East Brisbane

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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch since the Census, the suburb of East Brisbane's population is estimated at around 6,977 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 791 people (12.8%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,186 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 6,938, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025 and an additional 120 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 3,751 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. East Brisbane's 12.8% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.3%), along with the state, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 82.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and for years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections, released in 2023 based on 2021 data, are adopted. It should be noted that these state projections do not provide age category splits; hence where utilised, AreaSearch is applying proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data) for each age cohort. Looking at population projections moving forward, an above median population growth of statistical areas across the nation is projected, with the suburb expected to expand by 1,074 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 14.8% in total over the 16 years.

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

East Brisbane has seen approximately 76 dwelling approvals per year based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS data. Between FY-21 and FY-25, around 382 homes were approved, with a further 9 approved in FY-26. On average, about 1 person moves to the area for each dwelling built over these years.

This indicates that supply is meeting or exceeding demand, offering more buyer choices while supporting potential population growth above projections. The average construction cost of new dwellings is around $925,000, suggesting developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. This financial year has seen $18.2 million in commercial development approvals, indicating moderate levels of commercial development. New building activity shows 4.0% detached dwellings and 96.0% medium to high-density housing, creating more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers.

This shift from the area's existing housing composition (currently 44.0% houses) suggests decreasing availability of developable sites and reflects changing lifestyles and demand for diverse, affordable housing options. East Brisbane has about 53 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market. By 2041, it is projected to grow by 1,035 residents (AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate). With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

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

AreaSearch identified 33 infrastructure projects that could impact the area. Notable ones include Cross River Rail - Woolloongabba Station, The Carter by Mosaic, Brisbane Arena (Gabba Entertainment and Housing Precinct), and Station Square Woolloongabba.

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.

East Brisbane shows employment indicators that trail behind approximately 70% of regions assessed across Australia

East Brisbane has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 6.4% as of December 2025. Employment stability over the past year was relative.

As of December 2025, 4,525 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 2.2% higher than Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation was at 76.8%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 69.6%. According to Census responses, 25.2% of residents worked from home. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training sectors.

East Brisbane has a particularly strong specialization in professional & technical services with an employment share 1.7 times the regional level. Manufacturing employs only 3.4% of local workers, lower than Greater Brisbane's 6.4%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census working population data. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment increased by 0.3%, labour force grew by 1.4%, resulting in a 1.0 percentage point rise in unemployment. In contrast, Greater Brisbane recorded employment growth of 3.2% and unemployment fell by 0.1%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that East Brisbane's employment should increase by 7.2% over five years and 14.5% over ten years based on industry-specific projections applied to the local employment mix.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

The suburb of East Brisbane had a high national income level according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers was $60,553, with an average income of $90,577. These figures compared to Greater Brisbane's median and average incomes of $58,236 and $72,799 respectively. By March 2026, current estimates projected the median income to be approximately $67,432 and the average income to reach $100,867, based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% since financial year 2023. Census data showed that household, family, and personal incomes in East Brisbane all ranked highly nationally, between the 69th and 82nd percentiles. Income brackets indicated that 32.2% of the population (2,246 individuals) fell within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, similar to the broader area where this cohort represented 33.3%. The suburb demonstrated considerable affluence with 31.1% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. High housing costs consumed 17.2% of income, yet 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 a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

East Brisbane's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 44.2% houses and 55.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Brisbane metro's 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in East Brisbane stood at 17.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 24.6% and rented ones at 57.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, surpassing the Brisbane metro average of $1,863. Median weekly rent in East Brisbane was $400, compared to Brisbane metro's $380. Nationally, East Brisbane's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents surpassed the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 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 constitute 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, which is smaller than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.

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's educational attainment exceeds broader standards. Among residents aged 15+, 50.7% hold university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in Queensland (QLD) and 30.4% nationally. University graduates comprise 32.7%, postgraduates 13.5%, and graduate diplomas 4.5%. Vocational pathways account for 24.8%, including advanced diplomas at 10.3% and certificates at 14.5%.

Educational participation is high, with 32.9% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.7% in tertiary education, 6.0% in primary education, and 6.0% pursuing secondary education.

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 offering a mix of ferry and bus services. These stops are served by 14 different routes, together facilitating 2,310 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is excellent, with residents typically residing 128 metres from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward from this primarily residential area. Car remains the primary mode of transport at 66%, followed by bus at 14% and walking at 6%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.0 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high 25.2% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 330 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 100 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in East Brisbane is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

East Brisbane shows superior health outcomes as per AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both young and elderly cohorts exhibit low prevalence of common health conditions. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 63% (4,401 people), compared to Greater Brisbane's 55.8%.

Nationally, it stands at 55.7%. Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 11.0% and 7.7% of residents respectively. Notably, 72.9% report no medical ailments, higher than Greater Brisbane's 69.2%. Health outcomes among working-age individuals are generally typical. The area has 10.4% (725 people) aged 65 and over, lower than Greater Brisbane's 15.1%. Senior health outcomes rank nationally higher than the general population.

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

East Brisbane's population showed high cultural diversity, with 20.3% speaking a language other than English at home and 31.8% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 41.0%. Judaism, however, was slightly overrepresented at 0.2%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 0.1%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (25.9%), Australian (19.3%), and Other (11.3%). Notably, French (1.0%) and Irish (10.7%) were overrepresented compared to regional percentages of 0.5% and 8.2%, respectively. Spanish was also slightly overrepresented at 0.7%.

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

East Brisbane's median age is 33 years, which is younger than Greater Brisbane's average of 36 and lower than the national average of 38. Compared to Greater Brisbane, East Brisbane has a higher percentage of residents aged 25-34 (27.2%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (6.3%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is notably higher than the national figure of 14.6%. According to post-2021 Census data, the percentage of residents aged 25-34 has increased from 25.4% to 27.2%, while the percentage of those aged 5-14 has decreased from 7.6% to 6.3%. By 2041, East Brisbane's age profile is projected to change significantly. The number of residents aged 45-54 is expected to grow by 29%, adding 232 residents to reach a total of 1,049. Conversely, the number of residents aged 0-4 is anticipated to decrease.