Maleny

Maleny has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Maleny is around 4,111, reflecting an increase of 152 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 3,959. This change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 4,074 based on the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 127 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density is approximately 169 persons per square kilometer. Primary drivers for this growth were interstate migrations contributing about 64.0% 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 are used, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits, so AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings aligned with ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data for each age cohort. Considering projected demographic shifts, lower quartile growth is anticipated for Australia's regional areas. By 2041, the suburb of Maleny is expected to expand by 83 persons, reflecting a gain of 1.1% in total over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Maleny when compared nationally

AreaSearch analysis shows Maleny averaged approximately 31 new dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 158 homes. As of FY26, 20 approvals have been recorded. Between FY21 and FY25, around 0.8 people moved to the area annually for each dwelling built, indicating supply meets or exceeds demand. The average expected construction cost value of new dwellings is $720,000, suggesting a focus on premium developments.

This financial year has seen $6.7 million in commercial approvals, reflecting Maleny's residential character. Compared to the rest of Queensland, Maleny records roughly half the building activity per person but ranks among the 87th percentile nationally. Recent construction activity has intensified.

Detached dwellings make up 82.0% of new developments and attached dwellings 18.0%, preserving Maleny's low-density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers with an average of around 97 people per approval. Future projections estimate Maleny will add 43 residents by 2041, with current development rates comfortably meeting demand and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Maleny has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 10 projects likely impacting the region. Key initiatives include Landsborough-Maleny Road and Maleny-Montville Road Intersection Upgrade, Coral Residences Maleny, Maleny Grove Expansion, and Maleny Meadows Estate. The following list details 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.

While Maleny retains a healthy unemployment rate of 3.5%, recent employment declines have impacted its national performance ranking

Maleny's workforce is well-educated with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 3.5% as of September 2025, according to AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data. In this period, 1,569 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 0.6% lower than Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%.

Workforce participation in Maleny was 45.7%, significantly lagging behind Rest of Qld's 65.7%. Census responses showed that 25.9% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdown impacts. The dominant employment sectors were health care & social assistance, education & training, and retail trade. Notably, education & training had employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average, while mining showed lower representation at 1.5% compared to the regional average of 3.6%.

The area may offer limited local employment opportunities, indicated by the ratio of Census working population to resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, Maleny's labour force decreased by 2.9%, while employment declined by 2.0%, leading to a 0.9 percentage point drop in unemployment. In contrast, Rest of Qld experienced employment growth of 1.7% and labour force growth of 2.1%, with a 0.3 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Maleny's employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to the local employment mix.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ended June 2023 indicates that Maleny's median income is $37,526 and average income is $56,620. This contrasts with Rest of Qld's median income of $53,146 and average income of $66,593. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% from July 2023 to September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $41,245 (median) and $62,231 (average). The 2021 Census shows household, family, and personal incomes in Maleny fall between the 9th and 14th percentiles nationally. Income distribution reveals that 28.1% of Maleny residents earn between $400 - $799 annually, differing from metropolitan regions where earnings predominantly fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 band at 31.7%. After housing costs, 85.9% of income remains, ranking at the 12th percentile nationally. Maleny's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

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

Maleny's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 92.1% houses and 8.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro Qld's 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Maleny was 57.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 23.2% and rented ones at 19.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,625, lower than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,655. The median weekly rent in Maleny was $390, higher than Non-Metro Qld's figure of $345. Nationally, Maleny's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Maleny features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 66.8% of all households, including 16.3% couples with children, 38.6% couples without children, and 11.0% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 33.2%, with lone person households at 30.6% and group households comprising 2.7%. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.5.

The educational profile of Maleny exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Maleny's educational attainment is notably higher than broader standards. Among residents aged 15 and above, 32.1% possess university qualifications, surpassing the Rest of Qld's 20.6% and the SA3 area's 23.1%. This high level of educational achievement positions Maleny well for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 19.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.0%) and graduate diplomas (4.8%).

Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 35.6% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas account for 14.7% and certificates for 20.9%. A significant 21.3% of the population is actively engaged in formal education. This includes 7.0% in secondary education, 6.8% in primary education, and 3.4% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Maleny has six active public transport stops operating, offering a mix of bus services. These stops are served by two distinct routes, collectively facilitating 145 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility in the area is rated as limited, with residents typically situated 787 meters from their nearest transport stop. As a predominantly residential region, most residents commute outward. The car remains the primary mode of transport, used by 88% of residents, while walking accounts for 8%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.2 per dwelling, lower than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high 25.9% of residents work from home, which may be reflective of COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency across all routes averages 20 trips per day, equating to approximately 24 weekly trips per individual stop.

Maleny's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low across both younger and older age cohorts

Maleny residents exhibit relatively positive health outcomes, according to area-specific data analysis. Mortality rates and health conditions align largely with national benchmarks. Prevalence of common health issues is low across both younger and older age groups.

Approximately 50% (~2,040 people) have private health cover, compared to Rest of Qld's 52.5% and the national average of 55.7%. The most prevalent conditions are arthritis (13.0%) and mental health issues (8.3%), with 58.7% reporting no medical ailments, compared to Rest of Qld's 67.6%. Working-age residents have a higher prevalence of chronic health conditions than average. Maleny has 39.1% of residents aged 65 and over (1,607 people), exceeding Rest of Qld's 20.4%. Senior health outcomes are above average, generally in line with national rankings for the broader population.

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

Maleny had a lower than average cultural diversity, with 77.0% of its population born in Australia and 89.8% being citizens. English was spoken by 94.1% at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 43.4%.

Judaism was overrepresented at 0.1%, compared to 0.1% across Rest of Qld. The top three ancestry groups were English (33.7%), Australian (22.6%), and Irish (10.9%). Scottish people were notably overrepresented at 10.3%, Welsh at 1.0%, and French at 0.9%.

Maleny ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in Maleny is 58 years, notably higher than Rest of Qld's average of 41 years and significantly higher than Australia's average of 38 years. The 65-74 age group shows strong representation at 19.5% compared to Rest of Qld, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 5.4%. This concentration in the 65-74 age group is well above the national average of 9.5%. According to the 2021 Census, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 6.8% to 8.2% of Maleny's population. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 11.8% to 9.9%, and the 65 to 74 group dropped from 21.1% to 19.5%. Demographic projections for Maleny indicate significant shifts by 2041. The 85+ cohort shows the strongest projected growth at 65%, adding 142 residents to reach a total of 360. Residents aged 65 and older are expected to represent 80% of the population growth, while declines are projected for the 5-14 and 65-74 age cohorts.