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This analysis uses Suburbs and Localities (SAL) boundaries, which can materially differ from Statistical Areas (SA2) even when sharing the same name.
SAL boundaries are defined by Australia Post and the Australian Bureau of Statistics to represent commonly-known suburb names used in postal addresses.
Statistical Areas (SA2) are designed for census data collection and may combine multiple suburbs or use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
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2021 Census | -- people
Sales Activity
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Population
An assessment of population growth drivers in New Farm reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends
As of May 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of New Farm is around 13,615 people. This figure represents an increase of 1,418 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,197 people. The current resident population estimate of 13,600 comes from AreaSearch's analysis of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025, along with an additional 152 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 6,609 persons per square kilometer, placing New Farm within the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's 11.6% growth since the 2021 census exceeds both the national average (9.3%) and state averages, positioning it as a regional growth leader. Overseas migration was the primary driver behind this population growth in recent periods.
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 based on 2021 data are adopted. However, these state projections lack age category splits; therefore, AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 and based on 2022 data for each age cohort. Looking ahead to future population dynamics, New Farm is expected to increase by approximately 1,416 persons to reach 2041. This projected growth reflects a total increase of around 10.3% over the 16-year period, based on aggregated SA2-level projections.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Development
Residential development activity is lower than average in New Farm according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets
AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows New Farm averaged approximately 44 new dwelling approvals per year. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 224 homes were approved, with an additional 55 approved in FY26 so far. This averages out to about 1.4 new residents arriving per new home over these five years, indicating a balanced supply and demand. However, recent data shows this ratio has intensified to 15.7 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, suggesting growing popularity and potential undersupply.
New homes in New Farm are being built at an average expected construction cost of $945,000, reflecting developers' focus on the premium market with high-end developments. This year has seen $19.8 million in commercial approvals registered, indicating balanced commercial development activity compared to previous years. Compared to Greater Brisbane, New Farm has significantly less development activity, 76.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity of new dwellings typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties due to limited supply. Nationally, New Farm's development activity is also lower, reflecting market maturity and possible development constraints. New building activity in New Farm shows a trend towards denser development, with 84.0% attached dwellings compared to 16.0% detached houses.
This trend provides accessible entry options for downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. With around 457 people per dwelling approval, New Farm demonstrates a developed market. Population forecasts indicate New Farm will gain approximately 1,401 residents by 2041, based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. Construction is maintaining a reasonable pace with projected growth, although buyers may encounter growing competition as population increases.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around New Farm
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| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
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SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
Infrastructure
New Farm has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally
Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 50 projects potentially impacting this region. Notable initiatives include James Place, James Place, Moray House, and Howard Smith Wharves. The following list details projects likely most relevant.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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.
Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Waterfront Brisbane
A $2.5 billion mixed-use precinct transformation of the Eagle Street Pier and Waterfront Place area. The development includes two premium-grade office towers (49 and 43 levels), approximately 120,000 sqm of office space, and a revitalized riverfront retail dining hub. Key features include 9,000 sqm of public open space, a new civic plaza, and a significant upgrade to the Riverwalk, widening it up to 17m in sections to enhance cyclist and pedestrian connectivity in the Brisbane CBD.
Teneriffe Banks
Teneriffe Banks is a $1.5 billion riverfront mixed-use precinct by Kokoda Property on a 17,612 sqm former industrial site in Teneriffe. The precinct is planned to include 212 luxury residences across four architecturally distinct residential buildings, Brisbane's first Kimpton Hotel, extensive retail, hospitality and wellness amenities, boutique laneways, more than 10,000 sqm of landscaped grounds and gardens, and a revitalised riverfront. Versatile Construction has been appointed as builder, with construction scheduled to commence in December 2025 and staged delivery from 2028.
