Manly (Qld)

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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch since the Census, Manly's population is estimated at around 4560 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 287 people (6.7%) since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 4273 people. The change was inferred from the resident population of 4473 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by ABS in June 2024, and an additional 57 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2111 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Manly's growth of 6.7% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area's growth rate of 6.4%, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by overseas migration, which was essentially the sole driver of population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections are adopted, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. However, 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 for each age cohort, released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Looking at population projections moving forward, a population increase just below the median of national statistical areas is expected, with the suburb expected to expand by 219 persons to reach a total population of 4789 by 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 3% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Manly recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Manly has seen approximately 23 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling around 116 homes. As of FY-26118 approvals have been recorded. On average, each new dwelling constructed between FY-21 and FY-25 accommodated about 1.7 residents per year. However, this figure has increased to 4.4 people per dwelling over the past two financial years. The average construction value of new homes is around $1,062,000, indicating a focus on premium properties.

This financial year, Manly has seen $8.9 million in commercial approvals. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Manly has shown elevated construction activity, with 22.0% more approvals per person over the past five years. This has maintained good buyer choice and supported property values.

New development consists of primarily detached houses (64.0%) and attached dwellings (36.0%), offering a range of housing options. Manly's population is expected to grow by 135 residents by 2041, according to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling growth beyond current forecasts.

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

Four projects are identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area: Royal Far West Neighbourhood Development, Manly Hotel Refurbishment, Wynnum Plaza Redevelopment, and Wynnum Centre Suburban Renewal Precinct.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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Employment conditions in Manly rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

Manly's workforce is highly educated with significant representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 2.1% as of June 2025, lower than Greater Brisbane's 4.1%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 5.1%. As of June 2025, 2,627 residents were employed with a workforce participation rate similar to Greater Brisbane's 64.5%. Leading employment industries include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and construction. Manly shows strong specialization in professional & technical services, employing 1.3 times the regional level.

However, health care & social assistance employs only 13.6% of local workers, below Greater Brisbane's 16.1%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by the Census working population vs resident population count. Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 5.1%, while labour force increased by 4.4%, leading to a unemployment rate decrease of 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Brisbane experienced employment growth of 4.4% and labour force growth of 4.0%, with a 0.4 percentage point drop in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 suggest that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Manly's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

Manly's median taxpayer income was $66,144 and average was $85,528 in financial year 2022, according to latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is high nationally compared to Greater Brisbane's median of $55,645 and average of $70,520. By September 2025, estimates suggest median income will be approximately $75,398 and average will be around $97,493, based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.99% since financial year 2022. Manly's incomes cluster around the 73rd percentile nationally, with 26.7% (1,217 individuals) earning between $1,500 and $2,999. Economic strength is evident in 35.1% of households earning over $3,000 weekly. Housing accounts for 13.9% of income, with residents ranking at the 74th percentile for disposable income. Manly's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

Manly's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, comprised 70.6% houses and 29.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Brisbane metro had 78.0% houses and 22.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Manly was 36.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 32.7% and rented ones at 30.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Manly was $2,200, compared to Brisbane metro's $2,100. The median weekly rent figure in Manly was $403, while Brisbane metro recorded $420. Nationally, Manly's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,200 compared to the Australian average of $1,863. Rents in Manly exceeded the national figure of $375.

Manly has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 70.3% of all households, including 30.0% couples with children, 29.5% couples without children, and 10.0% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 29.7%, with lone person households at 27.3% and group households comprising 2.3%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.

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

Manly's educational attainment is notably high, with 35.1% of residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications, surpassing both the SA4 region (23.7%) and Queensland's average (25.7%). Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 23.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.0%) and graduate diplomas (3.7%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 34.2% of residents aged 15 and above holding them, including advanced diplomas (13.2%) and certificates (21.0%). Educational participation is high, with 28.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education: 9.7% in primary, 7.9% in secondary, and 5.3% in tertiary education.

Manly's three schools have a combined enrollment of 1,332 students. The area has above-average socio-educational conditions (ICSEA: 1073) and functions as an education hub with 29.2 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 13.6, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

Manly has 24 active public transport stops, serving a mix of train and bus routes. These stops are serviced by 26 individual routes, providing a total of 1,843 weekly passenger trips. Residents have excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 160 meters to the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 263 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 76 weekly trips per stop.

Manly's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Manly residents have relatively positive health outcomes, with common conditions seen across both young and old age groups at a standard level. Private health cover rate is high at approximately 61% (2,785 people), compared to Greater Brisbane's 58.6%, and the national average of 55.3%. The most common medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 8.2% and 8.1% respectively.

68.3% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 69.4% in Greater Brisbane. 18.9% of residents are aged 65 and over (861 people), higher than Greater Brisbane's 16.7%. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Manly's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 75.2% of its population born in Australia, 88.6% being citizens, and 94.1% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion in Manly, comprising 54.5% of people, compared to 52.5% across Greater Brisbane. The top three ancestry groups were English (32.3%), Australian (22.4%), and Irish (12.1%).

Notably, Scottish representation was higher at 9.8% in Manly versus 8.4% regionally, French was 0.9% compared to 0.6%, and Welsh was 0.8% compared to 0.6%.

Manly hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Manly is 46 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Brisbane's average of 36 years and Australia's national median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Manly has a higher percentage of residents aged 55-64 (16.6%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (7.0%). This concentration of 55-64 year-olds is well above the national average of 11.2%. According to the 2021 Census, the percentage of Manly's population in the 75-84 age group grew from 5.1% to 6.9%, while the 15-24 age group increased from 10.5% to 11.7%. Conversely, the 5-14 age group decreased from 13.3% to 12.2%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Manly's age structure. The 75-84 age group is expected to grow by 37%, reaching 431 people from the previous figure of 314. Notably, the combined age groups of 65 and above will account for 66% of total population growth, reflecting Manly's aging demographic profile. In contrast, both the 15-24 and 0-4 age groups are projected to have reduced numbers.