Maleny

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

Based on analysis of Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) population updates for the broader area, the estimated population of Maleny as of November 2025 is around 4,132. This reflects an increase of 173 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,959. The change is inferred from the resident population of 4,089 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest Estimated Residential Population (ERP) data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 128 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 170 persons per square kilometer, providing significant space per person and potential room for further development. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by interstate migration that contributed approximately 64.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and for years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections, released in 2023 and based on 2021 data, are adopted. It should be noted that these state projections do not provide age category splits; hence where utilised, AreaSearch is applying proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data) for each age cohort. Considering the projected demographic shifts, lower quartile growth of Australia's regional areas is anticipated, with the suburb expected to expand by 91 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 0.7% in total over the 17 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers indicates Maleny averaged approximately 32 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 160 homes. As of FY-26, 16 approvals have been recorded. Between FY-21 and FY-25, on average, 0.8 people moved to Maleny for each dwelling built, suggesting supply meets or exceeds demand. The average construction value of new dwellings is $720,000, which is moderately above regional levels.

In FY-26, $3.9 million in commercial approvals have been recorded, indicating the area's residential character. Compared to Rest of Qld, Maleny has roughly half the building activity per person but ranks among the 86th percentile nationally. Recent construction activity has intensified.

Detached dwellings make up 82.0% and attached dwellings 18.0%, preserving Maleny's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers with an average of around 102 people per approval. Future projections, based on AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, suggest Maleny will add approximately 30 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing favourable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

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

AreaSearch has identified 10 projects that could impact the area, with key ones being Landsborough-Maleny Road and Maleny-Montville Road Intersection Upgrade (scheduled for completion by December 2023), Maleny Soldiers Memorial Hospital Upgrade (commenced in April 2021), Coral Residences Maleny (expected to be completed by June 2024), and Maleny Grove Expansion (slated for completion in late 2025). The following list details those likely to have the most relevance.

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While Maleny retains a healthy unemployment rate of 3.1%, recent employment declines have impacted its national performance ranking

Maleny has a well-educated workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate is 3.1%, as aggregated from statistical area data by AreaSearch.

As of June 2025, there are 1,625 residents in work and the unemployment rate is 0.8% lower than Rest of Qld's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation lags significantly at 43.3%, compared to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. The dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, education & training, and retail trade. Education & training shows notable concentration with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average.

Conversely, mining has lower representation at 1.5%, compared to the regional average of 3.6%. There appears limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census working population vs resident population count. From June 2024 to June 2025, labour force decreased by 2.2% and employment declined by 0.8%, causing unemployment to fall by 1.3 percentage points in Maleny. In contrast, Rest of Qld experienced employment growth of 1.8% and labour force growth of 2.0%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 suggest potential future demand within Maleny. These projections estimate local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation using industry-specific projections applied to Maleny's employment mix.

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

The latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Maleny has an income below the national average. The median assessed income is $37,526, while the average income stands at $56,620. This contrasts with Rest of Qld's figures, which have a median income of $50,780 and an average income of $64,844. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.99% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Maleny would be approximately $42,776 (median) and $64,541 (average) as of September 2025. The 2021 Census reveals that household, family and personal incomes in Maleny all fall between the 9th and 14th percentiles nationally. In terms of income distribution, 28.1% of Maleny's community earns between $400 - $799 (1,161 individuals), unlike metropolitan regions where the $1,500 - $2,999 category predominates at 31.7%. After housing costs, 85.9% of income remains in Maleny, ranking at only the 12th percentile nationally. The area'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 93.2% houses and 6.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Maleny stood at 57.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 23.2% and rented ones at 19.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,625, below Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,863. The median weekly rent in Maleny was $390, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $400 and the national figure of $375. Nationally, Maleny's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863.

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 2.6.

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

Maleny's educational attainment exceeds broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15+, 32.1% hold university qualifications, compared to 20.6% in the rest of Queensland and 23.1% in the SA3 area. Bachelor degrees are most common 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+ holding them – advanced diplomas at 14.7% and certificates at 20.9%.

A substantial 21.3% of the population is actively pursuing formal education, including 7.0% in secondary education, 6.8% in primary education, and 3.4% in tertiary education. Maleny's three schools have a combined enrollment of 1,155 students as of [date]. The area has above-average socio-educational conditions (ICSEA: 1059). Education provision is balanced with two primary and one secondary school serving distinct age groups. As of [date], the area functions as an education hub with 27.9 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 10.5, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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, all of which operate buses. These stops are served by two different routes that together offer 145 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is limited, with residents typically living 787 meters away from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 20 trips per day across all routes, equating to about 24 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Maleny is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Maleny faces significant health challenges, with various conditions affecting both younger and older residents. Approximately half of Maleny's population (~2,051 people) has private health cover, lower than the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 13.0% of residents) and mental health issues (8.3%). Conversely, 58.7% of Maleny residents report no medical ailments, compared to 66.4% in the rest of Queensland. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, with 39.1% (1,615 people), compared to 20.1% in the rest of Queensland. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in Maleny are above average, outperforming the general population in health metrics.

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

Maleny, as per the data, has a cultural diversity index below average. The population born in Australia constitutes 77.0%. Citizenship is held by 89.8%, with English spoken exclusively at home by 94.1%.

Christianity is the predominant religion, practiced by 43.4% of Maleny's population. Judaism, though small at 0.1%, shows overrepresentation compared to the Rest of Qld (0.1%). In terms of ancestry, the top groups are English (33.7%), Australian (22.6%), and Irish (10.9%). Other ethnicities with notable divergences include Scottish (10.3% vs 9.0%), Welsh (1.0% vs 0.7%), and French (0.9% vs 0.6%).

Maleny ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in Maleny is 58 years, which is notably higher than Rest of Qld's average of 41 years and significantly higher than Australia's median age of 38 years. The 65-74 age group represents 19.7% of Maleny's population, compared to Rest of Qld's percentage, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 5.3%. This concentration in the 65-74 age group is well above the national average of 9.4%. Following the Census conducted on August 10, 2021, 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 10.3%, and the 65 to 74 group has dropped from 21.1% to 19.7%. Looking ahead to the year 2041, demographic projections reveal significant shifts in Maleny's age structure. The 85+ cohort shows the strongest projected growth at 73%, adding 153 residents to reach a total of 364. Demographic aging continues as residents aged 65 and older represent 82% of anticipated population growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 45 to 54 age group and the 5 to 14 age group.