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This analysis uses Suburbs and Localities (SAL) boundaries, which can materially differ from Statistical Areas (SA2) even when sharing the same name.
SAL boundaries are defined by Australia Post and the Australian Bureau of Statistics to represent commonly-known suburb names used in postal addresses.
Statistical Areas (SA2) are designed for census data collection and may combine multiple suburbs or use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
2021 Census | -- people
Sales Activity
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Population
Highgate Hill has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends
As of May 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Highgate Hill is around 7,436, reflecting a 19.4% increase from the 2021 Census figure of 6,229 people. This growth was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 7,420 residents, based on examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025 and an additional 44 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density ratio is 6,045 persons per square kilometer, placing Highgate Hill in the top 10% nationally according to AreaSearch. This growth exceeded both national (9.3%) and state averages, making it a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration was the primary driver of this growth. For projections, AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for each SA2 area.
For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections from 2023 based on 2021 data are adopted, with proportional growth weightings applied in line with ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 using 2022 data. By 2041, the suburb is forecast to increase by 1,709 persons, reflecting a total gain of 22.8% over the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Development
Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Highgate Hill when compared nationally
AreaSearch analysis shows Highgate Hill recorded approximately 19 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 96 homes were approved, with another 18 so far in FY26. This results in an average of about 5.2 new residents arriving per dwelling constructed each year during this period.
Supply is substantially lagging demand, indicating heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures. Developers are focusing on the premium market, with new properties constructed at an average value of $776,000. Commercial development approvals totalled $80,000 in FY26, suggesting a predominantly residential focus. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Highgate Hill has significantly less development activity, 80.0% below the regional average per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established dwellings. The area's recent construction comprises 20.0% detached dwellings and 80.0% attached dwellings, marking a significant departure from existing housing patterns (currently 38.0% houses). Population forecasts indicate Highgate Hill will gain approximately 1,693 residents by 2041.
At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Highgate Hill
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| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
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SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
Infrastructure
Highgate Hill has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally
Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 19 projects likely affecting the region. Notable initiatives include Flourish Symphony, Halo at 10 Cordelia Street, Highgate Hill Terraces, and Urban Forest. The following list details those expected to be most relevant.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Glasshouse Theatre at QPAC
A new 1,500-seat lyric theatre completed in January 2026 as QPACs fifth venue, designed by Blight Rayner in collaboration with Snohetta (Oslo). The Glasshouse Theatre features an iconic curved glass facade inspired by the waves of the Brisbane River, a transparent foyer, a single-balcony auditorium with superior acoustics, and 90 tonnes of locally sourced grey ironbark timber. A bronze First Nations sculpture titled Floriate by Torres Strait Islander artist Brian Robinson was installed in the entry forecourt in February 2026. Funded by a $159 million Queensland Government investment and $25 million from QPAC, the $184 million venue makes QPAC the largest performing arts centre under one roof in Australia. A free Community Day was held on 7 March 2026, with the opening performance season commencing 27 March 2026. The venue is expected to attract an additional 300,000 visitors per year, bringing total QPAC visitation to 1.6 million annually.
Mater Hill Master Plan
Long-term staged redevelopment of the historic Mater Hill campus in South Brisbane into a contemporary, integrated health, education, research and wellbeing precinct. The Master Plan encompasses a new Clinical Services Building, expanded Emergency Department, Mother Baby and Family Unit, demolition of legacy buildings, and enhanced landscaping and public realm. Near-term delivery is guided by the Priority Pathways Plan, with active milestones including a new Coronary Care Unit (August 2025), ward refurbishments (September 2025), a new ICU and premium suites (October 2025), and additional operating theatres and endoscopy suites planned for 2026.
Future South Bank Master Plan
The Future South Bank Master Plan is South Bank Corporation's long-term blueprint for the 42-hectare South Bank precinct in South Brisbane. Released in mid-2024 after extensive consultation, it guides renewal of key areas including the Northern Gateway, Southern Gateway and Grey Street, with a focus on more greenery, better active transport, stronger links to surrounding precincts and protection of South Bank's cultural and riverside character. South Bank Corporation is actively planning operational initiatives, while future delivery projects remain subject to Queensland Government and South Bank Corporation consideration, precinct opportunities, funding and approvals.
