West End

West End lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

West End's population was around 17,903 as of November 2025. This figure reflects an increase of 2,950 people from the 2021 Census count of 14,953. The change is inferred from ABS estimates: 17,456 in June 2024 plus 863 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density of 9,087 persons per square kilometer, placing West End in the top 10% nationally. The area's growth rate of 19.7% since the 2021 census exceeds both national (8.9%) and state averages, marking it as a regional growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 61.4% to recent population gains, with all drivers being positive factors.

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 from 2023 (based on 2021 data) are adopted, applying proportional growth weightings in line with ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data. By 2041, West End is projected to expand by 11,730 persons, reflecting a total increase of 63.0% over the period.

The level of residential development activity in West End was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

West End has approved approximately 247 dwellings annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, a total of 1,235 homes received approval. As of FY-26100 dwellings have been approved so far.

On average, about 3.1 people move to West End per dwelling built annually over the past five financial years. This high demand outpaces new supply, leading to price growth and increased buyer competition. The average construction cost for new homes is $505,000, indicating a focus on premium properties by developers. In FY-26, commercial development approvals totaled $151.2 million, reflecting strong local business investment. Compared to Greater Brisbane, West End's building activity per person is comparable, suggesting market stability aligned with regional patterns. However, recent periods have seen some moderation in development activity.

Nationally, West End's level of development activity is above average, indicating robust developer confidence. Recent construction in West End consists of 1% detached houses and 99% attached dwellings, favoring higher-density living to create more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This shift marks a significant departure from the current housing pattern, which is 20% houses, likely due to diminishing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences. The area has approximately 126 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market. By 2041, West End is projected to grow by 11,283 residents, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag behind population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price growth.

West End has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 56 projects that could affect the area. Notable projects include Callista on Park - West Village Final Stage, The Adler, Rivara West End, and 53-59 High Street Mixed-Use Development. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

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AreaSearch analysis indicates West End maintains employment conditions that align with national benchmarks

West End has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 4.0% as of September 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 1.3% over the past year.

In September 2025, 11,606 residents were employed, aligning with Greater Brisbane's 4.0% unemployment rate and a workforce participation rate of 72.5%, higher than Greater Brisbane's 64.5%. Key employment industries among residents include professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. West End specializes in professional & technical jobs, with an employment share twice the regional level. Conversely, construction is under-represented at 4.6% compared to Greater Brisbane's 9.0%.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 1.3%, labour force grew by 1.0%, leading to a 0.3 percentage point decrease in unemployment. In contrast, Greater Brisbane saw employment grow by 3.8% and labour force by 3.3%, with a 0.5 percentage point drop in unemployment. State-level data from 25-Nov-25 shows Queensland's employment contracted by 0.01%, losing 1,210 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.2%. National forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to West End's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.2% over five years and 14.6% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

The West End SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $59,436 and an average of $85,806 in the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2022. These figures are significantly higher than those of Greater Brisbane, which had a median income of $55,645 and an average income of $70,520 during the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.99% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes for September 2025 would be approximately $67,751 (median) and $97,810 (average). According to census data, household, family, and personal incomes in West End rank highly nationally, between the 72nd and 87th percentiles. The data shows that 34.8% of the population (6,230 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, which is consistent with broader trends across regional levels showing 33.3% in the same category. Notably, 30.8% of the population earns above $3,000 weekly, reflecting areas of prosperity that contribute to robust local economic activity. High housing costs consume 17.8% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 69th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

West End features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

West End's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 19.5% houses and 80.5% other dwellings. In comparison, Brisbane metro had 12.9% houses and 87.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in West End stood at 18.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 21.9% and rented ones at 59.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,100, higher than Brisbane metro's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent in West End was $450, compared to Brisbane metro's $440. Nationally, West End's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,100 against the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

West End features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 56.2% of all households, including 19.4% couples with children, 28.0% couples without children, and 7.3% single parent families. Non-family households account for 43.8%, with lone person households at 33.9% and group households comprising 9.9%. The median household size is 2.1 people, larger than the Greater Brisbane average of 1.9.

Educational achievement in West End places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

West End's educational attainment is notably higher than broader averages. Among residents aged 15+, 57.1% have university qualifications, surpassing Queensland's 25.7% and Australia's 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 34.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (18.1%) and graduate diplomas (4.5%). Vocational pathways account for 19.6%, with advanced diplomas at 9.5% and certificates at 10.1%.

Educational participation is high, with 33.0% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 14.2% in tertiary education, 6.6% in primary education, and 6.3% pursuing secondary education.

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

The analysis of public transport in West End shows that there are 63 active transport stops currently operating. These include a mix of ferry and bus services. The area is served by 8 individual routes which collectively facilitate 4,930 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility to these transport options is rated as excellent, with residents typically located just 119 meters away from the nearest stop. On average, there are 704 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 78 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

West End's health outcomes data shows excellent results, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 63% of the total population (11,332 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues and asthma, affecting 9.8 and 7.0% of residents respectively. A majority, 75.4%, report being completely clear of medical ailments, similar to Greater Brisbane's 75.5%. West End has 11.2% of residents aged 65 and over (1,997 people), with seniors' health outcomes aligning closely with the general population's profile.

West End was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

West End has high cultural diversity, with 30.5% speaking a language other than English at home and 40.6% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion, comprising 31.9%. Judaism is slightly overrepresented at 0.3%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 0.2%.

Top ancestry groups are English (21.9%), Australian (15.9%), and Other (12.1%). Spanish (1.1%) and French (1.0%) are notably overrepresented, while Greek is significantly so at 3.1% compared to regional figures of 1.0%, 0.9%, and 1.5% respectively.

West End's young demographic places it in the bottom 15% of areas nationwide

West End has a median age of 34, which is slightly younger than Greater Brisbane's figure of 36 and significantly under Australia's 38 years. Compared to Greater Brisbane, West End has a higher concentration of residents aged 25-34 (23.6%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (8.8%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is well above the national figure of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and present, the population aged 35 to 44 has grown from 16.4% to 17.5%, while the 75 to 84 cohort increased from 2.4% to 3.5%. Conversely, the 25 to 34 age group has declined from 25.3% to 23.6%, and the 15 to 24 age group dropped from 14.5% to 13.3%. Population forecasts for West End indicate substantial demographic changes by 2041, with the 45 to 54 cohort projected to grow strongly at 87%, adding 2,017 residents to reach a total of 4,347.