Manly (Qld)

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

Population estimates for the suburb of Manly (Qld) indicate a figure of approximately 4,574 as of May 2026. This is an increase of 301 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,273. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 4,507 in June 2025, based on ABS ERP data release, along with an additional 57 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 2,117 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Manly's growth rate of 7.0% since the census is comparable to its SA3 area (7.1%), indicating strong growth fundamentals. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth in recent periods.

Population projections suggest a lower quartile growth trend nationally, with the suburb expected to expand by 173 persons to reach approximately 4,747 by 2041, reflecting an increase of 2.3% over the 16-year period.

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 had approximately 23 dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling around 117 homes. In FY-26 so far, there have been 133 approvals. On average, each new home brings in about 1.5 new residents annually between FY-21 and FY-25. The average construction value of these properties is $1,062,000.

This financial year has seen $3.0 million in commercial approvals registered. Manly's construction rate is around 22.0% higher than the Greater Brisbane average per person over the past five years. Approximately 62.0% of new developments are detached houses, with the rest being townhouses or apartments.

There are about 227 people per dwelling approval in Manly. By 2041, it is projected that Manly will gain around 106 residents based on current development patterns.

Manly 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 has identified four projects likely to impact the area: Royal Far West Neighbourhood Development, Manly Hotel Refurbishment, Wynnum Centre Suburban Renewal Precinct, and Wynnum Plaza Redevelopment. 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.

The labour market strength in Manly positions it well ahead of most Australian regions

Manly has an educated workforce with strong professional services representation. Its unemployment rate was 2.2% in the past year, with estimated employment growth of 5.3%. As of December 2025, Manly's unemployment rate is 2.0%, below Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.1%.

Workforce participation is 72.4%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 69.6%. Notably, 27.3% of residents work from home, potentially impacted by Covid-19 lockdowns. Leading industries include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and construction. Manly has a high concentration in professional & technical jobs, at 1.3 times the regional average, but is under-represented in health care & social assistance (13.6% vs Greater Brisbane's 16.1%).

Limited local employment opportunities are indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment increased by 5.3%, while labour force also grew by 5.3%, keeping unemployment relatively stable at 2%. In contrast, Greater Brisbane had employment growth of 3.2% and labour force growth of 3.0%, with a slight drop in unemployment to 4.0%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but industry-specific projections vary significantly. Applying these projections to Manly's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023 shows Manly had a median income among taxpayers of $66,145 and an average income of $85,532. These figures are high compared to national levels of $58,236 and $72,799 in Greater Brisbane. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes for Manly as of March 2026 would be approximately $73,659 (median) and $95,248 (average). The 2021 Census indicates household, family, and personal incomes in Manly are at the 73rd percentile nationally. Distribution data shows that 26.7% of locals (1,221 people) earn between $1,500 - 2,999 weekly, similar to the broader area's 33.3%. Notably, 35.1% of residents earn more than $3,000 weekly, indicating strong purchasing power. Housing accounts for 13.9% of income, and Manly residents rank within the 74th percentile for disposable income. The area'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, was 70.6% houses and 29.3% other dwellings. Brisbane metro had 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Manly's home ownership rate 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 $1,863. The median weekly rent in Manly was $403, while Brisbane metro recorded $380. Nationally, Manly's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 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 constitute the remaining 29.7%, with lone person households at 27.3% and group households making up 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 has a notably high level of educational attainment, with 35.1% of residents aged 15 years and above holding university qualifications as of the latest data point. This is significantly higher than the broader SA4 region's 23.7% and Queensland's 25.7%. The area's strong educational advantage positions it favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. 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 years and above holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas account for 13.2% and certificates for 21.0%. Educational participation is notably high in Manly, with 28.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education as of the latest data point. This includes 9.7% in primary education, 7.9% in secondary education, and 5.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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 offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 29 different routes, collectively facilitating 1,876 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent with residents located an average of 162 meters from the nearest stop. In this primarily residential area, most commuters travel outward; cars remain the dominant mode at 82%, while train usage stands at 10%. On average, there are 1.3 vehicles per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, a high 27.3% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 268 trips daily across all routes, equating to approximately 78 weekly trips per individual stop.

Manly's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis shows Manly's health metrics performed strongly based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were low across both young and old age cohorts. Private health cover was exceptionally high at approximately 61% of the total population (2,794 people), compared to 55.8% in Greater Brisbane and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common conditions were arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 8.2% and 8.1% respectively. 68.3% reported no medical ailments, compared to 69.2% across Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among working-age residents were typical. Manly has 19.2% of residents aged 65 and over (878 people), higher than Greater Brisbane's 15.1%. Senior health outcomes ranked broadly in line with the general population nationally.

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

Manly, as per the census conducted on the 27th of August 2016, showed lower cultural diversity with 75.2% of its population born in Australia. This is higher than the regional average of 69%. Additionally, 88.6% of Manly's residents were Australian citizens, which is slightly above the Greater Brisbane average of 87.4%.

In terms of language spoken at home, English was used exclusively by 94.1%, compared to the regional average of 82.3%. Christianity was the predominant religion in Manly, with 54.5% of residents identifying as Christian. This is higher than the Greater Brisbane average of 47.8%. The top three ancestry groups based on country of birth of parents were English (32.3%), Australian (22.4%), and Irish (12.1%). Notably, Scottish ancestry was overrepresented in Manly at 9.8%, compared to the regional average of 7.4%. French ancestry was also higher than average at 0.9% versus 0.5%, as was Welsh ancestry at 0.8% versus 0.5%.

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 also older than Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Manly has a higher proportion of residents aged 55-64 (16.7%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (7.2%). The concentration of 55-64 year-olds in Manly is well above the national average of 11.2%. According to the 2021 Census, the proportion of residents aged 75-84 has grown from 5.1% to 6.8%, while the proportion of those aged 15-24 increased from 10.5% to 12.1%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 5-14 has declined from 13.3% to 12.0%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Manly's age structure. The 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 30%, reaching 405 people from the current 311. Notably, the combined age groups of 65 and above will account for 63% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, both the 15-24 and 0-4 age groups are projected to see reduced numbers.