Wilston

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Wilston's population is around 4,155 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 124 people (3.1%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,031 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 4,145 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 5 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 2,989 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 63.4% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and for years post-2032, Queensland State Government SA2 area projections, released in 2023 and based on 2021 data, are adopted. It should be noted that these state projections do not provide age category splits; hence, where utilised, AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data) for each age cohort. As we examine future population trends, a population increase just below the median of national areas is expected, with the area expected to expand by 415 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 9.8% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Wilston, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Wilston has experienced around 5 dwellings receiving development approval each year, totalling 28 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26, 8 approvals have been recorded. At an average of just 0.6 new residents per year arriving per new home over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), supply is meeting or surpassing demand, providing greater buyer choice while supporting potential for population growth above projections, while new homes are being built at an average value of $1,089,000, demonstrating a developer focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. Additionally, $997,000 in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, demonstrating the area's residential nature.

When measured against Greater Brisbane, Wilston has significantly less development activity (81.0% below regional average per person). This constrained new construction usually reinforces demand and pricing for existing homes. This activity is similarly below the national average, indicating the area's established nature and suggesting potential planning limitations. Recent construction comprises 80.0% standalone homes and 20.0% townhouses or apartments, preserving the area's suburban nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. With around 668 people per dwelling approval, Wilston reflects a highly mature market.

Future projections show Wilston adding 405 residents by 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Wilston has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects and planning initiatives. In total 4 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include Victoria Park Stadium (Brisbane Stadium), Queensland Cancer Centre, Brisbane Stadium (Victoria Park), and Brisbane Stadium (Victoria Park), with the below list detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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.

Employment conditions in Wilston demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally

Wilston possesses a highly educated workforce, with professional services showing strong representation, an unemployment rate of just 2.8%, and 0.7% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 2,625 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 1.4% below Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.1%, and workforce participation is well beyond standard (78.1% compared to Greater Brisbane's 71.2%). Based on Census responses, a high 32.8% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Leading employment industries among residents comprise health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training. The area demonstrates a particularly notable concentration in professional & technical, with employment levels at 2.0 times the regional average. In contrast, manufacturing employs just 2.7% of local workers, below Greater Brisbane's 6.4%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 0.7% while the labour force increased by 1.3%, resulting in unemployment rising by 0.6 percentage points. This contrasts with Greater Brisbane, where employment rose by 3.2%, the labour force grew by 3.0%, and unemployment fell 0.1 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Wilston. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Wilston's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.7% over five years and 15.4% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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 FY-23 reveals that income in the Wilston SA2 is among the top percentile nationally, with the median assessed at $75,552 while the average income stands at $106,022. This contrasts with Greater Brisbane's figures of a median income of $58,236 and an average income of $72,799. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $83,039 (median) and $116,529 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Wilston, between the 93rd and 96th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile shows 39.2% of the population (1,628 individuals) fall within the $4000+ income range, diverging from the broader area where the $1,500 - 2,999 category predominates at 33.3%. The substantial proportion of high earners (50.2% above $3,000/week) indicates strong economic capacity throughout this suburb. After housing costs, residents retain 88.2% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

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

Dwelling structure within Wilston, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 71.8% houses and 28.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Brisbane metro's 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Wilston was well beyond that of Brisbane metro, at 31.1%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (35.6%) or rented (33.2%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well above the Brisbane metro average at $2,708, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $400, compared to Brisbane metro's $1,863 and $380. Nationally, Wilston's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are exceeding the national figure of $375.

Wilston features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households dominate at 71.6% of all households, comprising 38.4% couples with children, 23.2% couples without children, and 8.1% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 28.4%, with lone person households at 23.1% and group households comprising 5.9% of the total. The median household size of 2.7 people is larger than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.

Wilston performs slightly above the national average for education, showing competitive qualification levels and steady academic outcomes

Educational attainment in Wilston significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 53.6% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 25.7% in QLD and 30.4% in Australia. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 35.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (12.9%) and graduate diplomas (5.3%). Vocational pathways account for 20.0% of qualifications among those aged 15+; advanced diplomas (8.7%) and certificates (11.3%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 32.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.9% in secondary education, 9.6% in primary education, and 9.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 26 active transport stops operating within Wilston comprising a mix of train and buses. These stops are serviced by 24 individual routes, collectively providing 2,601 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 151 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward - the car remains the dominant mode at 72%, with 13% by train and 6% walking. Vehicle ownership averages 1.4 per dwelling. A high 32.8% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 371 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 100 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Wilston, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Younger cohorts in particular see very low prevalence of common health conditions, and the rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 73% of the total population (3,037 people). This compares to 55.8% across Greater Brisbane and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 8.3% and 6.3% of residents, respectively, while 75.9% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 69.2% across Greater Brisbane. Working-age residents are notably healthy with low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 13.9% of residents aged 65 and over (576 people), which is lower than the 15.2% in Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, though they rank lower nationally than the broader population.

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

Wilston was found to be roughly in line with the wider region's average in terms of cultural diversity, with 80.4% of its population born in Australia, 91.3% being citizens, and 89.9% speaking English only at home. The main religion in Wilston is Christianity, which makes up 52.4% of people in Wilston, compared to 47.8% across Greater Brisbane.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Wilston are English, comprising 28.8% of the population, Australian, comprising 23.3% of the population, and Irish, comprising 14.0% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 8.2%. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Polish is notably overrepresented at 0.9% of Wilston (vs 0.5% regionally), Welsh at 0.7% (vs 0.5%) and Scottish at 8.8% (vs 7.4%).

Wilston's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

With a median age of 38, Wilston is slightly older than the Greater Brisbane figure of 36, though equal to Australia's 38 years. The 55 - 64 age group shows strong representation at 14.4% compared to Greater Brisbane, whereas the 25 - 34 cohort is less prevalent at 10.9%. Since 2021, the median age has increased by 1.0 years from 37 to 38, reflecting an aging population. Key changes show the 55 to 64 age group has grown from 11.7% to 14.4% of the population, while the 75 to 84 cohort increased from 2.8% to 5.2%. Conversely, the 25 to 34 cohort has declined from 13.3% to 10.9% and the 5 to 14 group dropped from 13.4% to 12.1%. Demographic modeling suggests Wilston's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. Leading the demographic shift, the 75 to 84 group will grow by 64% (140 people), reaching 358 from 217. Senior residents (65+) will drive 57% of population growth, underscoring demographic aging trends. Meanwhile, both 0 to 4 and 25 to 34 age groups will see reduced numbers.