Brisbane 2032 International Broadcast Centre / Main Media Centre (IBC/MMC)
The International Broadcast Centre (IBC) and Main Media Centre (MMC) will serve as the central media hubs for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. After the cancellation of the originally proposed Montague Road site in late 2025 to prioritize residential housing, the Queensland Government and the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority (GIICA) transitioned the IBC/MMC into the existing Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre (BCEC). As of early 2026, the facility is undergoing significant infrastructure renewal and technological upgrades to support the global broadcast requirements and ensure a sustainable legacy for Brisbane's events and creative industries.
164 Melbourne Street South Brisbane
Approved Aria Property Group mixed-use precinct on the Melbourne, Manning and Edmondstone Streets block in South Brisbane. The scheme includes three towers of about 24, 40 and 50 storeys with 678 apartments, a 216-room hotel, retail, dining, office, indoor recreation and public open-space uses. Key elements include a central public courtyard/park, laneways, public realm upgrades and adaptive reuse or retention of heritage elements including the former Bonds Sweet Factory frontage. A separate Stage 1 compliance assessment for filling and excavation has also been approved.
Boundary Street Social Housing Development
An eight-storey social housing development at 65-67 Boundary Street, West End, proposing 56 affordable apartments (35 one-bedroom and 21 studio units) for vulnerable individuals. The project is lodged by SH Boundary Street Pty Ltd and the Trustee for K2H Development Trust, designed by Hayes Anderson Lynch Architects, and will be managed by Bric Housing. Seeking approval via the Ministerial Infrastructure Designation (MID) process under the Queensland Government's QuickStarts QLD program. The building will reach approximately 27.5 metres and includes 13 car spaces, 29 bicycle spaces, and a ground-floor flexible-use room. Deep planting zones and new street trees are proposed to soften the streetscape interface. Construction is to commence following designation approval, with target completion before mid-2027.
South Brisbane Recreation Centre Redevelopment
Comprehensive redevelopment of the South Brisbane recreation precinct at Musgrave Park, aimed at enhancing community facilities and sports amenities. The project focuses on integrating modern recreational spaces with the existing aquatic centre to meet the demands of a growing inner-city population. Current planning activities involve site assessment and community consultation, with potential funding support identified through the SEQ Liveability Fund to deliver high-quality urban amenities ahead of the 2032 Olympic Games.
Urban Forest
A landmark 30-storey sustainable residential tower featuring 321 apartments and a vertical forest of over 1,000 trees and 20,000 plants. Designed by Koichi Takada Architects for Aria Property Group, the project aims to be the worlds greenest residential building with a 6-star Green Star rating. The development includes a 1,452 square meter public ground-floor park, a visitor information centre dedicated to biodiversity, and extensive rooftop resident amenities.
Employment
The labour market performance in Highgate Hill lags significantly behind most other regions nationally
Highgate Hill has a highly educated workforce with professional services showing strong representation. Its unemployment rate is 7.8%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, 4,504 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 3.7% higher than Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.1%.
Workforce participation is fairly standard at 73.2%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 69.6%. A high proportion of residents work from home, with 27.4% doing so according to Census responses. Key industries for employment among Highgate Hill residents are health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. The area has a particularly strong specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share 1.8 times the regional level.
