Capalaba

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

As of Feb 2026, the population of the suburb of Capalaba is estimated at around 18,961. This reflects an increase of 959 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 18,002. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 18,870 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, along with an additional 122 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 1,014 persons per square kilometer, which is relatively inline with averages seen across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Capalaba's growth of 5.3% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area's growth of 4.9%, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 52.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary population growth for the suburb.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections are adopted, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits, so AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings inline with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort, released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Moving forward, projections indicate a decline in overall population by 32 persons by 2041 according to this methodology. However, growth across specific age cohorts is anticipated, led by the 75 to 84 age group, which is projected to expand by 807 people.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Capalaba when compared nationally

Capalaba experienced around 63 dwelling approvals per year based on AreaSearch analysis. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, approximately 316 homes were approved, with an additional 26 approved in FY26 so far. Each dwelling built over these five years attracted an average of 0.9 new residents annually.

The average construction value was $404,000. In FY26, there have been $22.3 million in commercial approvals. Capalaba's building activity per person is comparable to Greater Brisbane but below the national average. New development consists of 47% detached dwellings and 53% medium to high-density housing, a shift from the current 78% houses. The area has approximately 208 people per dwelling approval, indicating low density. Population stability or decline is expected, potentially easing housing pressure.

With population expected to remain stable or decline, Capalaba should see reduced pressure on housing, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

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

Ten projects have been identified by AreaSearch as likely to impact the area, significantly influencing its performance. These include the Capalaba Town Centre Revitalisation Project, Brisbane Metro Expansion to Capalaba, Daveson Road Social and Affordable Housing project, and Birkdale Community Precinct including Redland Whitewater Centre. The following list details those projects considered most relevant.

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

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The labour market in Capalaba shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

Capalaba's workforce is skilled with notable representation in construction. The unemployment rate was 3.5% as of September 2025. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 6.1%.

As of September 2025, 10,957 residents were employed with an unemployment rate of 4.0%, 0.5% below Greater Brisbane's rate. Workforce participation was 73.9%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 70.7%. Home workership among residents stood at 14.8% based on Census responses, considering Covid-19 lockdown impacts. Key industries of employment were health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade.

Construction showed strong specialization with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level. Professional & technical services were under-represented at 5.7%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 8.9%. The worker-to-resident ratio was 0.6 as of Census, indicating above-normal local employment opportunities. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 6.1% and labour force by 5.7%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.4 percentage points. In Greater Brisbane, employment grew by 3.8%, labour force expanded by 3.3%, and unemployment fell by 0.5 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Capalaba's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 13.2% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows Capalaba's median income among taxpayers is $55,547, with an average of $64,431. This is below the national average and compares to Greater Brisbane's median of $58,236 and average of $72,799. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Capalaba would be approximately $61,052 (median) and $70,816 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes all rank modestly in Capalaba, between the 49th and 50th percentiles. The earnings profile shows 36.0% of the population, equating to 6,825 individuals, fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, similar to the metropolitan region where 33.3% occupy this range. High housing costs consume 16.0% of income, but strong earnings still place disposable income at the 50th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

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

Capalaba's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 77.7% houses and 22.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Brisbane metro had 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Capalaba's home ownership rate was 30.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 43.1% and rented ones at 26.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Capalaba was $1,785, below Brisbane metro's average of $1,863. The median weekly rent figure in Capalaba was $385, compared to Brisbane metro's $380. Nationally, Capalaba's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Capalaba has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 73.4% of all households, including 31.6% that are couples with children, 27.5% that are couples without children, and 13.4% that are single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 26.6%, with lone person households at 23.6% and group households comprising 2.9%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which matches the Greater Brisbane average.

Educational attainment in Capalaba aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 18.6%, significantly lower than Greater Brisbane's average of 30.5%. This indicates a need for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common, at 13.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.0%) and graduate diplomas (1.8%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 42.2% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (11.6%) and certificates (30.6%).

Educational participation is high, with 26.9% currently enrolled in formal education, including 9.5% in primary, 7.5% in secondary, and 3.9% in tertiary education.

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

Capalaba has 117 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These are served by 21 different routes that together facilitate 1,141 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically living 229 meters from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential region, most commuters travel outward, with cars being the primary mode of transportation at 91%. On average, there are 1.6 vehicles per dwelling, which is higher than the regional norm. According to the 2021 Census, 14.8% of residents work from home, a figure that may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

Across all routes, service frequency averages 163 trips per day, equating to about nine weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location's centerpoint.

Health performance in Capalaba is lower than average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Capalaba faces significant health challenges as assessed by AreaSearch. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are notable across both younger and older age cohorts.

Private health cover is at approximately 53% of the total population (~9,998 people), leading that of the average SA2 area but lower than Greater Brisbane's 55.8%. Mental health issues impact 9.7% of residents, while asthma affects 8.6%. 65.2% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.2% across Greater Brisbane. Working-age residents show above average prevalence of chronic health conditions. The area has 20.2% of residents aged 65 and over (3,830 people), higher than Greater Brisbane's 15.2%. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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

Capalaba's population showed higher than average cultural diversity, with 10.4% speaking a language other than English at home and 22.8% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion in Capalaba, accounting for 50.8% of its population. Notably, Judaism was present at 0.1%, slightly higher than Greater Brisbane's 0.1%.

The top three ancestral groups were English (30.2%), Australian (25.7%), and Irish (8.2%). Some ethnicities showed notable differences: Maori were overrepresented at 1.4% compared to the regional 1.1%, New Zealand was at 1.0% (matching regionally), and Russian at 0.4% compared to Greater Brisbane's 0.3%.

Capalaba's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Capalaba as of 39 years is slightly higher than Greater Brisbane's average of 36 years and close to Australia's median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Capalaba has a higher proportion of residents aged 65-74 (11.0%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (11.3%). Between the 2016 Census and the 2021 Census, the percentage of residents aged 75 to 84 increased from 5.0% to 7.0%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 25 to 34 decreased from 13.2% to 11.3%, and the percentage of those aged 55 to 64 dropped from 13.2% to 12.1%. By 2041, Capalaba's age composition is projected to change significantly. The number of residents aged 75 to 84 is expected to grow by 45%, from 1,327 to 1,919 people. This growth will be led by those aged 65 and above, who are projected to comprise 89% of the population increase. Conversely, population declines are projected for residents aged 55 to 64 and 15 to 24 years old.