Chart Color Schemes
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
Curious about local property values? Filter the chart to assess the volume and appreciation (including resales) trends and regional comparisons, or scroll to the map below view this information at an individual property level.
Find a Recent Sale
Sales Detail
Lawnton has an estimated 6,988 residents, up from 5,905 at the 2021 Census — a change of 1,083 people, or 18.3%. Growth has averaged 2.9% a year over five years, faster than 89% of areas nationally. 381 new addresses have been validated here since Census night. Interstate and internal migration accounts for 54.0% of that increase. That puts 860 residents on each square kilometre. Population is estimated from ABS Estimated Resident Population releases and GNAF address data, re-based from the 2021 Census and updated annually.
Detail
Demographic evaluation by AreaSearch, drawing on broader ABS regional releases and 381 validated new addresses post-Census, places the resident count for the suburb of Lawnton at approximately 6,988 as of Aug 2026. This marks an expansion of 1,083 people (18.3%) above the 5,905 people documented at the 2021 Census, building on an ERP benchmark of 6,853 determined from the ABS June 2025 update. Consequently, population density sits at 859 persons per square kilometer, aligning closely with broader benchmarks tracked by AreaSearch. The suburb of Lawnton outpaced the national average (9.5%) and its wider SA3 area with this 18.3% expansion, establishing itself among regional growth leaders.
While natural increase and overseas arrivals contributed positively, interstate migration served as the primary growth engine, generating around 54.0% of recent population additions. Long-term outlooks for the suburb of Lawnton utilize 2024 ABS/Geoscience Australia SA2 projections with a 2022 base year, transitioning beyond 2032 or for missing areas to 2023 Queensland State Government SA2 series based on 2021 numbers. Because state projections omit age breakdowns, AreaSearch aligns cohort weightings with 2023 ABS Greater Capital Region data based on 2022 benchmarks. Forward projections position the suburb of Lawnton among the upper 10 percent of statistical locations examined by AreaSearch, with aggregated SA2 modeling pointing to an influx of 3,353 persons by 2041, representing a cumulative 46.0% rise across the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
491 new dwellings have been approved in Lawnton over the past five years, an average of 98 a year. That places the area in the 89th percentile for residential development activity nationally, about 14 approvals per 1,000 residents a year. Of the 90 dwellings approved in the latest reporting year, 84% were detached houses and the rest townhouses or apartments. Approvals are currently running at an annualised 123, running ahead of that longer-run average. Figures come from ABS building approvals aggregated to this Suburb (SAL) boundary and are updated monthly as the ABS releases them.
Detail
Building approvals examined by AreaSearch across statistical area figures show the suburb averaging roughly 98 new dwellings annually, amounting to roughly 491 homes over the previous 5 financial years, with 123 approvals logged during FY-25 to date. Over the 5 financial years from FY-21 through FY-25, population intake has tracked at 2 new residents per new dwelling each year, demonstrating balanced market dynamics alongside an average residential building cost of $363,000 that matches regional norms. Furthermore, commercial approvals have reached $7.8 million during this financial year, underscoring the dominant residential focus.
Dwelling construction per capita in the locality exceeds Greater Brisbane levels by 265.0%, providing substantial options for purchasers and tracking well above national benchmarks due to strong developer commitment. Recent building activity consists of 84.0% separate houses and 16.0% townhouses or apartments, preserving established low-density surroundings suitable for family living. This detached share exceeds the 69.0% recorded at Census, highlighting sustained appetite for traditional residences, while a ratio of about 52 people per dwelling approval reflects active expansion. According to the latest quarterly estimates from AreaSearch, local population gains are slated to reach 3,218 residents by 2041. While residential construction currently tracks this demographic expansion at a sound rate, incoming residents could face heightened market competition over time.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Lawnton
Loading development applications…
| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
|---|
SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks 6 current infrastructure and development projects inside Lawnton, worth an estimated $4.68 billion. A further 74 sit in the immediately surrounding suburbs, taking the tracked pipeline within reach of the area to $36.7 billion. 26 are already under construction and 26 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans residential development, transport & logistics and communities, precincts & urban renewal. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
Infrastructure upgrades, major developments, and strategic initiatives play a central role in shaping local outcomes. AreaSearch has pinpointed 30 key projects affecting the surrounding district, prominently featuring the Petrie Central Retail and Residential Precinct Expansion, Strathpine Major Regional Activity Centre Master Plan, Strathpine-Samford Road Intersection Safety Upgrade, and Les Hughes Sports Complex Master Plan Implementation.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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.
Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Strathpine Major Regional Activity Centre Master Plan
The Strathpine Major Regional Activity Centre (MRAC) Master Plan is a long-term strategic framework adopted by the City of Moreton Bay (formerly Moreton Bay Regional Council) to guide the transformation of Strathpine into a higher-density, transit-oriented mixed-use centre. The plan focuses development around Strathpine and Bray Park railway stations and along Gympie Road, and sets out a network of 'spines' including a Civic Spine linking the South Pine River to the rail station, a Centre Spine of urban plazas along Gympie Road, a Recreation Spine, an Environmental Spine along Four Mile Creek, and a Park Spine, all knitted together by a Green Web of streets and open space.The master plan informs the Strathpine Centre zone provisions in the MBRC Planning Scheme. In January 2026 Council resolved to replace the decade-old MBRC Planning Scheme 2016 with a new city-wide planning scheme, which will carry the master plan's intent forward through revised statutory controls.
Les Hughes Sports Complex Master Plan Implementation
Redevelopment of the Les Hughes Sports Complex netball building in Bray Park, delivering a modern clubhouse for the Pine Rivers Netball Association. Supported by local, state, and federal funding, the project features change rooms, a canteen, clubroom, tiered seating, and 74 new parking spaces.
Gateway to Bruce Upgrade (G2BU)
The Gateway to Bruce Upgrade (G2BU) is a massive infrastructure program merging the Gateway Motorway (Bracken Ridge to Pine River) and Bruce Highway (Stage 1) upgrades. The project involves widening the Gateway Motorway, reconfiguring the Bracken Ridge curve for 100 km/h speeds, and replacing the Wyampa Road overpass with a new road under the motorway. It also features a major upgrade to the Gateway Motorway/Bruce Highway/Gympie Arterial Road interchange, along with significant active transport pathways and fauna protection measures like underpasses and fencing for the Tinchi Tamba Wetlands.Construction is scheduled to begin in late 2026, subject to environmental approvals.
Pantex Student Accommodation - Young Street
8-storey purpose-built student accommodation tower providing 296 beds across 162 units to serve the UniSC Moreton Bay campus. The development features study areas, recreation facilities, open corridors for natural ventilation, and 52 basement car parks.
Strathpine Centre Redevelopment
Centre-wide redevelopment of Strathpine Centre delivering an Entertainment and Leisure Precinct, new and upgraded casual dining, cinema improvements and family entertainment (bowling and arcade), plus provisions for a child care centre. Works were staged from 2020 and key tenancies opened from mid-2021.
Strathpine-Samford Road Intersection Safety Upgrade
Safety improvement project for Strathpine-Samford Road, Eatons Crossing Road and Mount Samson Road intersection with $75.2 million funding commitment from Australian Government. Includes traffic signals, turning lanes, pedestrian facilities and cycling infrastructure to reduce accidents and improve traffic flow.
50-52 Connors Street Apartments
Approved development for a six-storey residential building comprising 24 apartments (18 x 2-bed, 5 x 1-bed, 1 x 3-bed). The site, located near the Petrie USC campus, was sold with development approval in October 2023.
