Coopers Plains

Population growth drivers in Coopers Plains are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

The estimated population of the suburb of Coopers Plains was around 6,438 as of May 2026. This figure reflects an increase of 763 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,675. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimated resident population of 6,432 in June 2025 and the validation of 30 new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,525 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's growth rate of 13.4% since the 2021 Census exceeded both the national average (9.3%) and state averages, positioning it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 80.0% of overall population 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 by this data and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections released in 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 for each age cohort. According to population projections, the suburb is expected to increase by 1,799 persons to reach a total of 8,237 by 2041, reflecting a gain of 27.9% over the 16-year period.

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

Coopers Plains averaged approximately 43 new dwelling approvals per year. Between FY21 and FY25, around 215 homes were approved, with an additional 68 approved in FY26 so far. This results in an estimated total of 283 dwellings approved between July 2020 and June 2026. The average number of new residents per year arriving per new home has been around 1.6 over the past five financial years, indicating a balanced supply and demand in the market.

However, this figure has increased to 7.1 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, suggesting growing popularity and potential undersupply. The average construction value of development projects is approximately $554,000, targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties.

In FY26, there have been around $10.8 million in commercial approvals, demonstrating moderate levels of commercial development. New development consists predominantly of detached dwellings, at 84.0%, with medium and high-density housing making up the remaining 16.0%. This preserves the area's suburban nature while catering to space-seeking buyers. With around 224 people per dwelling approval, Coopers Plains exhibits a developing market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the area is expected to grow by approximately 1,793 residents through to 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified seven projects expected to impact the area. Notable projects include Henson Road Industrial Estate, Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Hospital Expansion, Cross River Rail - Salisbury Station Upgrade, and Acacia Ridge Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Precinct. 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.

Employment conditions in Coopers Plains remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Coopers Plains has an educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 5.3% as of the past year's data aggregation from statistical areas by AreaSearch. Employment growth over this period was estimated at 2.5%.

As of December 2025, 3,489 residents were employed while the unemployment rate stood at 6.3%, which is 1.2% higher than Greater Brisbane's rate of 5.1%. Workforce participation in Coopers Plains was similar to Greater Brisbane's 69.6%. According to Census responses, 14.2% of residents worked from home, considering Covid-19 lockdown impacts. Dominant employment sectors included health care & social assistance, education & training, and retail trade.

The area had a notable concentration in accommodation & food services with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average. Conversely, construction was under-represented with only 5.5% of Coopers Plains's workforce compared to Greater Brisbane's 9.0%. There were 1.2 workers for every resident as per Census data, indicating Coopers Plains functions as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding areas. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment increased by 2.5% while labour force grew by 2.7%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.2 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Brisbane recorded employment growth of 3.2%, labour force growth of 3.0%, with a decrease in unemployment by 0.1 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall employment expansion by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Coopers Plains's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, using a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes without considering localized population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Coopers Plains suburb has a median taxpayer income of $47,547 and an average of $56,386 according to latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is below national averages, with Greater Brisbane's median income being $58,236 and average income at $72,799. By March 2026, estimates suggest median income will be approximately $52,948 and average income $62,791, based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% since financial year 2023. According to 2021 Census figures, incomes in Coopers Plains rank modestly, between the 32nd and 41st percentiles for household, family, and personal incomes. The income bracket of $1,500 - 2,999 captures 34.2% of the community (2,201 individuals), which is consistent with broader trends across regional levels showing 33.3% in the same category. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 81.6% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 39th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

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

Coopers Plains' dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, was 76.0% houses and 24.1% other dwellings. Brisbane metro had 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Coopers Plains was 23.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 27.1% and rented at 49.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,755, below Brisbane metro's $1,863. Median weekly rent was $369, compared to Brisbane metro's $380. Nationally, Coopers Plains' mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.

Coopers Plains features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 65.1% of all households, including 26.1% couples with children, 26.0% couples without children, and 10.6% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 34.9%, with lone person households at 25.4% and group households making up 9.4%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which aligns with the Greater Brisbane average.

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

Educational attainment in Coopers Plains is notably higher than broader benchmarks. 40.8% of residents aged 15 years and above have university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in Queensland (QLD) and 30.4% nationwide. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 24.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 13.3% and graduate diplomas at 2.6%. Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 27.0% of residents holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 10.5% and certificates at 16.5%.

Educational participation is high, with 31.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.3% in tertiary education, 7.4% in primary education, and 5.3% pursuing secondary education.

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

Coopers Plains has 44 active public transport stops, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 32 individual routes, collectively facilitating 2,982 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 165 meters from the nearest stop. Primarily residential, most residents commute outward using cars (78%), followed by buses (9%) and trains (8%). Vehicle ownership averages 1.2 per dwelling, below the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, 14.2% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 426 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 67 weekly trips per stop.

Health performance in Coopers Plains is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Coopers Plains faces significant health challenges based on AreaSearch's assessment completed on 20th March 2023. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were found to be somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover was relatively low at approximately 50% of the total population (~3,190 people), compared to 55.8% across Greater Brisbane and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions were mental health issues impacting 8.1% of residents and asthma affecting 7.2%, with 72.7% declaring themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.2% in Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. The area has 12.4% of residents aged 65 and over (798 people), lower than the 15.1% in Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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

Coopers Plains has high cultural diversity, with 49.9% speaking a language other than English at home and 49.9% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion, comprising 40.5%. Hinduism is overrepresented at 10.8%, higher than Greater Brisbane's average of 2.2%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (16.6%), Australian (16.2%), and Other (16.2%). Notably, Indian (7.8%) and Filipino (3.5%) ethnicities are overrepresented compared to regional averages of 2.0% and 1.2%, respectively. Serbian ethnicity is also notably higher at 0.8%.

Coopers Plains's young demographic places it in the bottom 15% of areas nationwide

Coopers Plains has a median age of 32 years, which is lower than the Greater Brisbane average of 36 and significantly below the Australian median of 38. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Coopers Plains has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (23.9%) but fewer residents aged 55-64 (7.4%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is notably above the national average of 14.6%. Between 2021 and present, the proportion of residents aged 35 to 44 has increased from 15.4% to 17.8%, while the proportion of those aged 55 to 64 has decreased from 8.7% to 7.4%. By 2041, demographic projections suggest significant changes in Coopers Plains' age profile, with the 45-54 age cohort expected to grow by 394 people (62%), reaching a total of 1,025 residents from its current figure of 630.