East Brisbane

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

East Brisbane's population, as estimated by AreaSearch for Nov 2025, is around 6,929. This reflects a growth of 743 people since the 2021 Census, which reported 6,186 residents. The increase was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 6,745 residents in Jun 2024, based on latest ERP data by ABS and validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density of 3,725 persons per square kilometer, placing East Brisbane (SA2) in the upper quartile nationally. The area's growth rate of 12.0% since 2021 exceeded both national (9.7%) and state averages, marking it as a growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 82.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in Jun 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. These state projections lack age category splits; thus, AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort. Considering projected demographic shifts, the East Brisbane statistical area (Lv2) is expected to expand by 1,171 persons by 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 14.4% over the 17 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers indicates East Brisbane has seen approximately 76 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 382 homes. As of FY-26, 8 approvals have been recorded. Assuming an average of one new resident per year per dwelling constructed between FY-21 and FY-25, new supply appears to be keeping pace with or exceeding demand, offering ample buyer choice and potential capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts. The average construction value of these dwellings is $925,000, suggesting developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties.

In FY-26, $18.2 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating steady commercial investment activity. Recent construction comprises 4% detached houses and 96% medium to high-density housing, reflecting a shift from the current housing mix of 44% houses. This focus on higher-density living creates more affordable entry points and caters to downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. With around 53 people per dwelling approval, East Brisbane exhibits characteristics of a growth area.

According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, East Brisbane is expected to grow by 995 residents through to 2041. Given current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling population growth that exceeds current forecasts.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 30 projects that could impact the area. Notable 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 of 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 strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 5.8% as of the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 0.7%.

As of September 2025, 4,508 residents are employed, and the unemployment rate is 1.8% higher than Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.0%. Workforce participation in East Brisbane is at 72.2%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 64.5%. Key employment sectors include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. The area has a specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share 1.7 times the regional level.

Conversely, manufacturing shows lower representation at 3.4% compared to the regional average of 6.4%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work, indicating local employment opportunities may not fully meet demand. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment increased by 0.7%, while labour force grew by 0.8%, leaving unemployment broadly flat in East Brisbane. In contrast, Greater Brisbane experienced employment growth of 3.8% and a 0.5 percentage point drop in unemployment during the same period. State-level data from Queensland to November 25 shows employment contracted by 0.01%, with an unemployment rate of 4.2%. National employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth of 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, although this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

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

The suburb of East Brisbane had one of the highest income levels in Australia according to AreaSearch data based on ATO figures for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers was $60,553 and the average income stood at $90,577, compared to Greater Brisbane's median of $58,236 and average of $72,799. By September 2025, based on a Wage Price Index growth of 9.91%, estimated incomes would be approximately $66,554 (median) and $99,553 (average). The 2021 Census showed household, family, and personal incomes in East Brisbane ranked highly nationally, between the 69th and 82nd percentiles. Income analysis revealed that 32.2% of residents earned between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, consistent with broader trends across the area showing 33.3% in the same category. Notably, 31.1% earned above $3,000 weekly. High housing costs consumed 17.2% of income, but strong earnings placed disposable income at the 67th percentile nationally. The suburb's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 8th decile.

East Brisbane features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a predominantly rental market

East Brisbane's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, was 44.2% houses and 55.8% other dwellings. Home ownership stood at 17.8%, with 24.6% of dwellings mortgaged and 57.5% rented. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, and the median weekly rent was $400. Nationally, East Brisbane's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while 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 constitute 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 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 higher level of educational attainment than broader benchmarks. Specifically, 50.7% of its residents aged 15 years and above hold university qualifications, compared to the Queensland average of 25.7% and the Australian average of 30.4%. This significant educational advantage suggests strong potential for knowledge-based opportunities in the area. Bachelor degrees are the most common form of qualification at 32.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (13.5%) and graduate diplomas (4.5%).

Vocational pathways account for 24.8% of qualifications among those aged 15 years and above, with advanced diplomas making up 10.3% and certificates 14.5%. Educational participation is notably high in East Brisbane, 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.

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, consisting of a mix of ferry and bus services. These stops are served by 14 different routes, collectively facilitating 2,310 weekly passenger trips. The transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents on average located 128 meters from the nearest stop.

The service frequency averages 330 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 100 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 a 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 (4,371 people), compared to the national average of 55.7%.

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 compared to 0% across Greater Brisbane. The area has 9.6% of residents aged 65 and over (665 people), with health outcomes among seniors broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

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 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, comprising 41.0%. Judaism, however, was overrepresented at 0.2%, compared to none in Greater Brisbane.

Regarding 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%) 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 younger than Greater Brisbane's average of 36 years and significantly lower than Australia's 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 East Brisbane's population aged 25-34 has grown from 25.4% to 27.3%, while the proportions of those aged 15-24 and 5-14 have declined to 14.4% and 6.4% respectively, down from 16.3% and 7.6%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in East Brisbane's age profile. The 45-54 cohort is projected to grow by 29%, adding 248 residents to reach a total of 1,094. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 5-14 and 0-4 cohorts.