Moreton Bay Central (formerly The Mill at Moreton Bay) - Knowledge and Innovation Precinct
Moreton Bay Central is a 460-hectare Priority Development Area transforming the former Petrie paper mill site into a major knowledge and innovation precinct north of Brisbane. Led by Millovate over a 20-year staged delivery, the masterplan features the UniSC Moreton Bay campus, a private health precinct, commercial spaces, 3,400 dwellings, and the Moreton Bay Indoor Sports Centre for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
3,347 residents of Lawnton are employed, from a labour force of 3,740. Unemployment sits at 10.5%, with participation at 67.6%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 6.3% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth, so in an area growing as fast as this one it understates the likely rise in local jobs. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
The local labour market encompasses a blend of blue-collar and white-collar roles with substantial representation in essential services, registering an unemployment rate of 10.5% and estimated yearly jobs growth of 1.7% based on AreaSearch statistical area datasets. By March 2026, employed residents reached 3,347, while local unemployment exceeded Greater Brisbane's 4.3% by 6.2 percentage points and participation trailed at 67.6% compared to the regional 70.1%. In addition, Census records indicate 13.5% of workers operated from home, a metric influenced by Covid-19 restrictions. Resident employment is primarily clustered in construction, retail trade, and health care & social assistance.
In contrast, professional & technical roles account for 5.0%, underperforming the regional benchmark of 8.9%. Comparing Census resident worker totals against local positions suggests that a substantial proportion of the workforce travels outside the locality for employment. AreaSearch evaluated SALM and ABS figures compiled from larger statistical zones to show that from the year ending March 2026, jobs grew by 1.7% while the workforce expanded by 0.7%, leading to a 0.9 percentage point drop in unemployment. In contrast, Greater Brisbane saw employment rise by 3.2% and the labour force grow by 3.4%, which coincided with a 0.1 percentage point increase in unemployment. Forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia for Mar-26 provide additional context regarding future job demand in Lawnton. These outlooks span five and ten-year intervals and have been aligned with the local jobs profile to project trends. Although national employment is projected to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, expansion varies considerably across sectors. When these sectoral forecasts are applied to Lawnton’s job composition, local employment is expected to rise by 6.3% over five years and 13.2% over ten years, with the note that this is a basic weighting exercise for illustration and does not incorporate local population forecasts.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Lawnton is $1,371 a week (about $71,000 a year), with median personal income at $747 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $51,039 a year against an average of $55,611. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
ATO taxpayer records for financial year 2023 reported by AreaSearch indicate median taxpayer earnings of $51,039 and an average of $55,611, trailing Greater Brisbane benchmarks of $58,236 (median) and $72,799 (average) as well as national figures. Factoring in Wage Price Index movement of 11.36% since financial year 2023, updated figures reach roughly $56,837 (median) and $61,928 (average) by March 2026. At the 2021 Census, individual, family, and household earnings placed in the 25th to 38th percentiles, with the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket covering 32.9% of earners (2,299 people), matching the wider regional proportion of 33.3%.
Affordability constraints remain pronounced, with 80.8% of income left after housing costs, placing the area in the 22nd percentile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Lawnton had 2,314 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 69% detached houses and 6% apartments. 37% are owned with a mortgage, 42% rented and 21% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $320 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,517 a month. Rent absorbs 23.3% of household income here and mortgage repayments 25.5%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
Census records show the local dwelling landscape comprised 69.2% freestanding houses and 30.8% attached or alternative dwellings (apartments, semi-detached, and other units), compared with 73.5% houses and 26.5% other residences across metropolitan Brisbane. Outright home ownership stood at 21.1%, trailing the wider metropolitan rate, with mortgaged properties accounting for 36.9% and rental arrangements making up 42.0%. Typical monthly mortgage commitments were $1,517, positioned well below the Brisbane metro figure of $1,863 and the national average of $1,863. Median weekly rents sat at $320, lower than the metropolitan mark of $380 and the Australian benchmark of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Lawnton counted 2,314 households at the 2021 Census, an estimated 2,738 today, averaging 2.4 people each. 25% are couples with children, against 22% couples without children. 30% of households are people living alone, and families average 1.7 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Family units constitute 65.3% of dwellings, including 24.5% couples with children, 22.3% couples without offspring, and 16.9% single parent households. Single-person dwellings make up 30.4% and group arrangements represent 4.5%, together forming 34.7% of households. The typical household size of 2.4 residents sits below the Greater Brisbane benchmark of 2.6.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
16.2% of adults in Lawnton hold a university qualification, including 11.6% with a bachelor degree and 2.3% with postgraduate qualifications. A further 30.9% hold a vocational qualification. 3 schools serve the area, with 1,059 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 975 against a national benchmark of 1,000. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census; school enrolments, ICSEA and results come from ACARA's current release.
