Brisbane City

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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, the population of Brisbane City is estimated at around 17,254 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 4,667 people (37.1%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,587 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 16,117, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024) and an additional 1,410 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 8,375 persons per square kilometer, which lies in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch, making land in the area a highly-sought resource. Brisbane City's 37.1% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (8.9%), along with the state, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 93.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including natural growth and interstate migration were positive factors.

AreaSearch is adopting 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's 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 is applying proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data) for each age cohort. Anticipating future population dynamics, exceptional growth, placing in the top 10 percent of statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch, is predicted over the period with the suburb expected to grow by 13,639 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 71.8% in total over the 17 years.

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

Brisbane City recorded approximately 471 residential properties granted approval annually between FY-21 and FY-25. Over these five financial years, around 2,357 homes were approved, with one more approved in FY-26 to date. On average, 1.5 new residents per year per dwelling constructed were estimated during this period.

The average construction value of new properties was $721,000, indicating a focus on the premium market. In FY-26, commercial approvals totalled $1175.5 million, reflecting strong commercial development momentum. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Brisbane City had 124.0% more development activity per person as of this data. This higher-than-national-average activity comprised entirely attached dwellings, promoting higher-density living and affordability for various buyer types. With around 20 people per approval, Brisbane City reflects a developing area. By 2041, AreaSearch projects an additional 12,380 residents in Brisbane City, aligning with current development levels and maintaining stable market conditions without significant price pressures.

Future projections show Brisbane City adding 12,380 residents by 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Existing development levels seem aligned with future requirements, maintaining stable market conditions without significant price pressures.

Brisbane City 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 113 projects likely affecting the region. Notable ones are Queen's Wharf Brisbane, Waterfront Brisbane, Cross River Rail, and Howard Smith Wharves. The following details projects expected to have the 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.

The employment landscape in Brisbane City shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Brisbane City has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 4.7% as of an unspecified past year, with estimated employment growth of 4.0%.

As of June 2025, the unemployment rate is 4.1%, 0.6% higher than Greater Brisbane's rate. Workforce participation stands at 66.8%, slightly above Greater Brisbane's 64.5%. Employment is concentrated in accommodation & food services (2.6 times the regional average), professional & technical services, and health care & social assistance (10.0%). The area hosts more jobs than residents, with 10.8 workers per resident, functioning as an employment hub.

Over a 12-month period ending June 2025, employment increased by 4.0% while labour force grew by 3.0%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.9 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Sep-22 suggest Brisbane City's employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to its current employment mix.

The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Brisbane City had a median income among taxpayers of $48,601 and an average income of $81,474. Nationally, these figures are high compared to Greater Brisbane's median of $55,645 and average of $70,520. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $55,400 (median) and $92,872 (average), based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. Census data indicates household, family, and personal incomes in Brisbane City are around the 59th percentile nationally. Income analysis shows that 32.7% of residents (5,642 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket, similar to the regional pattern. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 78.6% of income remaining, ranking at the 47th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Brisbane City features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Brisbane City's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, comprised 0.1% houses and 99.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Brisbane metropolitan area's 12.9% houses and 87.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Brisbane City was 15.8%, similar to the Brisbane metro figure, with mortgaged properties at 16.0% and rented dwellings at 68.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,942, lower than the Brisbane metro average of $2,000, while median weekly rent was $460, higher than the Brisbane metro figure of $440. Nationally, Brisbane City's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Brisbane City features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 44.4% of all households, including 8.3% couples with children, 29.9% couples without children, and 4.4% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 55.6%, with lone person households at 42.7% and group households comprising 13.0%. The median household size is 1.8 people, which is smaller than the Greater Brisbane average of 1.9.

Brisbane City demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Brisbane City has a higher educational attainment than Queensland and Australia averages. 53.0% of residents aged 15+ have university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in QLD and 30.4% nationwide. Bachelor degrees are most common at 33.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (16.2%) and graduate diplomas (3.1%). Vocational pathways account for 22.7%.

Educational participation is high, with 40.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 24.7% in tertiary, 2.1% in secondary, and 1.8% in primary education. The BUSY School - Brisbane Campus and Indie School, Logan - Brisbane City Campus serve 0 students collectively. Secondary education dominates with 2 schools, while primary students attend schools in adjacent areas due to no schools within Brisbane City.

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

Brisbane City has 150 active public transport stops. These include ferry, train, and bus services. There are 409 individual routes operating weekly, resulting in 47,916 passenger trips.

Residents have excellent accessibility to these stops, with an average distance of 77 meters to the nearest one. Daily service frequency averages 6,845 trips across all routes, equating to approximately 319 weekly trips per stop.

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

Brisbane City shows excellent health outcomes with very low prevalence of common conditions across all ages. Approximately 59% of its total population (10,262 people) has private health cover, compared to 64.3% in Greater Brisbane.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent conditions, affecting 7.5% and 5.6% of residents respectively. 80.1% of residents report no medical ailments, higher than the Greater Brisbane average of 75.5%. As of 2021, 9.6% of residents are aged 65 or over (1,656 people). Senior health outcomes align with those of the general population.

Brisbane City is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Brisbane City has a high level of cultural diversity, with 44.2% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 57.3% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Brisbane City, comprising 33.7% of its population. Buddhism is overrepresented compared to Greater Brisbane, making up 6.2% of Brisbane City's population versus 3.9%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (19.8%), Other (16.6%), and Chinese (13.3%), which is significantly higher than the regional average of 7.7%. Korean (3.6%) is notably overrepresented compared to the regional average of 1.3%. Spanish (0.9%) and Russian (0.5%) also show slight divergences from their respective regional averages.

Brisbane City hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Brisbane City has a median age of 31 years, which is younger than the Greater Brisbane average of 36 and significantly below the Australian median of 38. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Brisbane City has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (31.2%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (2.1%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is notably higher than the national average of 14.5%. Post-2021 Census data indicates that the 25 to 34 age group has increased from 30.2% to 31.2% of the population, while the 45 to 54 cohort has decreased from 10.0% to 8.7%, and the 35 to 44 group has dropped from 14.9% to 13.7%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Brisbane City's age profile, with the 25 to 34 age cohort expected to grow steadily by 2,494 people (46%), reaching a total of 7,878 residents from its current figure of 5,383.