City Reach Waterfront Master Plan
A $2.1 billion revitalisation of Brisbane's 1.2-kilometre CBD waterfront framework. The plan features the Dexus 'Waterfront Brisbane' development, which replaces the Eagle Street Pier with two premium office towers, a widened 6-metre to 14-metre public Riverwalk, and 7,000 square metres of new public realm. The master plan enhances river access, heritage preservation of Naldham House, and integration with the Kangaroo Point Green Bridge to create a world-class destination precinct.
Howard Smith Wharves Expansion
The Howard Smith Wharves Expansion is a 450 million AUD revitalisation of the iconic Brisbane riverfront precinct by Artemus Group. The project features a new 9-storey, 77-room boutique hotel inspired by heritage woolstores, a 400-seat music hall, and an overwater pool deck. Substantial public realm upgrades include the Grand River Stair amphitheatre, two new cliff lifts, and widened active transport pathways. The development aims to become a world-leading sustainable precinct, targeting completion by 2028 ahead of the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games.
James Place
James Place is a major mixed-use precinct by Forme at 75-85 James Street, Fortitude Valley. Designed by Richards & Spence, built by Graya and landscaped by Wild Studio, the seven-level project includes about 4,200 sqm of retail, 4,500 sqm of office space, hospitality tenancies, landscaped terraces, 190 car spaces and a central piazza connecting the James Street precinct. The project is under construction, with Forme reporting a construction timeline from mid 2024 to early 2027 and recent updates noting the structure is rising above ground.
Howard Smith Wharves
Heritage-listed 3.5-hectare riverside precinct beneath the Story Bridge transformed by Artemus Group into a world-class hospitality and entertainment destination featuring 13 restaurants, bars, a craft brewery, event spaces and the Fantauzzo Art Series Hotel. A Stage 2 development application lodged September 2024 proposes a nine-storey 77-room boutique hotel replacing Felons Barrel Hall, an overwater pool deck and bar, a music hall, two new cliff lifts, floating brewhouse, rooftop gardens, enhanced public parklands and boardwalks. The precinct is positioned as a key Brisbane 2032 Olympics tourism gateway, with completion of Stage 2 targeted ahead of the Games.
Fortitude Valley Sustainable Growth Precinct Plan
Brisbane City Council's Fortitude Valley Sustainable Growth Precinct Plan is a long-term precinct renewal initiative focused on delivering thousands of new homes and supporting economic revitalisation ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The plan covers land surrounding Fortitude Valley Station and key sections of Wickham, Ann and Brunswick streets. It aims to increase building heights in strategic locations to support mixed-use communities combining new housing, retail, entertainment and connected public spaces, while protecting the precinct's live music and cultural character. Stage 1 community engagement closed February 2026; a draft precinct plan is expected late 2026 with state and council approval targeted for 2027.
Rotherham Hotel
A 16-level boutique luxury hotel redevelopment of the existing Il Mondo Hotel site in Kangaroo Point. Designed by Plus Architecture, the 15,500 sqm development will feature 179 guest rooms, wellness facilities, a rooftop infinity pool, and conference spaces. The architectural design is inspired by the Story Bridge, featuring green brickwork and distinctive porthole windows.
Employment
New Farm has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks
New Farm has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 4.9% as of the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 0.9%. As of December 2025, 8,809 residents were employed, while the unemployment rate was 0.8% higher than Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.1%.
Workforce participation was at 74.5%, slightly above Greater Brisbane's 69.6%. According to Census responses, 29.5% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Employment is concentrated in professional & technical (2.2 times the regional average), health care & social assistance, and accommodation & food services. Construction employment is limited at 5.4%, compared to the regional average of 9.0%.
