Lota

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

As of May 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Lota is around 3,763. This figure reflects an increase of 245 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,518. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 3,715 in June 2025 and an additional 21 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,891 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Lota has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 1.0%. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration during recent periods.

For population projections, AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia figures released in 2024 using 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections from 2023 based on 2021 data are used. These state projections do not provide age category splits, so AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 using 2022 data for each age cohort. Future population trends anticipate lower quartile growth across statistical areas nationally, with the suburb of Lota expected to increase by 136 persons to reach a total of 3,901 by 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 2.3% over the 16-year period.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, shows Lota averaged around 17 new dwelling approvals each year over the past five financial years. This totals an estimated 89 homes. So far in FY-26, 92 approvals have been recorded. On average, each dwelling has added approximately 2.1 new residents per year between FY-21 and FY-25, reflecting robust demand that supports property values.

New homes are being built at an average construction cost value of $1,062,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. This financial year has seen $6.0 million in commercial approvals registered, demonstrating Lota's primarily residential nature. Relative to Greater Brisbane, Lota has had slightly more development, 14.0% above the regional average per person over the past five years. This maintains good buyer choice while supporting existing property values, though recent periods have seen some moderation in development activity. New development consists of equal parts detached and attached dwellings, marking a significant shift from the current housing pattern which is predominantly houses (95.0%).

With around 365 people per dwelling approval, Lota indicates a developed market. Future projections suggest Lota will add approximately 88 residents by 2041, based on AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate. Current construction levels should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Lota 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 one major project likely affecting this region: The Wellington Collection, Wynnum, Manly and Lota Foreshores Master Plan, Redlands Coast Smart and Connected City Strategy, Renewable Energy Training Facility. These projects are detailed below for relevance.

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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.

Lota ranks among the top 25% of areas assessed nationally for overall employment performance

Lota has an educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 2.7%. Over the past year, estimated employment growth was 5.2%, as per AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation.

As of December 2025, Lota had 2,185 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.5% lower than Greater Brisbane's 4.1%. Workforce participation in Lota is 73.5%, slightly higher than Greater Brisbane's 69.6%. According to Census responses, 24.9% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training.

Notably, construction employment levels are at 1.3 times the regional average. Conversely, health care & social assistance shows lower representation at 13.1% compared to the regional average of 16.1%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over a 12-month period ending in May-25, Lota saw employment increase by 5.2%, with labour force increasing by 5.4%, causing unemployment rate to rise by 0.2 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Brisbane experienced employment growth of 3.2%, labour force expansion of 3.0%, and a decrease in unemployment rate by 0.1 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that over five years, national employment is expected to expand by 6.6% and by 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Lota's employment mix indicates potential local employment growth of 6.5% over five years and 13.4% over ten years.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released on 30 June 2023 for financial year 2023, the suburb of Lota had a median income among taxpayers of $62,435 with the average level standing at $80,820. This is among the highest in Australia and compares to levels of $58,236 and $72,799 across Greater Brisbane respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $69,528 (median) and $90,001 (average) as of March 2026. From the Census conducted in August 2021, household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Lota, between the 71st and 80th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that 31.8% of the community (1,196 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band, mirroring the region where 33.3% occupy this bracket. The district demonstrates considerable affluence with 33.5% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. Housing accounts for 14.5% of income while strong earnings rank residents within the 80th percentile for disposable income and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

In Lota, as per the most recent Census, 95.4% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 4.6% being semi-detached homes, apartments, or other types. This compares to Brisbane's metropolitan area where 73.5% of dwellings are houses and 26.5% are other types. Home ownership in Lota stood at 31.0%, with mortgaged properties at 45.5% and rented ones at 23.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Lota was $2,167, higher than Brisbane's metro average of $1,863. The median weekly rent in Lota was recorded as $415, compared to Brisbane's metro figure of $380. Nationally, Lota's median monthly mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents are substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 77.3% of all households, including 38.3% couples with children, 26.4% couples without children, and 11.4% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 22.7%, with lone person households at 20.5% and group households comprising 2.5%. The median household size is 2.7 people, larger than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.

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

The area's educational profile is notable regionally with university qualification rates of 32.3% among residents aged 15+, surpassing the SA4 region average of 23.7% and Queensland's state average of 25.7%. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 21.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 6.7% and graduate diplomas at 3.9%. Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 36.7% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas at 12.4% and certificates at 24.3%.

Educational participation is high, with 29.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 10.6% in primary, 8.6% in secondary, and 4.6% in tertiary education.

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

Lota has 15 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 27 different routes, collectively facilitating 1,386 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically located 245 meters from the nearest stop. As a primarily residential area, most commuting is outward-bound. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport at 85%, with trains used by 10% of residents. On average, there are 1.5 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 24.9% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 198 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 92 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Lota is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across the board, though to a considerably higher degree among older age cohorts

Lota faces significant health challenges based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are high, with common health conditions prevalent across all age groups but more so among older cohorts.

Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 59% of the total population (2,228 people), compared to 55.8% across Greater Brisbane. The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and arthritis, affecting 9.8% and 8.3% of residents respectively. 67.0% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.2% across Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among the working-age population are typical. The area has 18.1% of residents aged 65 and over (681 people), higher than the 15.1% in Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, ranking lower nationally than the broader population.

Lota ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Lota's cultural diversity was found to be lower than average, with 77.0% of its population born in Australia. Additionally, 87.7% were citizens and 94.1% spoke English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Lota, comprising 49.5% of the population.

Notably, Judaism had a slightly higher representation in Lota compared to Greater Brisbane, with 0.1% versus 0.1%. Regarding ancestry, the top three groups were English (31.3%), Australian (23.4%), and Irish (10.8%). However, there were notable differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: New Zealanders made up 1.3% of Lota's population compared to 1.0% regionally, Scots comprised 9.6% versus 7.4%, and Russians constituted 0.6% versus 0.3%.

Lota's median age exceeds the national pattern

Lota's median age is 42 years, significantly higher than Greater Brisbane's average of 36 and Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Lota has a notably over-represented cohort of 55-64 year-olds at 13.8%, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 8.2%. According to the 2021 Census, Lota's population aged 15 to 24 grew from 10.6% to 12.7%, and the 75 to 84 cohort increased from 5.4% to 6.9%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 age group declined from 14.3% to 13.1%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Lota's age profile. The 85+ cohort is projected to grow by 115%, adding 107 residents to reach 202. Residents aged 65 and older are expected to represent 76% of the population growth, while declines are projected for the 15 to 24 and 0 to 4 age cohorts.