Detail
Tertiary attainment levels present an opportunity for targeted advancement, as 16.2% of residents possess a university qualification compared to 30.5% across Greater Brisbane. Bachelor degrees represent 11.6%, while postgraduate credentials and graduate diplomas each account for 2.3%. Vocational qualifications are prominent, with 42.2% of people aged 15+ holding technical qualifications, split between certificates (30.9%) and advanced diplomas (11.3%). Formal study participation is strong, with 28.3% of the community undertaking education. Primary school attendees comprise 9.7% of the population, secondary pupils make up 7.7%, and tertiary students represent 4.1%.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Getting around Lawnton means driving: households keep an average of 1.2 vehicles, and no scheduled public transport appears in the current timetable feeds. Service data is built from operators' published GTFS timetables; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
61.0% of residents in Lawnton report no long-term health condition, a less healthy profile than 92% of areas nationally. 8.2% need daily assistance with core activities, and 49.2% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 7.0 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
Health analyses by AreaSearch reveal noticeable health challenges across age groups, reflected in mortality patterns and chronic ailment rates, alongside a private health coverage rate of approximately 49% (~3,440 people). This level of private insurance trails both Greater Brisbane at 55.8% and the nationwide figure of 55.7%. Asthma and mental health conditions are the most prevalent reported illnesses, affecting 9.5% and 12.4% of residents, while 61.0% indicated having no health conditions, compared to 69.2% across Greater Brisbane. Elevated chronic conditions affect working-age residents, while the 1,006 residents aged 65 and over (14.4% of the population) record health outcomes generally matching national rankings.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Lawnton is largely Australian-born, at 80.5% of residents, with 8.0% speaking a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are English (28.8%) and Australian (28.0%). 3.5% of residents identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Cultural diversity measures indicate 87.1% citizenship, 80.5% Australian-born residents, and 92.0% of households speaking solely English at home. Christianity forms the leading religious affiliation, encompassing 44.6% of residents, while individuals identifying with Other faiths represent 1.0% locally compared to 1.3% throughout Greater Brisbane. Parental ancestry is led by English (28.8%), Australian (28.0%), and Scottish (8.1%) heritage. Specific community representations show distinctive patterns, with Maori residents at 1.3% (against 1.1% regionally), New Zealand ancestry at 1.1% (compared to 1.0%), and Samoan background at 0.7% (relative to 0.9%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Lawnton is 36. That is 1 year younger than at the 2021 Census. 29.0% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
The age breakdown mirrors Greater Brisbane closely, showing a maximum variance of 0.6 percentage points and an estimated median age of 36, shifting from 37 at the 2021 Census and matching Greater Brisbane's 36 at that time. The 25 - 44 cohort has expanded from 28.5% to an estimated 30.9% since the Census. By 2041, the 45 - 64 bracket is projected to see the largest absolute addition of 987 residents (63%) to reach 2,545, while the 65+ cohort is anticipated to expand fastest in percentage terms, rising 69% to 1,703 individuals.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Lawnton
9 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Oct 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the Suburb (SAL) boundary shown above, on a 2021 Census baseline. Only 3 sections — housing, households and cultural diversity — still wait on the 2026 Census.
