Hillcrest (Qld)

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

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Hillcrest (Qld) is around 7,330. This figure represents a 16.9% increase since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 6,268 people. The latest resident population estimate by AreaSearch, following examination of June 2024 ABS ERP data release and additional validated new addresses since the Census date, is 7,207. This results in a density ratio of 2,241 persons per square kilometer, exceeding national averages assessed by AreaSearch. Hillcrest's growth rate since the 2021 census surpassed both national (9.9%) and state averages, positioning it as a regional growth leader. Interstate migration contributed approximately 50% to recent population gains in the suburb.

AreaSearch projections for Hillcrest are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024 with a 2022 base year until 2032, after which Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections from 2023 (based on 2021 data) are adopted. By 2041, the suburb is projected to increase by 1,394 persons, reflecting a total increase of 14.4% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Hillcrest among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers in Hillcrest shows approximately 81 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling about 407 homes. As of FY26, 18 approvals have been recorded. The average new residents per year per new home has been around 1.8 over the past five financial years (FY21 to FY25), indicating a balanced supply and demand in the market. However, this figure has increased to 4.7 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, suggesting growing popularity and potential undersupply. The average construction value of new properties is $320,000.

This year alone, there have been $1.7 million in commercial approvals, highlighting Hillcrest's residential nature. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Hillcrest records about three-quarters the building activity per person and places among the 79th percentile of areas assessed nationally, indicating robust developer interest. Recent construction comprises 63% standalone homes and 37% medium to high-density housing, with a growing mix of townhouses and apartments offering options across different price points. This shift reflects decreasing availability of developable sites and changing lifestyles. Hillcrest has around 142 people per approval, indicating it is a developing area.

Population forecasts estimate Hillcrest will gain 1,059 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Hillcrest 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 eight projects likely influencing the area. Notable ones are Ember by Azure (formerly Augusta Parkway Estate Expansion), The Avenues at Browns Plains, Logan Metro Sports Park, and Browns Plains Central. Below is a list detailing 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.

AreaSearch analysis indicates Hillcrest maintains employment conditions that align with national benchmarks

Hillcrest's workforce is balanced across white and blue-collar jobs. Manufacturing and industrial sectors are prominent. The unemployment rate was 3.6% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 3.4%.

As of September 2025, 3,814 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 3.6%, 0.4% below Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.0%. Workforce participation was at 70.7%, similar to Greater Brisbane. Census data shows 8.7% of residents worked from home. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and manufacturing, with manufacturing employment at 1.7 times the regional average.

Professional & technical services employ just 2.6% of local workers, below Greater Brisbane's 8.9%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities. Over a 12-month period ending in September 2025, employment increased by 3.4%, labour force by 2.2%, reducing the unemployment rate by 1.1 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Brisbane had employment growth of 3.8%, labour force growth of 3.3%, and a reduction in unemployment of 0.5 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates across sectors. Applying these projections to Hillcrest's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.9% over five years and 12.6% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data for financial year 2023 shows Hillcrest had a median taxpayer income of $49,621 and an average income of $55,007. These figures are below the national averages of $58,236 and $72,799 in Greater Brisbane respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since financial year 2023, estimated median and average incomes for Hillcrest as of September 2025 are approximately $54,538 and $60,458 respectively. Census data indicates modest rankings for household, family, and personal incomes in Hillcrest, between the 39th and 42nd percentiles. Income analysis reveals that 40.8% of residents (2,990 people) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket, similar to regional patterns where 33.3% occupy this range. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Hillcrest, with only 81.7% of income remaining, ranking at the 38th percentile.

Hillcrest is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Hillcrest's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 82.0% houses and 18.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Brisbane metro's 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Hillcrest stood at 18.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 42.1% and rented ones at 39.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,532, below Brisbane metro's average of $1,863. Median weekly rent in Hillcrest was $350, compared to Brisbane metro's $380. Nationally, Hillcrest's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 74.1% of all households, including 34.6% couples with children, 21.5% couples without children, and 16.2% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 25.9%, with lone person households at 21.8% and group households comprising 4.3%. The median household size is 2.7 people, which is larger than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.

Hillcrest 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 15.0%, significantly lower than Greater Brisbane's average of 30.5%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 10.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.8%) and graduate diplomas (1.4%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 41.7% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (11.1%) and certificates (30.6%). Educational participation is high, with 30.0% currently enrolled in formal education: 12.0% in primary, 7.5% in secondary, and 3.6% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 30.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.0% in primary education, 7.5% in secondary education, and 3.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

The analysis of public transport in Hillcrest shows that there are currently 23 active transport stops operating within the area. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with a total of 7 individual routes providing service. Collectively, these routes facilitate 1,027 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of transport in Hillcrest is rated as good, with residents typically located approximately 209 meters from their nearest transport stop. As predominantly a residential area, most residents commute outward. The car remains the primary mode of transportation for these residents, with 91% relying on it.

On average, there are 1.5 vehicles owned per dwelling in Hillcrest. According to the 2021 Census, only 8.7% of residents work from home, which may be reflective of COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes averages 146 trips per day, equating to approximately 44 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Hillcrest is well below average with considerably higher than average prevalence of common health conditions and to an even higher degree among older age cohorts

Hillcrest faces significant health challenges based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are substantially higher than average, particularly among older age cohorts. Approximately 49% of Hillcrest residents have private health cover, compared to 55.8% in Greater Brisbane and a national average of 55.7%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most common conditions, affecting 9.7% and 8.9% of residents respectively. 68.5% of residents claim to be free from medical ailments, compared to 69.2% in Greater Brisbane. Working-age residents have an above-average prevalence of chronic health conditions. Hillcrest has 11.5% of residents aged 65 and over (842 people), lower than the 15.2% in Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among seniors present challenges, ranking lower nationally than the broader population.

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

Hillcrest's population was found to be more linguistically diverse than most local markets, with 23.2% speaking a language other than English at home as of the latest data available in June 20XX. This figure is higher compared to the regional average of approximately 17%. Additionally, 33.1% of Hillcrest's population was born overseas, which is notably higher than Greater Brisbane's average of around 25%.

Christianity was identified as the dominant religion in Hillcrest, with 43.6% of people adhering to this faith. However, there was a significant overrepresentation in the 'Other' category, comprising 2.9% of Hillcrest's population compared to just 1.3% across Greater Brisbane. In terms of ancestry based on country of birth of parents, the top three groups represented in Hillcrest were English (23.6%), Australian (22.9%), and Other (12.5%). Notably, certain ethnic groups showed significant divergences from regional averages: Maori was overrepresented at 2.8% compared to 1.1%, New Zealanders made up 1.5% versus 1.0%, and Samoans constituted 1.7% versus 0.9%.

Hillcrest's young demographic places it in the bottom 15% of areas nationwide

Hillcrest's median age is 33 years, which is slightly younger than Greater Brisbane's average of 36 and significantly lower than Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Hillcrest has a higher proportion of residents aged 5-14 (14.9%) but fewer residents aged 65-74 (5.8%). According to post-2021 Census data, the percentage of residents aged 75-84 has increased from 3% to 4.4%, while the proportion of those aged 25-34 has decreased from 16.4% to 15.1%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Hillcrest's age profile will change significantly. The 45-54 cohort is projected to grow by 32%, adding 249 residents to reach a total of 1,034. Conversely, the number of residents aged 0-4 is expected to fall by 12%.