Clayfield

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

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validation, the estimated population of Clayfield as of Feb 2026 is around 11,801. This reflects an increase of 904 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 10,897. The current resident population estimate by AreaSearch is 11,773, following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 39 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 4,214 persons per square kilometer, placing Clayfield in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's 8.3% growth since census is within 1.6 percentage points of the national average (9.9%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 84.0% of overall population gains during recent periods in Clayfield.

AreaSearch adopts 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 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 ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort, released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Looking ahead, demographic trends suggest a population increase just below the median of Australian statistical areas by 2041, with Clayfield expected to increase by 826 persons over the next 17 years, reflecting an increase of 6.8% in total.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Clayfield recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

AreaSearch analysis shows Clayfield had approximately 21 residential properties approved annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25, around 108 homes were approved, with an additional 27 in FY-26 so far. On average, about 5.7 people moved to the area each year for every dwelling built over these five years.

This high demand outpaces supply, typically increasing property prices and competition among buyers. New properties are constructed at an average value of $810,000, indicating a focus on the premium market. In FY-26, there have been $4.5 million in commercial approvals, reflecting Clayfield's primarily residential nature. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Clayfield has significantly lower construction activity (73.0% below regional average per person), which can strengthen demand and prices for existing properties. This scarcity is also evident nationally, suggesting market maturity or development constraints.

New developments consist of 65.0% detached dwellings and 35.0% townhouses or apartments, offering choices across price ranges. Notably, developers are constructing more detached housing than the current pattern implies (38.0% at Census), indicating strong demand for family homes despite densification trends. Clayfield has approximately 727 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established market. Looking ahead, AreaSearch estimates Clayfield's population will grow by 805 residents by 2041. Building activity is keeping pace with growth projections, but buyers may face increased competition as the population grows.

Clayfield 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 41 such projects that could affect the area. Notable ones include Clayfield Development Aggregate, Platinum at Hamilton (formerly Icon), Greville, and Northshore Hamilton Street Renewal. The following list details those likely to be 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.

AreaSearch assessment positions Clayfield ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

Clayfield has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 3.5% as of September 2025. There was an estimated employment growth of 0.6% over the past year, based on AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data.

As of September 2025, 7,396 residents were in work with an unemployment rate of 0.5%, which is below Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.0%. Workforce participation was higher at 76.4% compared to Greater Brisbane's 70.7%. According to Census responses, 26.6% of residents worked from home. Leading employment industries were health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and retail trade.

The area had a particularly strong specialization in professional & technical services with an employment share 1.6 times the regional level. Construction had limited presence at 5.2%, compared to the regional level of 9.0%. Employment opportunities appeared limited locally as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. During the year to September 2025, employment levels increased by 0.6% and labour force increased by 0.7%, resulting in a slight rise in unemployment by 0.1 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Brisbane saw employment rise by 3.8%, labour force grow by 3.3%, and unemployment fall by 0.5 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment should expand by 6.6% over five years and 14.6% over ten years, with growth rates varying significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Clayfield's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.2% over five years and 14.6% over ten years.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows Clayfield had a median income among taxpayers of $67,341 and an average of $115,617. Nationally, these figures are exceptionally high compared 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 Clayfield would be approximately $74,014 (median) and $127,075 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals individual earnings in Clayfield stand out at the 85th percentile nationally ($1,102 weekly). The earnings profile shows that 31.1% of residents earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly (3,670 residents), reflecting patterns seen in the region where 33.3% similarly occupy this range. Economic strength is evident through 30.5% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. High housing costs consume 15.3% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 63rd percentile nationally and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

Clayfield's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 37.8% houses and 62.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Brisbane metro had 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Clayfield was 25.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 31.2% and rented at 43.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,000, higher than Brisbane metro's average of $1,863. Median weekly rent in Clayfield was $350, compared to Brisbane metro's $380. Nationally, Clayfield's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,000 versus the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were lower at $350 compared to the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 56.2% of all households, including 23.4% couples with children, 23.4% couples without children, and 8.0% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 43.8%, with lone person households at 38.2% and group households making up 5.6%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.

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

Clayfield's educational attainment is notably higher than broader averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 48.2% possess university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in Queensland and 30.4% nationally. The area's most common university qualification is the Bachelor degree (31.8%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (11.7%) and graduate diplomas (4.7%). Vocational pathways account for 24.7% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 11.0% and certificates at 13.7%.

Educational participation is high, with 29.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.1% in tertiary education, 8.0% in primary education, and 6.9% pursuing secondary education.

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

Clayfield has 51 active public transport stops, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 167 individual routes, facilitating 8,657 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is excellent, with residents typically living 140 meters from the nearest stop. As a primarily residential area, most commuters travel outward. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport at 70%, while trains account for 16% and buses for 7%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.0 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 26.6% of residents work from home, possibly due to COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 1,236 trips daily across all routes, equating to approximately 169 weekly trips per individual stop.

Clayfield's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics indicates strong performance across Clayfield. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were low in both young and old age cohorts. Private health cover was exceptionally high at approximately 73% of the total population (8,615 people), compared to 55.8% across Greater Brisbane, and 55.7% nationally.

The most common medical conditions were mental health issues affecting 9.4% of residents, and asthma impacting 7.4%. A total of 72.7% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.2% across Greater Brisbane. Under-65 population exhibited better than average health outcomes. The area has 16.0% of residents aged 65 and over (1,888 people), with strong health outcomes among seniors ranking higher than the general population nationally.

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

Clayfield's population showed high cultural diversity, with 27.8% born overseas and 18.0% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 51.1%. Notably, Hinduism was overrepresented at 5.7%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 2.2%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (26.8%), Australian (20.8%), and Irish (11.8%). Some ethnic groups showed notable differences: Scottish were overrepresented at 9.1% (vs regional 7.4%), French at 0.6% (vs 0.5%), and Welsh at 0.6% (vs 0.5%).

Clayfield's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Clayfield's median age is nearly matching Greater Brisbane's average of 36 years, while also being close to Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Clayfield has a higher concentration of residents aged 25-34 at 16.8%, but fewer residents aged 5-14 at 10.7%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the population share of those aged 65-74 has grown from 7.5% to 8.7%. Conversely, the population share of those aged 25-34 has declined from 17.7% to 16.8%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Clayfield's age profile will evolve significantly. The 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 54%, adding 331 residents to reach 945. Residents aged 65 and above are expected to drive 69% of population growth, indicating aging demographic trends. Meanwhile, the 0-4 and 5-14 age groups are expected to experience population declines.