Westlake

Westlake has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Westlake's population, as of May 2026, is approximately 4,505, reflecting a 1.4% increase since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,444. This growth is inferred from ABS estimates; Westlake had an estimated resident population of 4,502 in June 2025 and one additional validated address since the Census date. The population density is around 2,371 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch assessments. Westlake's growth rate since the census is competitive with its SA3 area (3.0%), demonstrating strong fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 70% of overall population gains recently. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022.

For areas not covered and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections from 2023 (based on 2021 data) are adopted, with proportional growth weightings applied for age cohorts based on ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 using 2022 data. By 2041, Westlake's population is projected to decline by 328 persons, but specific age cohorts like the 75-84 group are expected to grow, with an anticipated increase of 151 people.

The level of residential development activity in Westlake is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Westlake has averaged approximately one new dwelling approval annually over the past five financial years, totalling six homes. As of FY26, zero approvals have been recorded so far. The area's population decline suggests that new supply has likely been meeting demand, providing good options for buyers. New properties are constructed at an average value of $391,000, slightly above the regional average, indicating a focus on quality developments.

This financial year, $390,000 in commercial development approvals have been recorded, suggesting minimal commercial development activity compared to Greater Brisbane. Westlake records significantly lower building activity than the regional average (72.0% below). This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established dwellings. However, building activity has accelerated in recent years, which is below national average due to the area's maturity and possible planning constraints.

Recent development has consisted entirely of detached dwellings, preserving Westlake's suburban nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. With stable or declining population forecasts, Westlake may experience less housing pressure, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

Westlake has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

The performance of an area can significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified three projects that could impact this area. Key projects are Centenary Motorway Upgrade Planning, Middle Park Intersection Upgrade (Eumong Street/Riverhills Road), Metro Middle Park Mixed-Use Redevelopment, and McLeod Country Golf Club Retirement Village. The following list details those most relevant:.

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

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.

The employment environment in Westlake shows above-average strength when compared nationally

Westlake has an educated workforce with professional services well represented. Its unemployment rate is 2.9%. As of December 2025, 2,341 residents are employed, while the unemployment rate is 1.2% lower than Greater Brisbane's 4.1%.

Workforce participation is somewhat lower at 65.2%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 69.6%. According to Census responses, 26.2% of residents work from home. Key industries include health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services. Westlake has a strong specialization in professional & technical jobs, with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level.

However, construction employs only 6.0% of local workers, below Greater Brisbane's 9.0%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities. In the 12-month period ending December 2025, Westlake's labour force decreased by 3.4%, alongside a 3.7% employment decline, leading to an unemployment rate increase of 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Brisbane saw employment grow by 3.2%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Westlake's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, though this is a simple 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 latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that Westlake SA2 has extremely high national incomes. The median income is $67,156 and the average income is $82,244. In contrast, Greater Brisbane has a median income of $58,236 and an average income of $72,799. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Westlake are approximately $74,785 (median) and $91,587 (average) as of March 2026. Census 2021 income data indicates that incomes in Westlake rank highly nationally, between the 79th and 93rd percentiles for households, families, and individuals. The dominant income bracket is $1,500 - 2,999, with 30.2% of residents (1,360 people). A significant 44.9% earn above $3,000 weekly. After housing costs, residents retain 89.0% of their income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

Westlake's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, was 96.9% houses and 3.1% other dwellings. Brisbane metro had 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Westlake was 44.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 44.8% and rented ones at 11.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Westlake was $2,275, higher than Brisbane metro's $1,863. Median weekly rent in Westlake was $550, compared to Brisbane metro's $380. Nationally, Westlake's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 88.1% of all households, consisting of 47.2% couples with children, 31.7% couples without children, and 8.3% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 11.9%, with lone person households at 10.4% and group households making up 1.5%. The median household size is 3.0 people, larger than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.

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

In Westlake, residents aged 15 and above have a notably higher educational attainment compared to broader benchmarks. Specifically, 44.9% of Westlake's residents possess university qualifications, surpassing Queensland's state average of 25.7% and Australia's national average of 30.4%. This significant educational advantage positions the area favourably for opportunities that require a high level of knowledge. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent, with 28.7% of residents holding them, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 12.3%, and graduate diplomas at 3.9%.

Vocational credentials are also prominent in Westlake, with 25.4% of residents aged 15 and above possessing them. This includes advanced diplomas held by 11.3% of residents and certificates held by 14.1%. Educational participation is notably high in the area, with 29.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.7% in primary education, 8.8% in secondary education, and 6.7% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis shows eight active transport stops operating within Westlake. These stops service four individual bus routes, collectively providing 271 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically located 303 meters from the nearest stop. In this primarily residential area, most residents commute outward. Car remains the dominant mode at 87%, with 6% using train. Vehicle ownership averages 1.9 per dwelling, above the regional average.

A high 26.2% of residents work from home (2021 Census). Service frequency averages 38 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 33 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Westlake's health outcomes show excellent results, according to AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The area has a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups.

Approximately 60% of Westlake's total population (2,698 people) have private health cover, which is higher than Greater Brisbane's 55.8%. The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and arthritis, affecting 7.4 and 6.5% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 71.9%, report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 69.2% in Greater Brisbane. Working-age residents exhibit low chronic condition prevalence. Westlake has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, at 23.1% (1,038 people), than Greater Brisbane's 15.1%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Westlake 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

Westlake's population showed higher cultural diversity than most local markets, with 26.0% speaking a language other than English at home and 36.6% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion in Westlake, making up 51.0%. However, Judaism had an overrepresentation of 0.3%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 0.1%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (25.7%), Australian (19.3%), and Other (9.9%). Notably, Vietnamese (3.0%) was overrepresented compared to the regional average of 0.8%, as were Sri Lankan (0.6% vs 0.2%) and Russian (0.5% vs 0.3%).

Westlake's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Westlake is 43 years, significantly higher than Greater Brisbane's average of 36 years and Australia's national average of 38 years. The 65-74 age group comprises 13.0% of the population, compared to a lower percentage for the 25-34 cohort at 5.8%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 4.5% to 8.0%, while the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 11.9% to 13.5%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort declined from 15.9% to 13.0%, and the 25 to 34 group dropped from 8.2% to 5.8%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Westlake. The 85+ age group is expected to grow by 142%, reaching 225 people from 92, and the combined 65+ age groups will account for 97% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 15 to 24 and 0 to 4 cohorts are forecasted to experience population declines.