Ferny Grove

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

Ferny Grove's population is estimated at around 6,331 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 460 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,871. The change is inferred from AreaSearch estimates based on ERP data released by the ABS in June 2025 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,657 persons per square kilometer. Ferny Grove's growth rate of 7.8% since census positions it close to the SA3 area's growth rate of 8.1%. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 41.0% of overall population gains.

AreaSearch projections for Ferny Grove are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections released in 2023 using 2021 data for years post-2032. Projections indicate an above median population growth, with the suburb expected to increase by 852 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 11.7% over the 16-year period.

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

Ferny Grove has seen around 23 residential properties approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling approximately 117 homes. In FY-26 so far, nine approvals have been recorded. This results in an average of about 1.1 new residents per year for each new home approved between FY-21 and FY-25.

The average construction cost value of these new homes is $569,000, indicating a focus on the premium market with high-end developments. Comparing Ferny Grove's development levels to Greater Brisbane shows similar figures per capita, suggesting stable market conditions aligned with regional trends. However, recent construction activity has intensified, with 83.0% detached houses and 17.0% townhouses or apartments approved recently, maintaining the area's suburban character focused on family homes.

Ferny Grove currently has around 122 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market. By 2041, Ferny Grove is projected to gain approximately 743 residents according to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate. Construction pace is keeping up with growth projections, but increasing population may lead to growing competition among buyers.

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

Six projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the area significantly. These include Ferny Grove Central - Mixed Use Development, Ferny Grove Station Car Park Upgrade, Ferny Hills Precinct Planning Project, and Keperra Country Golf Club Residential Precinct. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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Despite maintaining a low unemployment rate of 3.5%, Ferny Grove has experienced recent job losses, resulting in a below average employment performance ranking when compared nationally

Ferny Grove has an educated workforce with professional services well-represented. Its unemployment rate is 3.5%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, 3,132 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 0.6% lower than Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.1%.

Workforce participation in Ferny Grove lags at 63.7%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 69.6%. Census responses show that 26.6% of residents work from home, considering Covid-19 lockdown impacts. Leading employment industries are health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and education & training. Ferny Grove has a strong specialization in public administration & safety with an employment share 1.7 times the regional level, while manufacturing's presence is limited at 2.9% compared to the regional 6.4%.

The area offers limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the working population versus resident population count. Over the 12 months to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 4.0% and employment declined by 3.7%, leading to a fall in unemployment rate of 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Brisbane recorded employment growth of 3.2%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall employment expansion by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Ferny Grove's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.1% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

Ferny Grove suburb has a median taxpayer income of $55,654 and an average income of $66,117, according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is slightly lower than the national average, contrasting with Greater Brisbane's median income of $58,236 and average income of $72,799. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $61,976 (median) and $73,628 (average) as of March 2026. Census data shows that household, family and personal incomes in Ferny Grove cluster around the 72nd percentile nationally. The income bracket of $1,500 - 2,999 dominates with 31.9% of residents (2,019 people), aligning with the region where this cohort likewise represents 33.3%. There is a substantial proportion of high earners (34.0% above $3,000/week) in Ferny Grove, indicating strong economic capacity throughout the suburb. After housing costs, residents retain 87.5% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Ferny Grove is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Ferny Grove's dwelling structure in its latest Census assessment comprised 87.8% houses and 12.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In contrast, Brisbane metro had 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Ferny Grove's home ownership rate was higher than Brisbane metro at 38.0%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (38.8%) or rented (23.2%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Ferny Grove was $2,000, exceeding Brisbane metro's average of $1,863. The median weekly rent figure for Ferny Grove was recorded at $400, compared to Brisbane metro's $380. Nationally, Ferny Grove's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 82.7% of all households, including 39.2% couples with children, 30.4% couples without children, and 12.5% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 17.3%, with lone person households at 15.9% and group households comprising 1.3%. The median household size is 2.8 people, larger than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.

Ferny Grove shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

The area's university qualification rate is 32.5%, significantly lower than the SA4 region average of 47.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 21.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.7%) and graduate diplomas (3.8%). Vocational credentials are held by 33.6% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 13.0% and certificates at 20.6%. Educational participation is high, with 29.5% currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 10.3% in primary, 9.7% in secondary, and 4.9% in tertiary education.

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

Ferny Grove has 21 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These are served by 25 different routes, collectively providing 1,901 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically living 370 meters from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential zone, most commuters travel outward. Cars remain the primary mode of transport at 80%, while trains account for 14%. On average, there are 1.5 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 26.6% of residents work from home, which may be due to COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 271 trips per day across all routes, translating to approximately 90 weekly trips per individual stop.

Ferny Grove's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Ferny Grove's health data shows positive outcomes overall, with mortality rates and health conditions similar to national averages. Common health conditions are less prevalent among residents compared to the general population but higher among older, at-risk groups.

Private health cover is held by approximately 53% of Ferny Grove's total population (~3,380 people), slightly higher than Greater Brisbane's average of 55.8%. Mental health issues and arthritis are the most common conditions in the area, affecting 9.6% and 7.5% of residents respectively, while 67.3% report no medical ailments compared to 69.2% across Greater Brisbane. Working-age population health outcomes are generally typical. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 18.5%, with 1,171 people, compared to Greater Brisbane's 15.1%. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges but rank lower nationally than the broader population.

In terms of cultural diversity, Ferny Grove records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Ferny Grove's cultural diversity aligns with the broader region, as 78.3% of its residents were born in Australia, 91.7% are citizens, and 90.4% speak English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Ferny Grove, accounting for 50.7% of the population. While Judaism's representation is similar to the Greater Brisbane average (0.1%), notable overrepresentation occurs among Welsh (0.8% vs regional 0.5%), Hungarian (0.4% vs 0.2%), and South Australian (0.9% vs 0.6%) ethnic groups.

The top three ancestry groups in Ferny Grove are English (28.9%), Australian (25.7%), and Irish (9.9%).

Ferny Grove's median age exceeds the national pattern

Ferny Grove's median age is 41, higher than Greater Brisbane's figure of 36 and Australia's figure of 38 years. The 45-54 cohort is notably over-represented in Ferny Grove at 15.5%, while the 25-34 year-olds are under-represented at 8.4%. From 2021 to present, the 15-24 age group has grown from 11.8% to 14.5%, and the 75-84 cohort increased from 5.0% to 6.2%. Conversely, the 65-74 cohort declined from 11.7% to 10.1%, and the 5-14 group dropped from 14.8% to 13.4%. By 2041, Ferny Grove's age profile is projected to evolve significantly. The 45-54 age cohort is projected to expand by 176 people (18%), from 981 to 1,158. Conversely, both the 0-4 and 35-44 age groups are projected to see reduced numbers.