Eight Mile Plains

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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, the estimated population of Eight Mile Plains statistical area (Lv2) as of November 2025 is around 16,579. This reflects an increase of 1,253 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 15,326. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of resident population at 16,473 following examination of ABS's latest ERP data release in June 2024 and an additional 157 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2,178 persons per square kilometer, above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Eight Mile Plains' 8.2% growth since census positions it within 1.5 percentage points of the national average (9.7%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 86.0% 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 and 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. Moving forward with demographic trends, an above median population growth of national areas is projected, with Eight Mile Plains (SA2) expected to grow by 2,672 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 16.7% in total over the 17 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers from statistical area data indicates Eight Mile Plains has experienced approximately 53 dwellings receiving development approval per year. Over the past five financial years, between FY21 and FY25, around 265 homes were approved, with an additional 17 approved in FY26 so far. This results in an estimated average of three new residents per year for every home built over these five financial years, indicating significant demand outpacing supply, which typically exerts upward pressure on prices and intensifies competition among buyers.

The average construction value of new dwellings is approximately $603,000, suggesting developers focus on the premium market with high-end developments. In FY26 alone, commercial approvals totaling $34.3 million have been registered, demonstrating robust local commercial activity.

Recent construction comprises 88.0% detached dwellings and 12.0% medium to high-density housing, maintaining the area's suburban character while favoring detached housing, which attracts space-seeking buyers. This trend differs from current patterns (65.0% at Census) but reflects ongoing robust demand for family homes despite increasing density pressures. The location has approximately 660 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established market. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Eight Mile Plains is expected to grow by 2,775 residents through to 2041. Building activity is keeping pace with growth projections, although buyers may face increased competition as the population grows.

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

AreaSearch has identified a total of 58 projects likely to impact the area, significantly influencing its performance through changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. Key projects include Retirement Village & Medical Centre at 161 Underwood Road, The Collective Residences, Eight Mile Plains Gateway Neighbourhood Plan, and 18 MacGregor Street Mixed-Use Development. Below is a list detailing 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.

AreaSearch assessment positions Eight Mile Plains ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

Eight Mile Plains has a highly educated workforce with well-represented essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 3.1%, reflecting relative employment stability over the past year, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

As of September 2025, 9,118 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 0.9% lower than Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.0%. Workforce participation is somewhat below standard at 62.5%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 64.5%. Leading employment industries include health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and retail trade. The area has a notable concentration in accommodation & food services, with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average.

Conversely, construction is under-represented, with only 6.7% of Eight Mile Plains' workforce compared to Greater Brisbane's 9.0%. The ratio of 0.8 workers per resident indicates a level of local employment opportunities above the norm. Over the past year, employment increased by 0.3%, while labour force grew by 0.8%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Brisbane experienced employment growth of 3.8% and labour force growth of 3.3%, with a drop in unemployment rate of 0.5 percentage points. State-level data from 25-Nov shows Queensland's employment contracted by 0.01% (losing 1,210 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%, closely aligned with the national rate of 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates across industry sectors. Applying these projections to Eight Mile Plains' employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

As per AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ending June 2023, the suburb of Eight Mile Plains' median income among taxpayers is $45,727. The average income in this period was $57,006. This is lower than national averages. Comparing with Greater Brisbane's figures, Eight Mile Plains had a median income of $58,236 and an average of $72,799 during the same year. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since financial year ending June 2023, current estimates suggest approximately $50,259 as median income and $62,655 as average income by September 2025. According to Australian Bureau of Statistics Census data from 2021, Eight Mile Plains' household income ranks at the 60th percentile ($1,917 weekly), while personal income sits at the 42nd percentile. Income distribution shows that 34.5% of locals (5,719 people) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 category, similar to broader trends across the region where 33.3% are in this income bracket. After housing costs, 85.3% of income remains for other expenses. The suburb's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Eight Mile Plains displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with strong rates of outright home ownership

Eight Mile Plains dwellings were 64.6% houses and 35.4% other dwellings in the latest Census evaluation. Home ownership was at 32.8%, with 32.4% of dwellings mortgaged and 34.8% rented. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,803, and the median weekly rent was $420. Nationally, Eight Mile Plains's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially higher than the national figure of $375.

Eight Mile Plains features high concentrations of group households, with a median household size of 2.8 people

Family households constitute 75.8% of all households, including 38.9% couples with children, 25.2% couples without children, and 10.1% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 24.2%, with lone person households at 18.7% and group households making up 5.4%. The median household size is 2.8 people.

The educational profile of Eight Mile Plains exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Educational attainment in Eight Mile Plains is notably higher than broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15+, 43.5% hold university qualifications compared to 25.7% in Queensland (QLD) and 30.4% nationally. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 27.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 13.1% and graduate diplomas at 2.7%. Vocational pathways account for 24.5% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 11.0% and certificates at 13.5%.

Educational participation is high, with 31.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.1% in primary education, 7.8% in tertiary education, and 6.8% pursuing secondary education.

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

The analysis of public transport in Eight Mile Plains shows that there are 47 active transport stops currently operating. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with a total of 10 individual routes providing service. Each week, these routes facilitate 1,478 passenger trips collectively.

The accessibility to transport is rated as good, with residents typically located approximately 225 meters from the nearest transport stop. On average, there are 211 trips per day across all routes, which equates to roughly 31 weekly trips per individual stop.

Eight Mile Plains's residents are extremely healthy with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics indicates strong performance in Eight Mile Plains, with younger cohorts experiencing a very low prevalence of common health conditions. Approximately 50% (~8,254 people) have private health cover, compared to the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 5.5% and 5.4% of residents respectively. 77.5% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, higher than the 0% reported across Greater Brisbane. 16.7% (2,768 people) are aged 65 and over.

Eight Mile 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

Eight Mile Plains has a culturally diverse population, with 57.6% speaking a language other than English at home and 54.4% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion in Eight Mile Plains, comprising 39.9% of its population. There is an overrepresentation in Other religions, which makes up 4.7% compared to None% across Greater Brisbane.

The top three ancestry groups are Chinese (23.6%), Other (15.2%), and English (14.6%). Notably, Korean (5.0%) Indian (6.6%) and Serbian (0.6%) ethnicities are overrepresented in Eight Mile Plains compared to the regional averages of None%.

Eight Mile Plains's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Eight Mile Plains' median age is 36 years, equal to Greater Brisbane's but younger than the national average of 38 years. The 25-34 age group makes up 17.5% of Eight Mile Plains' population compared to Greater Brisbane, while the 5-14 cohort stands at 11.4%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 12.5% to 13.5%, whereas the 0-4 cohort has decreased from 5.8% to 4.7%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic shifts for Eight Mile Plains. The 75-84 age cohort is projected to rise by 759 people (83%), from 911 to 1,671. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 54% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Conversely, both 0-4 and 25-34 age groups are expected to decrease in numbers.