Carina Heights

Population growth drivers in Carina Heights are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Carina Heights is around 7,777, reflecting an increase of 674 people since the 2021 Census. The population was recorded as 7,103 in the 2021 Census. This increase is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 7,705 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024), along with an additional 94 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density ratio is 2,260 persons per square kilometer, above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Carina Heights's growth of 9.5% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area's growth of 7.4%, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 62.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary population growth for the area.

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 in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort, released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Future population trends indicate a median increase is expected by 2041, with Carina Heights projected to increase by 1,056 persons over this period, reflecting an overall increase of 12.3%.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, indicates Carina Heights experienced around 41 dwellings receiving development approval each year over the past five financial years. This totals an estimated 207 homes. As of FY-26, 8 approvals have been recorded. Over these five years, an average of 2.3 new residents per dwelling was noted, reflecting robust demand that supports property values.

New homes are being built at an average construction cost value of $709,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. This financial year has seen $29.0 million in commercial approvals registered, suggesting strong commercial development momentum. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Carina Heights maintains similar development levels per person, keeping market balance consistent with the broader area.

However, recent periods have shown some moderation in development activity. Building activity shows 58.0% detached houses and 42.0% townhouses or apartments, indicating an expanding range of medium-density options across various price brackets. With around 338 people per dwelling approval, Carina Heights demonstrates a developing market. Looking ahead, AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate projects a growth of 955 residents by 2041 in Carina Heights. Current construction levels should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 19 projects that could affect this region. Notable initiatives include Greendale Village Shopping Centre, Queensland Energy Roadmap by 2025, Holland Park Busway Station Upgrade, and the development at 208 Meadowlands Road Carina. The following list details those most likely to be 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.

Employment conditions in Carina Heights remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Carina Heights has a highly educated workforce with professional services showing strong representation. The unemployment rate was 5.2% as of September 2025, indicating relative employment stability over the past year according to AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data. At this time, 4,500 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 1.2% higher than Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.0%.

Workforce participation was fairly standard at 73.9%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 70.7%. Census responses showed that a moderate 24.0% of residents worked from home, although Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services. Notably, employment levels in professional & technical services were at 1.2 times the regional average.

Conversely, transport, postal & warehousing had limited presence with 4.1% employment compared to the regional average of 5.6%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over the 12 months to September 2025, labour force levels increased by 0.6%, while employment decreased by 0.5% in Carina Heights, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 1.0 percentage points. This contrasts with Greater Brisbane where employment rose by 3.8%, the labour force grew by 3.3%, and unemployment fell by 0.5 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offer further insight into potential future demand within Carina Heights. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, suggest that national employment should expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these industry-specific projections to Carina Heights's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.3% over ten years, although it is important to note that this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections.

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

The suburb of Carina Heights had an extremely high national income level according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Carina Heights was $62,097 and the average income stood at $83,061. These figures compared to those for Greater Brisbane, which were $58,236 and $72,799 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $68,251 (median) and $91,292 (average) as of September 2025. Census data revealed that household, family, and personal incomes in Carina Heights clustered around the 71st percentile nationally. Income brackets indicated that the largest segment comprised 35.3% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (2,745 residents), consistent with broader trends across the broader area showing 33.3% in the same category. High housing costs consumed 16.3% of income, though strong earnings still placed disposable income at the 65th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 7th decile.

Carina Heights displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Carina Heights' dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 51.1% houses and 48.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other'). Brisbane metro had 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Carina Heights was at 23.1%, with dwellings either mortgaged (34.9%) or rented (42.0%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,950, higher than Brisbane metro's $1,863 and the national average of $1,863. Median weekly rent was $403, above Brisbane metro's $380 and the national figure of $375.

Carina Heights features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 67.3% of all households, including 24.6% couples with children, 27.1% couples without children, and 14.1% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 32.7%, with lone person households at 26.5% and group households making up 6.2%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.

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

Carina Heights' educational attainment is notably high, with 39.2% of residents aged 15+ possessing university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in Queensland (QLD) and 30.4% nationwide as of the latest data point from 20XX. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 26.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 8.4% and graduate diplomas at 4.0%. Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 30.7% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas account for 11.7% and certificates for 19.0%. Educational participation is high, with 27.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 8.1% in tertiary education, 7.6% in primary education, and 6.0% pursuing secondary education as of the latest available data from 20XX.

Educational participation is notably high, with 27.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.1% in tertiary education, 7.6% in primary education, and 6.0% pursuing secondary education.

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

The analysis of public transport in Carina Heights indicates that there are currently 48 active transport stops operating within the area. These stops cater to a mix of bus services, with 13 individual routes providing a total of 2,671 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these transport services is rated as excellent, with residents typically located approximately 146 meters from their nearest transport stop. As Carina Heights is predominantly residential, most residents commute outward. The car remains the primary mode of transportation for 82% of residents, while buses are used by 12%. On average, there are 1.2 vehicles per dwelling in the area, which is below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, some 24.0% of residents work from home, a figure that may reflect COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes averages 381 trips per day, equating to approximately 55 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Carina Heights are marginally below the national average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Carina Heights shows below-average health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions are somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts.

Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 60% of the total population (4,674 people), compared to 55.8% across Greater Brisbane. Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions in the area, impacting 10.7 and 8.1% of residents respectively. 68.7% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.2% across Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. The area has 14.0% of residents aged 65 and over (1,088 people), lower than the 15.2% in Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Carina Heights was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Carina Heights, surveyed in June 2016, exhibited higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 27.5% of its residents born overseas and 19.3% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 49.8% of the population, while Judaism was slightly overrepresented at 0.1%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 0.1%. The top three ancestry groups were English (25.0%), Australian (21.8%), and Other (10.1%).

Notably, Russian (0.7%) and Spanish (0.7%) ethnicities were more prevalent in Carina Heights than regionally (0.3% and 0.4%, respectively).

Carina Heights's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Carina Heights' median age of 36 years is equal to Greater Brisbane's but younger than the national average of 38 years. The 25-34 age group makes up 16.9% of its population, higher than Greater Brisbane, while the 5-14 cohort is less prevalent at 10.7%. Between 2021 and present, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 3.6% to 4.9% of the population. Conversely, the 25 to 34 age group has declined from 19.0% to 16.9%. By 2041, forecasts indicate significant demographic changes in Carina Heights. The 45 to 54 age cohort is projected to increase by 241 people (24%) from 1,011 to 1,253. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 35 to 44 and 0 to 4 cohorts.