. This represents an increase of 800 people (7.7%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 10,344. The change is inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 11,115 in June 2024 and an additional 15 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 3,112 persons per square kilometer, placing Wavell Heights in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth of 7.7% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area's growth of 7.2%, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Natural growth contributed approximately 58.2% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including overseas migration and interstate migration being positive factors.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. 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 in line with ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort. Examining future population trends, a population increase just below the median of national areas is expected. The area is projected to expand by 700 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, reflecting an increase of approximately 6.0% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Wavell Heights among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Wavell Heights has averaged approximately 54 new dwelling approvals per year. Development approval data is produced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on a financial year basis, with 270 homes approved over the past five financial years from FY-21 to FY-25 and 8 so far in FY-26. On average, each dwelling built has resulted in approximately 2.7 new residents per year over the past five financial years. The average expected construction cost value of new homes being built is $906,000, indicating a focus on the premium market with high-end developments.

There have also been $794,000 in commercial approvals this financial year, reflecting the area's residential nature. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Wavell Heights has recorded somewhat elevated construction activity, averaging 19.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period from FY-21 to FY-25. Recent construction comprises approximately 98.0% standalone homes and 2.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's traditional suburban character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space.

With around 208 people per dwelling approval, Wavell Heights shows a developing market. Looking ahead, Wavell Heights is expected to grow by approximately 671 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Wavell Heights has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 28 projects likely affecting the area. Notable initiatives include Cross River Rail, The Prince Charles Hospital Expansion, Brisbane Housing Company - Chermside Development, and Sandgate Road Intersection Upgrade.

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

AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Wavell Heights performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Wavell Heights has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 2.1% as of June 2025, showing a significant decline from the previous year's estimated employment growth of 10.8%.

As of June 2025, 6802 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.0%, below Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation was higher at 73.4% compared to Greater Brisbane's 64.5%. The leading employment industries among residents were health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. Notably, the area had a high concentration in professional & technical services, with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average.

Conversely, manufacturing employed only 4.1% of local workers, below Greater Brisbane's 6.4%. The predominantly residential area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the Census working population vs resident population count. According to AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data during the year to June 2025, employment levels increased by 10.8%, while the labour force grew by 10.6%, causing a fall in unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Brisbane recorded employment growth of 4.4% and unemployment falling by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 showed Queensland's employment had contracted by 0.23% (losing 8070 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%, comparing favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.5%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 projected national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Wavell Heights' employment mix suggested local growth of approximately 6.9% over five years and 14.1% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

AreaSearch's data from the latest postcode level ATO figures released for financial year 2022 shows Wavell Heights had a median taxpayer income of $64,209 and an average income of $80,900. These are among the highest in Australia, compared to Greater Brisbane's median of $55,645 and average of $70,520. With a 11.71% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022, estimated incomes for March 2025 would be approximately $71,728 (median) and $90,373 (average). According to the 2021 Census, Wavell Heights' household, family, and personal incomes rank highly nationally, between the 89th and 93rd percentiles. The largest income bracket comprises 27.5% earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly (3,064 residents), similar to regional levels where 33.3% fall into this range. Higher earners make up a substantial presence with 43.9% exceeding $3,000 weekly, indicating strong purchasing power. Housing accounts for 13.7% of income, and residents rank in the 94th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Wavell Heights is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Wavell Heights' dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 92.1% houses and 7.9% other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. In contrast, Brisbane metropolitan area had 67.2% houses and 32.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Wavell Heights was higher at 29.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 43.6% and rented ones at 27.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,450, exceeding Brisbane's average of $2,100. Weekly rent median was $430 compared to Brisbane's $390. Nationally, Wavell Heights' mortgage repayments were higher at $2,450 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Wavell Heights has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 76.1% of all households, consisting of 41.3% couples with children, 23.9% couples without children, and 9.6% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 23.9%, with lone person households at 20.2% and group households comprising 3.6% of the total. The median household size is 2.7 people, which is larger than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.4.

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

Wavell Heights' educational attainment notably exceeds broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15 years or older, 40.2% hold university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in Queensland and 30.4% nationwide. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 27.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.3%) and graduate diplomas (4.4%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 29.1% of residents aged 15 years or older holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas account for 11.6% and certificates for 17.5%.

Educational participation is high in the area, with 30.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.3% in primary education, 8.5% in secondary education, and 6.2% pursuing tertiary education. The three schools in Wavell Heights have a combined enrollment of 2,596 students. They demonstrate typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1040) with balanced educational opportunities. Education provision is balanced, with two primary schools and one secondary school serving distinct age groups. School capacity exceeds typical residential needs, with 23.3 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 16.0, indicating that the area serves as an educational center for the broader region.

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

The transport analysis shows that there are 74 active transport stops in Wavell Heights, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 11 different routes, providing a total of 1026 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility to public transport is rated as excellent, with residents typically located only 149 meters away from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 146 trips per day across all routes, which translates to approximately 13 weekly trips per individual stop.

Wavell Heights's residents are extremely healthy with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics indicates strong performance throughout Wavell Heights, with younger cohorts particularly showing low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 60% of the total population (6,664 people), compared to 56.0% across Greater Brisbane.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions in the area, impacting 7.6% and 7.2% of residents respectively, while 74.0% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.1% across Greater Brisbane. The area has 12.3% of residents aged 65 and over (1,372 people), which is lower than the 16.6% in Greater Brisbane.

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

Wavell Heights, as per the findings, aligns with its broader area's average in cultural diversity: 80.5% were born in Australia, 91.0% held citizenship, and 88.6% spoke English exclusively at home. Christianity dominated religiously with 54.6%. Judaism, however, was disproportionately higher at 0.2%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 0.1%.

Ancestrally, the top three groups were English (26.9%), Australian (25.1%), and Irish (10.7%). Some ethnicities showed notable variations: German was slightly overrepresented at 4.4% versus the regional 4.1%, Scottish at 8.6% compared to 8.0%, and Samoan at 0.3% compared to 0.4%.

Wavell Heights's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Wavell Heights has a median age of 37 years, nearly matching Greater Brisbane's average of 36 and close to Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Wavell Heights has a higher proportion of residents aged 45-54 (14.8%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (11.4%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the population aged 15-24 has grown from 11.6% to 13.1%, while the 25-34 cohort has declined from 13.2% to 11.4%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Wavell Heights' age profile. The 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 71%, adding 284 residents to reach 688. Residents aged 65 and above will drive 56% of population growth. Conversely, the 5-14 and 0-4 age groups are expected to experience population declines.