Fairfield (Qld)

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

As of May 2026, the population of Fairfield (Qld) is estimated at around 2,846 people. This reflects a decrease since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,106 people. The current estimate is based on AreaSearch's validation of new addresses following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025 and an additional 5 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,411 persons per square kilometer, placing Fairfield (Qld) in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 81.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections are adopted. These were released in 2023 and based on 2021 data. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits, so AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort, released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Considering projected demographic shifts, Fairfield (Qld) is expected to experience above median population growth. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb is expected to grow by 384 persons to reach a total population of 3,230 by 2041, reflecting an increase of 13.5% over the 16-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Fairfield, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Fairfield has received around 53 dwelling approvals per year on average over the past five financial years ending June 2021, totalling an estimated 266 homes. As of August 2022, no dwellings have been approved in FY-26. Despite population decline, development activity has been adequate relative to population change.

Fairfield has registered $1.4 million in commercial approvals this financial year, indicating a primarily residential focus. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Fairfield's construction activity per person is 135% higher, offering ample choice for buyers. However, recent periods have seen moderated development activity.

Nationally, Fairfield's activity is substantially higher, suggesting strong developer confidence in the location. AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate projects Fairfield to add 383 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth exceeding current forecasts.

Fairfield 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 identified 18 projects likely impacting the area. Key projects include Princess Alexandra Hospital Expansion, Cross River Rail, Cross River Rail - Dutton Park Station, and Coles Annerley Supermarket. The following list details 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.

Employment performance in Fairfield has been broadly consistent with national averages

Fairfield has a highly educated workforce with professional services showing strong representation. The unemployment rate is 3.8%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, 1,827 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 0.3% below Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.1%.

Workforce participation in Fairfield is 76.0%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 69.6%. According to Census responses, 25.9% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Key industries of employment among residents are health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services. Fairfield shows strong specialization in education & training, with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level.

Conversely, construction is under-represented, with only 5.1% of Fairfield's workforce compared to Greater Brisbane's 9.0%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, the labour force decreased by 2.7% while employment declined by 2.7%, with unemployment remaining essentially unchanged. In comparison, Greater Brisbane recorded employment growth of 3.2% and labour force growth of 3.0%, with unemployment falling 0.1 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest potential future demand within Fairfield. These projections estimate national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Fairfield's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 7.1% over five years and 14.5% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

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

AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows Fairfield had a median income among taxpayers of $58,533 and an average income of $74,320. These figures are above the national averages of $58,236 and $72,799 respectively in Greater Brisbane. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Fairfield would be approximately $65,182 (median) and $82,763 (average) as of March 2026. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Fairfield rank highly nationally, between the 76th and 81st percentiles for households, families, and individuals. Income analysis reveals that 33.7% of Fairfield residents (959 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 earnings band, similar to regional levels at 33.3%. Economic strength is evident with 34.2% of households earning high weekly incomes exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. Housing expenses account for 15.1% of income, while strong earnings place residents in the 81st percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

Fairfield's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 62.9% houses and 37.1% other dwellings. In Brisbane metro, this was 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Fairfield stood at 22.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 34.7% and rented ones at 42.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,100, higher than Brisbane metro's average of $1,863. The median weekly rent figure for Fairfield was $410, compared to Brisbane metro's $380. Nationally, Fairfield's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Fairfield features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 60.5% of all households, including 25.4% couples with children, 24.8% couples without children, and 7.6% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 39.5%, with lone person households at 24.9% and group households at 14.9%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.

Fairfield demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Fairfield's educational attainment is notably high, with 52.6% of residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications, compared to the Queensland average of 25.7% and the national average of 30.4%. This indicates a significant educational advantage for Fairfield residents. Bachelor degrees are the most common qualification at 31.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (15.8%) and graduate diplomas (4.9%). Vocational pathways account for 21.1% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas making up 7.8% and certificates accounting for 13.3%.

Educational participation is high in Fairfield, with 34.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 15.3% in tertiary education, 6.6% in primary education, and 5.5% pursuing secondary education.

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

Public transport analysis shows 30 active stops operating within Fairfield. These include train and bus services, with 27 routes providing a total of 3,968 weekly passenger trips. Residents have excellent transport accessibility, typically living 132 meters from the nearest stop. As a residential area, most commute outward: car is dominant at 63%, followed by bus at 11% and train at 10%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.2 per dwelling, below the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, 25.9% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 566 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 132 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Fairfield shows better-than-average health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence.

Both young and old age cohorts have low prevalence of common health conditions. Private health cover is high at approximately 57% of the total population (~1,612 people). The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues (10.2%) and asthma (8.2%). 72.9% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 69.2% across Greater Brisbane. Under-65s have better-than-average health outcomes. Only 8.9% of residents are aged 65 and over (253 people), lower than the 15.1% in Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, aligning with national rankings for the general population.

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

Fairfield's population was found to be more culturally diverse than most local markets, with 28.1% born overseas and 18.7% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Fairfield, making up 36.0% of its population. However, Judaism was overrepresented, comprising 0.2% compared to 0.1% across Greater Brisbane.

The top three ancestry groups were English (25.5%), Australian (20.3%), and Other (11.4%). Notably, French (1.1%) and Welsh (0.8%) were overrepresented compared to the regional averages of 0.5%, while Russian was also notably present at 0.6% versus 0.3%.

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

Fairfield's median age at 32 years is lower than both Greater Brisbane's average of 36 and Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Fairfield has a higher percentage of residents aged 25-34 (23.0%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (8.1%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.6%. Between 2021 and present, the proportion of Fairfield's population aged 15 to 24 has increased from 18.2% to 19.5%, while the proportion of residents aged 45 to 54 has decreased from 12.1% to 11.1%. Projections suggest that by 2041, Fairfield's age profile will change significantly. The 45-54 age cohort is expected to grow steadily, increasing by 110 people (35%) from 315 to 426. Conversely, the 0-4 age cohort is projected to grow modestly, adding just 1 person.