Wurtulla - Birtinya
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Wurtulla-Birtinya's population was approximately 11,620 as of August 2025. This figure represents an increase of 949 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 10,671. The growth is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 11,610 in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 1,698 persons per square kilometer, above national averages assessed by AreaSearch. Wurtulla-Birtinya's growth rate of 8.9% since the 2021 census exceeded both non-metro areas (8.6%) and national averages, making it a notable growth leader in the region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 64.3% to overall population gains during recent periods, 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 released in 2023 based on 2021 data are adopted. However, state projections do not provide age category splits; hence AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort. Projected demographic shifts indicate a significant population increase in the top quartile of Australia's non-metropolitan areas by 2041. Wurtulla-Birtinya is expected to grow by 2,981 persons over this period, representing a total gain of 25.6%.

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

Wurtulla-Birtinya recorded approximately 139 residential property approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) provides development approval data on a financial year basis, showing 697 dwellings approved over the past five financial years from FY-2021 to FY-2025, with one dwelling approved so far in FY-2026. Each dwelling has supported an average of 2.5 new residents annually over these five years, indicating solid demand that contributes to property values. New homes are being constructed at an average cost of $453,000, which is below regional norms, offering more affordable housing options for purchasers.

In FY-2026, commercial approvals have reached $49.7 million, suggesting robust local business investment. Compared to the Rest of Qld, Wurtulla-Birtinya shows 13.0% lower construction activity per person but ranks among the 93rd percentile nationally, indicating strong developer confidence in the location. New development consists of 8.0% standalone homes and 92.0% townhouses or apartments, reflecting a trend towards denser development that caters to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. This shift marks a significant departure from existing housing patterns, which are currently 66.0% houses, suggesting diminishing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. With around 70 people per dwelling approval, Wurtulla-Birtinya exhibits characteristics of a growth area. Future projections indicate that Wurtulla-Birtinya will add approximately 2,971 residents by 2041.

Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Wurtulla - Birtinya has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 44thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 21 projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include Birtinya Town Centre, St Clair, Birtinya Social Housing Project, and St Clair Birtinya. Below is a list detailing those most relevant.

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

AreaSearch analysis places Wurtulla - Birtinya well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Wurtulla - Birtinya has an educated workforce with a low unemployment rate of 2.4% as of June 2025. It has 6,592 residents in work, which is 1.6% below the Rest of Qld's unemployment rate of 3.9%.

The workforce participation rate is 63.2%, slightly higher than the regional average of 59.1%. Key industries for employment are health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. Health care & social assistance is particularly prominent, with an employment share of 1.5 times the regional level. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented, with only 0.3% of Wurtulla - Birtinya's workforce compared to 4.5% in Rest of Qld.

The worker-to-resident ratio is 1.0, indicating substantial local employment opportunities. Between June 2024 and June 2025, the labour force decreased by 2.3%, with employment decreasing by 1.8%, leading to a fall in unemployment rate by 0.5 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of Qld saw employment growth of 1.8% and labour force growth of 2.0%, with unemployment rising slightly by 0.2 percentage points. State-level data from Sep-25 shows Queensland employment contracted by 0.23% (losing 8,070 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%. National unemployment rate is 4.5%, and national employment growth is 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary by industry sector. Applying these projections to Wurtulla - Birtinya's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.3% over five years and 14.9% over ten years.

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that median income in Wurtulla - Birtinya is $52,856 and average income is $76,029. This compares to Rest of Qld's figures of a median income of $50,780 and an average income of $64,844. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.71% since financial year 2022, estimated median income as of March 2025 is approximately $59,045 and average income is $84,932. From the 2021 Census, incomes in Wurtulla - Birtinya cluster around the 53rd percentile nationally. Predominant cohort spans 32.6% of locals (3,788 people) in the $1,500 - 2,999 income category. Housing affordability pressures are severe with only 80.6% of income remaining, ranking at the 48th percentile. Area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

Wurtulla - Birtinya displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure in Wurtulla-Birtinya, as per the latest Census, consisted of 66.5% houses and 33.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro Qld's 70.4% houses and 29.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Wurtulla-Birtinya stood at 27.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.7% and rented ones at 43.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, above Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,950. The median weekly rent figure was $480, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $450. Nationally, Wurtulla-Birtinya's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Wurtulla - Birtinya features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 70.3% of all households, including 27.4% couples with children, 29.9% couples without children, and 12.0% single parent families. Non-family households account for 29.7%, comprising 23.1% lone person households and 6.7% group households. The median household size is 2.5 people, aligning with the average in the Rest of Queensland.

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

The area's educational profile is notable regionally with university qualification rates at 28.7% for residents aged 15 and above, surpassing both the Rest of Qld average of 20.6% and the SA3 area average of 23.6%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 20.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.6%) and graduate diplomas (2.8%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 37.2% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 11.1% and certificates at 26.1%.

Educational participation is high, with 28.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.6% in primary education, 8.4% in secondary education, and 6.5% pursuing tertiary education. Educational facilities appear to be located outside the immediate catchment boundaries, requiring families to access schools in neighboring areas.

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

Transport analysis shows 21 active transport stops operating within Wurtulla-Birtinya. These stops serve a mix of buses, with four individual routes collectively providing 963 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 335 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 137 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 45 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Wurtulla - Birtinya is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across the board, though to a considerably higher degree among older age cohorts

Wurtulla-Birtinya faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across all age groups but particularly higher among older cohorts. The rate of private health cover is high at approximately 57% (~6,635 people), compared to 52.7% in the rest of Queensland.

Mental health issues and arthritis are the most common medical conditions, affecting 8.9% and 8.6% of residents respectively. Approximately 68.0% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 66.2% in the rest of Queensland. The area has 18.6% of residents aged 65 and over (2,163 people), which is lower than the 22.3% in the rest of Queensland. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention due to presenting challenges.

Wurtulla - Birtinya ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Wurtulla-Birtinya's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 87.0% of its population being Australian citizens, born in Australia (79.3%), and speaking English only at home (92.8%). Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 47.0%, compared to 50.0% across Rest of Qld. The top three ancestry groups were English (31.5%), Australian (26.0%), and Irish (8.9%).

Notably, South African (0.8%) and German (4.9%) were overrepresented compared to regional figures of 0.6% and 4.6%, respectively, while New Zealand was slightly underrepresented at 1.0%.

Wurtulla - Birtinya's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Wurtulla-Birtinya is 39 years, which is lower than Rest of Qld's average of 41 but close to the national average of 38. The age profile shows that those aged 25-34 are prominent at 16.1%, while those aged 5-14 are smaller at 10.2%. From 2021, the 25-34 age group grew from 14.9% to 16.1%, and the 5-14 cohort declined from 11.7% to 10.2%. By 2041, demographic projections show that the 25-34 age cohort is expected to increase by 755 people (40%) to 2,625, while the 15-24 cohort grows by 25 people (2%).