Highland Park

Highland Park is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Highland Park's population, as estimated by AreaSearch using ABS updates and new validated addresses, is around 6,860 as of November 2025. This figure reflects an increase of 284 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 6,576. The increase is inferred from AreaSearch's estimated resident population of 6,855 in June 2024 and four additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,728 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Highland Park's growth rate of 4.3% since the Census places it within 1.7 percentage points of the SA3 area's growth rate of 6.0%. Natural growth contributed approximately 56% 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 by this data and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections from 2023 based on 2021 data are used. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits, so AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort. Looking ahead, the suburb of Highland Park is expected to experience population growth just below the median of regional areas across the nation. By 2041, it is projected to expand by 511 persons, reflecting a gain of 7.5% in total over the 17 years.

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

Highland Park has averaged approximately 6 new dwelling approvals annually. Between FY21 and FY25, around 32 homes were approved, with another 3 in FY26 so far. Each year, an average of 9.2 new residents arrives per dwelling constructed during this period.

This high demand outpaces supply, typically leading to price growth and increased buyer competition. The average value for new dwellings is $454,000, below the regional average, suggesting more affordable housing options. In FY26, there have been $79,000 in commercial approvals, reflecting Highland Park's residential nature. Compared to Rest of Qld, Highland Park has significantly less development activity, at 63.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity usually strengthens demand and prices for existing properties, though recent periods have seen an increase in development activity.

Nationally, this is also under the average, indicating the area's established nature and suggesting potential planning limitations. Recent building activity consists entirely of detached houses, preserving Highland Park's suburban nature with a focus on space-seeking buyers. With around 758 people per dwelling approval, it reflects a highly mature market. Future projections estimate Highland Park adding 511 residents by 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. Four projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact this region. Notable projects include Mooyumbin Creek Riparian Restoration, Hinkler Drive Retail Showroom Complex, Highland Park Investigation Area, and The Summit Highland Park. Details about these projects can be found below.

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The employment landscape in Highland Park shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Highland Park has a skilled workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 4.1% as of the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 1.7%.

As of June 2025, 3,594 residents were employed, while the unemployment rate was 0.1% higher than Rest of Qld's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation was at 62.4%, compared to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Key employment sectors included health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. Construction stood out with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing had limited presence, at 0.3% compared to the regional average of 4.5%. The area's predominantly residential nature suggested limited local employment opportunities. In the 12-month period ending Sep-22, employment increased by 1.7%, while the labour force grew by 1.9%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 0.1 percentage points. This contrasted with Rest of Qld, where employment rose by 1.8% and unemployment by 0.2 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia projected national growth rates of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Highland Park's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.5% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis

Highland Park's median income among taxpayers was $49,780 and average income stood at $62,246 in financial year 2022. These figures compare to Rest of Qld's median of $50,780 and average of $64,844 respectively. By September 2025, estimates based on a 13.99% Wage Price Index growth suggest Highland Park's median income could be approximately $56,744 and average income around $70,954. Census data indicates household, family, and personal incomes in Highland Park rank modestly, between the 32nd and 42nd percentiles. The largest income bracket comprises 33.1% of residents earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly (2,270 residents), slightly higher than the broader area's 31.7%. Housing affordability pressures are severe with only 82.9% of income remaining, ranking at the 41st percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the fifth decile.

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

Highland Park's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 85.1% houses and 14.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro Qld had 71.9% houses and 28.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Highland Park was 34.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 47.7% and rented ones at 17.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,800, lower than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,950. The median weekly rent figure was $430, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $435. Nationally, Highland Park's mortgage repayments were below the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Highland Park features high concentrations of family households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 77.5% of all households, including 34.0% couples with children, 30.1% couples without children, and 12.5% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 22.5%, with lone person households at 19.0% and group households comprising 3.1%. The median household size is 2.7 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.8.

Educational outcomes in Highland Park fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 19.0%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 13.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.4%) and graduate diplomas (2.0%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 42.1% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas (13.5%) and certificates (28.6%). Educational participation is high at 26.9%, including 9.5% in primary, 7.9% in secondary, and 3.9% in tertiary education.

William Duncan State School serves Highland Park with an enrollment of 578 students, operating under typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 974). It focuses exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available nearby. The area has fewer school places per 100 residents (8.4) than the regional average (14.0), indicating some students may attend schools in adjacent areas.

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

Highland Park has 12 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by four different routes that together facilitate 355 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of the transport system is considered good, with residents on average being located 398 meters from their nearest stop.

Each route operates approximately 29 weekly trips per stop, with an average service frequency of 50 trips per day across all routes.

Health outcomes in Highland Park are marginally below the national average with common health conditions slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts

Highland Park's health indicators show lower-than-average outcomes, with common health conditions more prevalent than usual across both younger and older age groups.

Private health cover is present at approximately 52% of the total population (~3,558 people), slightly below the average for SA2 areas. The most frequent medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 9.4 and 7.9% of residents respectively. A higher proportion, 67.2%, report being free from medical ailments compared to 69.5% in Rest of Qld. Highland Park has a larger senior population at 20.2%, with 1,385 people aged 65 and over, compared to the 16.7% average in Rest of Qld. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are above average and better than those of the general population.

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

Highland Park's cultural diversity was found to be above average, with 10.3% of its population speaking a language other than English at home as of the latest data available. This figure stood at 27.8% for those born overseas in Highland Park during the same period. Christianity was identified as the predominant religion in Highland Park, making up 50.6% of the population.

Notably, Judaism was found to be overrepresented in Highland Park compared to the rest of Queensland, with 0.2% of Highland Park's population identifying as such, while it comprised only 0.2% regionally. Regarding ancestry, the top three represented groups were English at 31.5%, Australian at 24.1%, and Other at 8.1%. Additionally, there were notable differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: New Zealand was overrepresented at 1.7% compared to the regional figure of 1.8%, Maori also stood at 1.9% in Highland Park, matching the regional percentage, and French were represented at 0.7%, higher than the region's 0.5%.

Highland Park hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Highland Park is 41 years, matching Rest of Qld's average but higher than Australia's average of 38 years. Compared to Rest of Qld, Highland Park has a larger proportion of residents aged 35-44 (14.1%) but fewer residents aged 65-74 (10.0%). According to the 2021 Census, the age group 35-44 grew from 13.0% to 14.1%, while the age groups 45-54 and 55-64 decreased from 13.2% to 12.0% and 13.1% to 11.9%, respectively. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Highland Park's age structure. Notably, the 25-34 age group is expected to grow by 26%, reaching 1,073 people from 850. Conversely, the 15-24 and 55-64 age groups are projected to decrease in population.