Acacia Ridge

Acacia Ridge is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of Acacia Ridge is around 7,886, reflecting an increase of 400 people since the 2021 Census. The resident population was estimated at 7,757 by AreaSearch following examination of ABS ERP data released in June 2024 and an additional 57 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 907 persons per square kilometer. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 66.0% of overall gains during recent periods. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022.

For areas not covered or years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections from 2023 based on 2021 data are adopted. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits, so AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 and based on 2022 data for each age cohort. Looking ahead, lower quartile growth is anticipated for national statistical areas, with Acacia Ridge expected to expand by 294 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 2.1% over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Acacia Ridge according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Acacia Ridge has received around 24 dwelling approvals per year based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Approximately 121 homes were approved between financial years FY-21 to FY-25, with an additional 22 approved in FY-26 so far. The population decline over recent years suggests that new supply has kept pace with demand, offering varied choices for buyers.

The average construction cost value of new homes is $398,000, slightly above the regional average, indicating a focus on quality developments. In FY-26, commercial development approvals totalled $82.1 million, reflecting robust local business investment. Building activity shows 65% detached houses and 35% townhouses or apartments, demonstrating an increasing blend of attached housing types catering to different price ranges.

This shift from the current 85% houses reflects reduced development site availability and changing lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. Acacia Ridge has around 257 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the suburb is projected to add 165 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing favourable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond current projections.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 15 projects likely affecting this area. Notable ones are Transition - Archerfield Logistics Estate, Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Hospital Expansion, Acacia Ridge Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Precinct, and Henson Road Industrial Estate. 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 labour market performance in Acacia Ridge lags significantly behind most other regions nationally

Acacia Ridge has a skilled workforce with diverse sector representation. Its unemployment rate was 14.2% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 1.3%. As of December 2025, 3,326 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 10.0% higher than Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.1%, indicating room for improvement.

Workforce participation in Acacia Ridge lagged at 62.9% compared to Greater Brisbane's 71.2%. According to Census responses, only 10.2% of residents worked from home. Employment was concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. Notably, manufacturing employment levels were at 1.5 times the regional average.

In contrast, professional & technical services employed just 4.5% of local workers, below Greater Brisbane's 8.9%. The area hosted more jobs than residents, with a ratio of 1.1 workers per resident, functioning as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding areas. Over a 12-month period ending in December 2025, employment increased by 1.3% while the labour force grew by 2.5%, resulting in a rise in unemployment by 1.0 percentage points. This contrasted with Greater Brisbane where employment rose by 3.2%, the labour force grew by 3.0%, and unemployment fell by 0.1 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Acacia Ridge's employment should increase by 6.2% over five years and 13.1% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation of industry-specific projections against the local employment mix.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that income in Acacia Ridge is below the national average. The median income is $49,620 while the average income stands at $55,932. This contrasts with Greater Brisbane's figures where the median income is $58,236 and the average income is $72,799. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Acacia Ridge would be approximately $54,537 (median) and $61,475 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals that household, family and personal incomes in Acacia Ridge all fall between the 15th and 21st percentiles nationally. The predominant income cohort spans 34.0% of locals (2,681 people) with incomes in the $1,500 - $2,999 category, similar to metropolitan regions where 33.3% occupy this bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Acacia Ridge, with only 79.2% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 17th percentile nationally.

Acacia Ridge is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Acacia Ridge's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 84.8% houses and 15.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Brisbane metro's 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Acacia Ridge was at 20.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.2% and rented ones at 50.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,517, below Brisbane metro's average of $1,863. Median weekly rent in Acacia Ridge was $335, compared to Brisbane metro's $380. Nationally, Acacia Ridge's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Acacia Ridge features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 68.0% of all households, including 25.7% couples with children, 21.3% couples without children, and 19.0% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 32.0%, with lone person households at 26.5% and group households comprising 5.6%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which aligns with the Greater Brisbane average.

Acacia Ridge faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 21.2%, significantly lower than the SA4 region average of 42.1%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 14.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.4%) and graduate diplomas (1.9%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 35.5% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (10.3%) and certificates (25.2%). Educational participation is high, with 31.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 11.5% in primary education, 8.0% in secondary education, and 4.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Acacia Ridge has 48 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These are serviced by five routes that together provide 499 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 228 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to Acacia Ridge being primarily residential. Car remains the dominant mode of transport at 83%, while bus usage is at 6%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.2 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a relatively low 10.2% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 71 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 10 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Acacia Ridge is well below average with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Acacia Ridge faces significant health challenges, as per AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are substantial, affecting both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is relatively low at approximately 49% of the total population (around 3,893 people), compared to 55.8% in Greater Brisbane and a national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues (affecting 9.5%) and asthma (8.5%). About 66.6% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 69.2% across Greater Brisbane. Working-age population health is notably challenging due to high chronic condition rates. The area has 14.6% of residents aged 65 and over (1,151 people). Senior health outcomes present challenges, generally aligning with national rankings for the general population.

Acacia Ridge 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

Acacia Ridge has a high level of cultural diversity, with 38.0% of its population born overseas and 35.0% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the main religion in Acacia Ridge, comprising 42.9% of people. Islam is overrepresented compared to the Greater Brisbane average, making up 11.3% of Acacia Ridge's population.

The top three ancestry groups are English (20.8%), Other (20.2%), and Australian (19.7%). Notably, Samoan (1.7%), Vietnamese (2.0%), and Spanish (0.7%) ethnic groups are overrepresented compared to regional averages.

Acacia Ridge hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

Acacia Ridge has a median age of 34, which is younger than Greater Brisbane's figure of 36 and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Acacia Ridge has a higher proportion of residents aged 0-4 (7.2%) but fewer residents aged 15-24 (11.7%). Between the 2021 Census and present day, the population share of those aged 35-44 has increased from 13.4% to 14.2%, while the proportion of those aged 25-34 has decreased from 17.3% to 16.2%. By 2041, Acacia Ridge's population is projected to experience significant demographic shifts. The 45-54 age group is expected to grow by 18%, adding 172 residents to reach a total of 1,127. This growth will be driven largely by demographic aging, with residents aged 65 and older representing 57% of the anticipated population increase. Conversely, the 0-4 and 5-14 age cohorts are projected to experience population declines.