The ledger — source, cycle and currency by section
| Section | Source & update cycle | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Updated within the last 12 months 9 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release) and updated with new dwellings from GNAF address data. Current to Aug 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to Aug 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · Jul 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Oct 2026 this month headline measures · Sep 2026 baseline |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Oct 2026. | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, State agencies, Local governments Daily | Aug 2026 2 months ago all 6 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated Aug 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 7 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Sep 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Sep 2026 last month all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 2 sections | ||
| Income | ABS, ATO Annual (ATO) | FY 2023 3 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| ATO taxable income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index. Census household income provides the distribution detail. | ||
| Health | ABS, ATO Annual | 2024 2 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Census-measured — next update: 2026 Census 3 sections No more current small-area source exists for these, so they are labelled as Census-measured rather than implied to be current. | ||
| Housing | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 30 measures |
| Households | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 18 measures |
| Cultural diversity | ABS, Geoscience Australia 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 44 measures |
"Currency" is the most recent release feeding that section. Where the Census supplies the structural baseline underneath a current headline figure, the row says so.
How the numbers are built
Population
The Census provides the small-area baseline, aggregated from mesh blocks to this boundary. It is then re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release), and new dwellings built since Census night are counted from address data — 381 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for Aug 2026, not a 2021 count (5,905 at the 2021 Census → 6,988 now). Annual growth rates are compound (CAGR), not simple averages.
Age profile
Cohort shares are not raw Census counts. Every cohort is held as a pair — the Census baseline and a current estimate — and the split is re-based using ERP and state population projections, current to Aug 2026. Median age is the Census median plus modelled change since. Charts that show both are labelled "2021 Census vs Current Estimate".
Property sales
Sourced from the state valuation authority's sales register — current, not Census, and refreshed weekly. Medians are calculated from settled transactions in the period shown; periods with very low transaction counts are flagged or suppressed, because a handful of sales can move a median substantially.
Rents
Derived from state rental bond lodgement data, by dwelling type and bedroom count. Bonds are lodged at the start of a new tenancy, so this reflects new lettings, not the whole rented stock.
Development & infrastructure
Building approvals come from current ABS releases; development applications are collected from council and state planning portals; the infrastructure pipeline is compiled from Infrastructure Australia and local government sources. Applications are matched to this boundary by address or coordinates, so very recent lodgements may not yet appear.
Employment & income
Industry and occupation structure comes from the Census, but the headline labour-market indicators do not. Unemployment and labour force are derived from ABS Small Area Labour Markets (quarterly). The employment outlook applies Department of Employment forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to this area's own industry mix (the agency is now Jobs and Skills Australia), as does the Internet Vacancy Index used for job demand. Because it is weighted on industry composition alone, that outlook carries no allowance for local population growth — in fast-growing areas the real rise in local jobs will typically be higher. Income combines Census household income with ATO taxable-income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index.
Education, transport & amenities
School enrolments, ICSEA and performance come from ACARA's current release, not the Census. Public transport stops and service frequency are derived from GTFS timetable feeds published by state transport departments. Services and amenities are proximity and count scores built from provider directories, refreshed on their own cycle. The Census contributes only the travel-to-work and qualification measures.
Rankings and benchmarks. Where we rank this area, the comparison set is every area of the same boundary type — suburbs against suburbs, SA2s against SA2s. Benchmarks compare this area against its greater capital city region and the national figure for the same measure and period.
Limits worth knowing. Small areas carry larger error margins, and the ABS introduces small random adjustments to Census counts to protect confidentiality — so totals may not sum exactly. Estimates re-based from regional data describe the area's expected trajectory, not a direct count of it. Figures are indicative for research and are not financial, planning or valuation advice.
Cross-check us. The Census baseline for this boundary is at ABS 2021 Census QuickStats (SAL31647). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.