The area offers limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment increased by 0.9% while labour force increased by 1.5%, raising the unemployment rate by 0.5 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Brisbane recorded employment growth of 3.2%, labour force growth of 3.0%, with a decrease in unemployment of 0.1 percentage points. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that New Farm's employment should increase by 7.5% over five years and 15.0% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to the local employment mix.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Income
Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch
AreaSearch released postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023. New Farm had a median taxpayer income of $73,099 and an average of $128,736. Nationally, these figures are exceptionally high compared to Greater Brisbane's median of $58,236 and average of $72,799. By March 2026, estimates suggest the median income will be approximately $81,403 and the average $143,360, based on a 11.36% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023. Census data shows New Farm's individual earnings are at the 92nd percentile nationally ($1,226 weekly). Income distribution reveals 29.0% of residents earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, aligning with surrounding regions at 33.3%. Notably, 33.8% earn above $3,000 weekly. High housing costs consume 16.0% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 70th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Housing
New Farm features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region
New Farm's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 20.5% houses and 79.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This contrasts with Brisbane metro's figures of 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in New Farm stood at 24.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 20.7% and rented ones at 54.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,264, higher than Brisbane metro's average of $1,863. Median weekly rent in New Farm was $405, compared to Brisbane metro's $380. Nationally, New Farm's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Household Composition
New Farm features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size
Family households constitute 48.8% of all households, including 13.8% couples with children, 28.8% couples without children, and 4.9% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 51.2%, with lone person households at 42.5% and group households comprising 8.7%. The median household size is 1.9 people, which is smaller than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
Local Schools & Education
New Farm demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics
New Farm's educational attainment is notably higher than broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15+, 54.5% hold university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in Queensland (QLD) and 30.4% nationwide. This high level positions the area favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 35.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (14.1%) and graduate diplomas (5.2%).
Vocational pathways account for 22.7% of qualifications among those aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 10.5% and certificates at 12.2%. Educational participation is high, with 25.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 9.9% in tertiary education, 5.1% in primary education, and 4.2% pursuing secondary education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Nearby Services & Amenities
Transport
Transport servicing is high compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility
New Farm has 55 active public transport stops, offering a mix of ferry and bus services. These are serviced by 7 routes, providing 3,879 weekly passenger trips in total. The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 123 meters from the nearest stop. As primarily residential, most commute outward. Car remains dominant at 58%, with 14% walking and 14% by bus. Vehicle ownership averages 0.8 per dwelling, below the regional average.
According to the 2021 Census, 29.5% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 554 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 70 weekly trips per stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
Health
New Farm's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions
Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout New Farm. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were low across both young and old age cohorts. Private health cover was exceptionally high at approximately 78% of the total population (10,646 people), compared to 55.8% across Greater Brisbane and 55.7% nationally.
The most common medical conditions in the area were mental health issues and asthma, impacting 10.3 and 7.2% of residents respectively. 69.8% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.2% across Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. The area has 19.2% of residents aged 65 and over (2,614 people), higher than the 15.1% in Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Cultural Diversity
The level of cultural diversity witnessed in New Farm was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics
New Farm's population was found to be more culturally diverse than most local markets, with 16.7% speaking a language other than English at home as of the latest data. This figure stands at 29.8% for those born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in New Farm, comprising 43.7% of its population.
However, Judaism is notably overrepresented compared to Greater Brisbane, with 0.4% versus 0.1%. The top three ancestry groups are English (26.9%), Australian (17.6%) and Irish (12.5%). Notably, French (1.0%), Polish (1.0%) and Scottish (9.3%) ethnicities show higher representation in New Farm compared to regional averages of 0.5%, 0.5% and 7.4% respectively.
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
Age
New Farm's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms
The median age in New Farm is 39 years, slightly higher than Greater Brisbane's average of 36 years and close to Australia's median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Brisbane, New Farm has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (23.7%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (5.5%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.6%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the proportion of residents aged 75-84 has increased from 5.4% to 6.8%, while the proportion of those aged 35-44 has decreased from 15.6% to 14.5%. By 2041, New Farm's age composition is expected to change significantly. The number of residents aged 75-84 is projected to grow by 58%, reaching 1,466 from the current 925. This growth will be led by those aged 65 and above, who are expected to comprise 68% of the population increase. Conversely, declines in population are projected for residents aged 0-4 and 5-14.