Ellen Grove

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

As of Feb 2026, AreaSearch estimates the population of Ellen Grove at around 4,186 people. This represents a growth of 600 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,586. The current estimate is based on AreaSearch's validation of new addresses and examination of ABS's ERP data release from June 2024. Overseas migration contributed approximately 62% to Ellen Grove's population growth during recent periods. The suburb's population density stands at 1,231 persons per square kilometer, exceeding the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Ellen Grove's 16.7% growth since the 2021 Census surpassed both the SA3 area's 9.9% and the national average, positioning it as a growth leader in the region.

AreaSearch projects that Ellen Grove will grow by 353 persons to reach 4,539 by 2041, reflecting an increase of approximately 2.5% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Ellen Grove according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers indicates Ellen Grove averaged approximately 7 new dwelling approvals annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25, about 35 homes were approved, with one more in FY-26 to date. This results in an average of around 10.3 people moving to the area per dwelling built over these years.

The demand significantly outpaces supply, potentially driving up prices and increasing buyer competition. New homes are being constructed at an average value of $401,000, slightly above the regional average. Commercial approvals this financial year totaled $97.8 million, suggesting robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Ellen Grove has roughly half the building activity per person and ranks among the 9th percentile nationally, leading to relatively constrained buyer choice and interest in existing homes.

Building activity consists entirely of detached houses, maintaining the area's suburban character focused on family homes. Developers are constructing more detached housing than implied by the existing pattern (61.0% at Census), reflecting strong demand for family homes amid densification trends. The location has approximately 1937 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established market. Future projections estimate Ellen Grove will add around 104 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing favorable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond current projections.

Ellen Grove has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified five projects likely to affect this region. Key initiatives include Waterford Business Park, Wacol Warehouse Complex at 200 Tile Street, Ellen Grove Estate Townhouses, and Springfield Parkway and Springfield Greenbank Arterial Duplication. Relevant projects are listed below.

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 analysis reveals Ellen Grove recording weaker employment conditions than most comparable areas nationwide

Ellen Grove has an unemployment rate of 8.6% as of September 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 2.9% over the past year based on AreaSearch data aggregation. The area's workforce participation rate is 54.9%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 70.7%. As of September 2025, 1,576 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 4.6% higher than Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.0%.

A low 9.9% of residents work from home according to Census responses. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, manufacturing, and retail trade, with a strong specialization in manufacturing at 1.8 times the regional level. Professional & technical employment stands at 5.2%, compared to the regional average of 8.9%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data comparison between working population and resident population.

During the year to September 2025, employment levels increased by 2.9% and labour force grew by 1.9%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.9 percentage points. By contrast, Greater Brisbane saw employment growth of 3.8%, labour force growth of 3.3%, and a reduction in unemployment of 0.5 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, covering May-25 to May-30 and May-35 periods, project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Ellen Grove's industry mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.1% over five years and 13.2% over ten years, though these are simple weighted extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released on 30 June 2023, Ellen Grove had a median income among taxpayers of $55,129 and an average income of $61,771. These figures are lower than the national averages of $58,236 and $72,799 respectively for Greater Brisbane. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since financial year 2023, estimated median and average incomes in Ellen Grove as of September 2025 would be approximately $60,592 and $67,893 respectively. Census data indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in Ellen Grove fall between the 14th and 24th percentiles nationally. Income distribution shows that 34.4% of residents (1,439 people) earn between $1,500 and $2,999, similar to regional levels where 33.3% occupy this bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Ellen Grove, with only 77.2% of income remaining, ranking at the 17th percentile nationally.

Ellen Grove displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Ellen Grove's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 61.3% houses and 38.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Brisbane metro's 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Ellen Grove stood at 11.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 18.7% and rented ones at 69.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,491, lower than Brisbane metro's average of $1,863, while the median weekly rent figure was $350, compared to Brisbane metro's $380. Nationally, Ellen Grove's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.

Ellen Grove features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 75.7% of all households, consisting of 29.5% couples with children, 19.2% couples without children, and 25.0% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 24.3%, with lone person households at 19.7% and group households comprising 4.6% of the total. The median household size is 2.9 people, which is larger than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6 people.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 19.5%, significantly lower than Greater Brisbane's average of 30.5%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 13.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.8%) and graduate diplomas (1.3%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 36.0% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (11.4%) and certificates (24.6%). Educational participation is high, with 34.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including primary (11.6%), secondary (9.7%), and tertiary education (5.3%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 34.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.6% in primary education, 9.7% in secondary education, and 5.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Ellen Grove has 15 active public transport stops, all serving buses. Two routes operate here, offering a total of 310 weekly passenger trips. Residents have excellent accessibility to these stops, with an average distance of 194 meters to the nearest one. Most residents commute outwards from this primarily residential area. Cars are the dominant mode of transport, used by 85% of residents, while trains account for 7%. The average vehicle ownership is 1.2 per dwelling, lower than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, only 9.9% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Across all routes, there are an average of 44 trips per day, equating to approximately 20 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Ellen Grove is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Ellen Grove faces significant health challenges, according to AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are high across both younger and older age groups.

Private health cover is relatively low at approximately 52% of the total population (~2,163 people), compared to 55.8% in Greater Brisbane. The most common medical conditions are asthma (9.4%) and mental health issues (8.6%). A higher proportion, 70.8%, report being free from medical ailments than in Greater Brisbane (69.2%). Working-age residents have a notably high prevalence of chronic health conditions. Residents aged 65 and over comprise 11.4% of the population (477 people), lower than Greater Brisbane's 15.2%. Health outcomes among seniors present challenges, broadly in line with national rankings.

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

Ellen Grove ranks high in cultural diversity, with 41.3% of its population born overseas and 39.7% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Ellen Grove, accounting for 44.5% of residents. However, Buddhism is notably overrepresented, comprising 6.9% of the population compared to 2.0% across Greater Brisbane.

In terms of ancestry, Australian (18.7%), English (18.0%), and Other (17.5%) are the top groups in Ellen Grove, with notable differences from regional averages: Australian is lower than the regional average by 8.1%, while Other is higher by 8.1%. Additionally, certain ethnic groups show significant representation gaps: Samoan (5.2% vs regional 0.9%), Vietnamese (6.9% vs 0.8%), and Maori (1.5% vs 1.1%).

Ellen Grove hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Ellen Grove's median age is 31 years, which is younger than Greater Brisbane's average of 36 and Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Ellen Grove has a higher percentage of residents aged 0-4 (8.8%) but fewer residents aged 75-84 (3.4%). According to data from the 2021 Census, demographic aging is evident in Ellen Grove, with the median age increasing from 30 to 31 years. Notable shifts include the 75-84 age group growing from 2.1% to 3.4% of the population and the 25-34 cohort declining from 17.5% to 13.7%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Ellen Grove, with the 75-84 age group projected to grow by 53%, adding 75 residents to reach 218. Residents aged 65 and above are expected to drive 63% of population growth, highlighting demographic aging trends. Meanwhile, the 5-14 and 15-24 cohorts are forecasted to experience population declines.