East Brisbane

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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for East Brisbane, its population is estimated at around 6915 as of November 2025. This reflects an increase of 729 people, representing an 11.8% growth since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 6186 people. The change was inferred from the resident population estimated by AreaSearch at 6741 following examination of the latest ERP data release by ABS in June 2024, along with an additional 102 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 3717 persons per square kilometer, placing East Brisbane in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's growth rate exceeded both the national average (8.9%) and state averages, marking it as a growth leader. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 82.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

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 released in 2023 based on 2021 data are adopted. Considering projected demographic shifts, an above median population growth is projected for East Brisbane, with the suburb expected to expand by 1173 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a total increase of 14.6% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions East Brisbane among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, East Brisbane has seen around 86 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years. This totals an estimated 430 homes since FY-21. So far in FY-26, 6 approvals have been recorded. On average, 0.9 new residents per year per dwelling constructed have been recorded between FY-21 and FY-25.

New supply has kept pace with or exceeded demand, offering ample buyer choice while creating capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts. The average construction value of these homes is $926,000, indicating developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. In terms of commercial approvals, $17.2 million has been registered this financial year, indicating steady commercial investment activity. Recent construction comprises 4.0% detached houses and 96.0% medium and high-density housing.

This shift towards higher-density living creates more affordable entry points and suits downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This marks a significant change from the current housing mix of 44.0% houses, reflecting reduced availability of development sites and addressing shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. East Brisbane shows characteristics of a growth area with around 54 people per dwelling approval. Looking ahead, East Brisbane is expected to grow by 1,011 residents through to 2041, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 30 projects that may impact the area. Key projects include Cross River Rail - Woolloongabba Station, East Brisbane State School Redevelopment & Vertical School Expansion, BANKSII, and The Carter by Mosaic. Below is a list detailing 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.

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

East Brisbane has a highly educated workforce with professional services being strongly represented. The unemployment rate in the area was 5.3% as of an unspecified past year, with an estimated employment growth of 3.9%.

As of June 2025, there were 4,643 residents employed, and the unemployment rate was 1.3% higher than Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation in East Brisbane was at 72.2%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 64.5%. The most prevalent employment sectors among residents are health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training. Notably, the area specialises in professional & technical jobs, with an employment share of 1.7 times the regional level.

Conversely, manufacturing shows lower representation at 3.4% versus the regional average of 6.4%. While there are local employment opportunities, many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment in East Brisbane increased by 3.9%, while labour force grew by 2.9%, resulting in a 1.0 percentage point drop in unemployment rate. In contrast, Greater Brisbane experienced employment growth of 4.4% and labour force growth of 4.0%, with a 0.4 percentage point decrease in unemployment rate. According to Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22, national employment is projected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to East Brisbane's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.2% over five years and 14.5% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

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

East Brisbane's median income among taxpayers was $60,556 in financial year 2022, according to ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. The average income stood at $90,583 during the same period, which compared to Greater Brisbane's figures of $55,645 and $70,520 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.99% since financial year 2022, current estimates for median income would be approximately $69,028 as of September 2025, with average income estimated at around $103,256 during the same period. According to Census figures from 2021, household, family and personal incomes in East Brisbane ranked highly nationally, between the 69th and 82nd percentiles. Income analysis revealed that the largest segment comprised 32.2% earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly (2,226 residents), consistent with broader trends across the broader area showing 33.3% in the same category. A significant 31.1% earned above $3,000 weekly, reflecting pockets of prosperity that drove robust local economic activity. High housing costs consumed 17.2% of income, though strong earnings placed disposable income at the 67th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 8th decile.

East Brisbane features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In East Brisbane, as per the latest Census evaluation, 44.2% of dwellings were houses while 55.8% consisted of semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. In contrast, Brisbane metropolitan area had no recorded houses or other dwellings at that time. Home ownership in East Brisbane stood at 17.8%, with mortgaged properties at 24.6% and rented dwellings at 57.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, aligning with the Brisbane metro average. The median weekly rent was $400, while Brisbane metro had no recorded figures for these metrics at that time. Nationally, East Brisbane's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

East Brisbane features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a median household size of 2.2 people

Family households make up 54.2% of all households, including 18.4% couples with children, 27.7% couples without children, and 6.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 45.8%, with lone person households at 31.9% and group households comprising 13.6%. The median household size is 2.2 people.

Educational achievement in East Brisbane places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

East Brisbane has a notably high level of educational attainment among its residents aged 15 and above, with 50.7% holding university qualifications compared to the state average of 25.7% in Queensland and the national average of 30.4%. The area's residents have a substantial advantage in education, with bachelor degrees being the most common at 32.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 13.5% and graduate diplomas at 4.5%. Vocational pathways account for 24.8% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas making up 10.3% and certificates 14.5%. Educational participation is high, with 32.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 13.7% in tertiary education, 6.0% in primary education, and 6.0% pursuing secondary education. The area has educational provision through East Brisbane State School and Anglican Church Grammar School, serving a total of 2,162 students. The area demonstrates significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement, with an ICSEA score of 1125. The educational mix includes one primary school and one K-12 school, providing 31.3 school places per 100 residents, indicating strong educational infrastructure serving both local and surrounding communities.

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

East Brisbane has 23 active public transport stops. These are a mix of ferry and bus services. There are 12 routes in total, serving 1,949 weekly passenger trips combined.

The average distance from residents to the nearest stop is 128 meters. On average, there are 278 trips daily across all routes, which equals about 84 weekly trips per individual stop.

East Brisbane's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Analysis of health metrics indicates robust performance throughout East Brisbane, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 63% of the total population (4,362 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

Mental health issues and asthma were found to be the most common medical conditions in the area, impacting 11.0% and 7.7% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 72.9%, declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, contrasting with 0% across Greater Brisbane. The area has 9.6% of residents aged 65 and over (663 people). Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, broadly aligning with the general population's health profile.

East Brisbane was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

East Brisbane had a higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 20.3% speaking a language other than English at home and 31.8% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion, making up 41.0%. Judaism was overrepresented at 0.2%, compared to None% in Greater Brisbane.

In terms of ancestry, the top groups were English (25.9%), Australian (19.3%), and Other (11.3%). Notably, French (1.0%) Irish (10.7%) and Spanish (0.7%) groups were overrepresented compared to regional averages of None%.

East Brisbane's young demographic places it in the bottom 15% of areas nationwide

East Brisbane's median age is 33 years, which is slightly younger than Greater Brisbane's average of 36 years and significantly lower than the national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Brisbane, East Brisbane has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (27.3%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (6.4%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is well above the national average of 14.5%. According to post-2021 Census data, the proportion of residents aged 25-34 has grown from 25.4% to 27.3%, while the proportions for those aged 15-24 have declined from 16.3% to 14.4%, and those aged 5-14 have dropped from 7.6% to 6.4%. Demographic modeling indicates that East Brisbane's age profile will significantly evolve by 2041, with the strongest projected growth in the 45-54 cohort (30%), adding 250 residents to reach a total of 1,094. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 5-14 and 0-4 age cohorts.