Mount Lofty

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

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validations, as of Nov 2025, Mount Lofty's estimated population is around 3951, reflecting a 3.3% increase from the 2021 Census figure of 3825 people. This change was inferred from an estimated resident population of 3943 in Jun 2024 and 11 new addresses validated since the Census date. The resulting density ratio is 407 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration contributed approximately 76% to recent population gains. AreaSearch uses 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 from 2023 are adopted, applying proportional growth weightings from ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data. By 2041, the Mount Lofty (SA2) is expected to increase by around 6% based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reaching approximately 4213 people.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers in Mount Lofty shows approximately 9 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 49 homes. As of FY26, 3 approvals have been recorded. An average of 3.8 people per year moved to the area for each dwelling built between FY21 and FY25, indicating supply lagging demand, which often leads to heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures. New homes are being constructed at an average value of $1,138,000, targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties.

This financial year has seen $16.2 million in commercial approvals, demonstrating moderate levels of commercial development. Compared to Rest of Qld, Mount Lofty shows significantly reduced construction activity, with 55.0% below the regional average per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established homes. Nationally, Mount Lofty's level is also lower, reflecting market maturity and possible development constraints. New development consists of 67.0% detached houses and 33.0% attached dwellings, expanding medium-density options to cater to various price brackets. The area currently has an 89.0% share of houses, indicating decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles' need for diverse housing options.

The estimated count of 412 people per dwelling approval reflects its quiet development environment. Population forecasts indicate Mount Lofty will gain 239 residents by 2041. Existing development levels seem aligned with future requirements, maintaining stable market conditions without significant price pressures.

Mount Lofty 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 14 projects that may affect the region. Notable initiatives include the Toowoomba Escarpment Mountain Bike Trails at Jubilee Park, AusRocks Brookview Quarry, YWCA East Toowoomba Social and Affordable Housing project, and Rifle Range Road Reconfiguration. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

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Employment performance in Mount Lofty ranks among the strongest 15% of areas evaluated nationally

Mount Lofty has an educated workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 1.9% as of September 2025, with estimated employment growth of 4.6% over the past year.

This is lower than Rest of Qld's unemployment rate of 4.1%, and workforce participation is higher at 65.1%. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction. Notably, education & training has a share of employment that is 1.9 times the regional level. Retail trade, however, is under-represented with only 7.0% of Mount Lofty's workforce compared to Rest of Qld's 10.0%.

The ratio of workers per resident at the Census indicates above-average local employment opportunities. Over a 12-month period ending in September 2025, employment increased by 4.6%, labour force grew by 3.9%, and unemployment fell by 0.6 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of Qld saw employment growth of 1.7% with an unemployment rise of 0.3 percentage points. State-level data from 25-Nov-25 shows Queensland's employment contracted by 0.01%, with a state unemployment rate of 4.2%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, covering May-25 to May-30 and May-35, project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Mount Lofty's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.2% over five years and 14.8% over ten years.

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

The median taxpayer income in Mount Lofty is $67,204, with an average of $82,575, according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is significantly higher than the national figures, where Rest of Qld's median income is $53,146 and average income is $66,593. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes for September 2025 would be approximately $73,864 (median) and $90,758 (average). Census 2021 data shows that Mount Lofty's income levels cluster around the 70th percentile nationally. In this suburb, 30.7% of individuals earn between $1,500 - 2,999 weekly, which is similar to the broader area where this cohort also represents 31.7%. Notably, 31.7% of Mount Lofty residents earn above $3,000 weekly. After housing costs, residents retain 88.4% of their income, indicating strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

Mount Lofty's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 89.1% houses and 10.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro Qld's 81.4% houses and 18.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Mount Lofty stood at 37.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 36.5% and rented ones at 25.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, higher than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,517. The median weekly rent figure in Mount Lofty was $340, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $310. Nationally, Mount Lofty's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 72.2% of all households, including 29.8% couples with children, 31.9% couples without children, and 9.5% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 27.8%, with lone person households at 26.3% and group households making up 1.7%. The median household size is 2.4 people, smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.5.

Educational outcomes in Mount Lofty fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

In Mount Lofty, 39.2% of residents aged 15 and above have university qualifications, compared to 20.6% in the rest of Queensland and 23.1% in the SA3 area. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 24.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (9.4%) and graduate diplomas (5.0%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 29.8% of residents holding them, including advanced diplomas (9.7%) and certificates (20.1%). Educational participation is high, with 29.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 9.8% in secondary education, 9.0% in primary education, and 5.4% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Mount Lofty has 25 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by three different routes that combined offer 148 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of the transport system is rated as good, with residents living an average of 215 meters from their nearest stop.

On average, there are 21 trips per day across all routes, which amounts to about five weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Mount Lofty is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Mount Lofty faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 60% of the total population, which consists of 2,367 people, compared to 51.5% across the rest of Queensland.

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and arthritis, impacting 9.6% and 8.2% of residents respectively. A total of 66.3% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 65.3% across the rest of Queensland. The area has 20.9% of residents aged 65 and over, which totals 825 people, higher than the 18.8% in the rest of Queensland.

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

Mount Lofty, as per data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics Census 2016, showed below-average cultural diversity with 84.9% of its population born in Australia and 90.8% being citizens. English was spoken at home by 92.7%. Christianity dominated religious affiliations, comprising 57.3% of the population.

Notably, Judaism had an overrepresentation in Mount Lofty at 0.3%, compared to 0.0% regionally. In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (29.1%), Australian (24.8%), and Irish (12.2%). Other ethnicities with notable divergences included German at 7.4% (vs regional 8.0%), Scottish at 9.9% (vs regional 7.9%), and South African at 0.8% (vs regional 0.3%).

Mount Lofty hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Mount Lofty has a median age of 43 years, which is higher than the Rest of Qld average of 41 and exceeds the national average of 38 by a substantial margin. The population aged 15-24 represents 13.5%, compared to the Rest of Qld's percentage. Conversely, the 25-34 cohort stands at 11.5%. Post-Census data from 2021 shows that the 15-24 age group has increased from 12.3% to 13.5%, while the 45-54 cohort has decreased from 14.6% to 13.2%, and the 5-14 group has dropped from 12.9% to 11.8%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Mount Lofty's age profile. The 25-34 cohort is expected to grow by 25%, adding 113 residents to reach a total of 568. In contrast, population declines are projected for the 55-64 and 5-14 cohorts.