However, construction is under-represented, with only 5.0% of Highgate Hill's workforce compared to Greater Brisbane's 9.0%. There appears to be limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over a 12-month period ending in May-25, labour force increased by 1.3% while employment decreased by 0.7%, resulting in an unemployment rate rise of 1.9 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Brisbane experienced employment growth of 3.2% and labour force growth of 3.0%, with a slight drop in unemployment rate. According to Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25, national employment is projected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Highgate Hill's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.3% over five years and 14.7% over ten years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Income
The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis
Highgate Hill suburb shows a median taxpayer income of $49,811 and an average of $71,911 according to latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is higher than national averages, 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 $55,470 (median) and $80,080 (average) as of March 2026. According to 2021 Census figures, incomes in Highgate Hill cluster around the 66th percentile nationally. Income analysis reveals that 29.0% of residents (2,156 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket, mirroring regional levels where 33.3% occupy this bracket. Highgate Hill demonstrates affluence with 31.3% earning over $3,000 per week. Housing costs consume 16.8% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 60th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Housing
Highgate Hill features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region
Highgate Hill's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 37.9% houses and 62.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Brisbane metro had 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Highgate Hill was at 25.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 23.5% and rented ones at 51.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,376, higher than Brisbane metro's average of $1,863. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $380, matching Brisbane metro's figure. Nationally, Highgate Hill's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Household Composition
Highgate Hill features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size
Family households account for 57.1% of all households, including 22.3% couples with children, 24.0% couples without children, and 9.3% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 42.9%, with lone person households at 31.9% and group households comprising 11.0%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
Local Schools & Education
Highgate Hill demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics
Highgate Hill's educational attainment is notably higher than broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15+, 54.7% hold university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in Queensland (QLD) and 30.4% nationwide. The area's most common qualification type is bachelor degrees at 32.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 17.2% and graduate diplomas at 4.8%. Vocational pathways account for 19.6% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 8.8% and certificates at 10.8%.
Educational participation is high, with 36.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 14.5% in tertiary education, 9.3% in secondary education, and 6.6% pursuing primary education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Nearby Services & Amenities
Transport
Transport servicing is moderate compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility
Highgate Hill has 21 active public transport stops serving a mix of bus routes. These stops are covered by three different routes, offering a total of 821 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically living 123 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward daily due to its residential nature. Car remains the most used mode of transport at 59%, followed by walking at 13% and bus at 12%. On average, there are 0.9 vehicles per dwelling, which is below the regional average.
According to the 2021 Census, a high 27.4% of residents work from home, possibly due to COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 117 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 39 weekly trips per individual stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
Health
Highgate Hill's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups
Analysis shows Highgate Hill performed strongly on health metrics based on AreaSearch's assessment.
Mortality rates were low across all age groups, as was prevalence of common chronic conditions. Private health cover was found to be high at approximately 56% (~4141 people). Mental health issues and asthma were the most prevalent medical conditions, impacting 10.3% and 7.1% respectively. 73.4% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.2% across Greater Brisbane. The under-65 population had better than average health outcomes. 11.8% were aged 65 and over (877 people), lower than Greater Brisbane's 15.1%. Health outcomes among seniors were particularly strong, ranking higher than the general population nationally.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Cultural Diversity
Highgate Hill was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics
Highgate Hill's population was found to have a higher cultural diversity than most local markets, with 26.7% speaking a language other than English at home and 35.2% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion in Highgate Hill, comprising 32.9% of its population. Notably, Buddhism was more prevalent in Highgate Hill at 4.8%, compared to Greater Brisbane's average of 2.0%.
The top three ancestry groups were English (21.7%), Australian (17.6%), and Other (11.3%). There were significant differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Greek was notably higher at 4.8% compared to the regional average of 0.6%, French was at 0.8% versus 0.5%, and Vietnamese was at 2.1% compared to 0.8%.
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
Age
Highgate Hill's population is slightly younger than the national pattern
Highgate Hill's 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 21.2% of Highgate Hill's population, higher than Greater Brisbane's percentage and well above the national average of 14.6%. However, the 5-14 cohort is less prevalent at 7.9%. Between 2021 and present, the 25-34 age group has increased from 18.4% to 21.2%, while the 15-24 cohort rose from 15.9% to 18.0%. Conversely, the 5-14 cohort decreased from 9.9% to 7.9%, and the 35-44 group fell from 14.6% to 12.8%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes for Highgate Hill. The 45-54 age cohort is projected to increase by 412 people (38%) from 1,078 to 1,491. Meanwhile, the 0-4 cohort grows by a modest 5% (7 people).