North Maclean

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

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validation, the estimated population of North Maclean as of May 2026 was around 2,144. This reflected an increase of 563 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,581. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 1,838 residents following examination of ABS ERP data released in June 2025 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equated to a density ratio of 105 persons per square kilometer. North Maclean's growth rate of 35.6% since the 2021 census exceeded both national (9.3%) and state averages, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 87.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, though all drivers were positive factors.

AreaSearch adopted 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 released in 2023 were used, applying proportional growth weightings from ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort. Future population trends forecasted a significant increase in the top quartile of Australian statistical areas, with North Maclean expected to expand by 453 persons to 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 6.9% over the 16 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions North Maclean among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows North Maclean recorded approximately 18 residential properties granted approval each year over the past five financial years. This totals an estimated 92 homes. In FY-26 so far, 39 approvals have been recorded.

The average number of new residents gained per dwelling built over these five years is 2.9. New homes are being constructed at an average value of $395,000, slightly above the regional average. Compared to Greater Brisbane, North Maclean has lower building activity, with 53.0% fewer approvals per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing homes, although building activity has increased recently. The area's recent development consists entirely of detached dwellings, maintaining its traditional low density character focused on family homes.

There are approximately 64 people per dwelling approval in North Maclean, indicating growth area characteristics. Future projections suggest North Maclean will add 147 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

North Maclean has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Eleven infrastructure projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Notable ones are Flagstone Logistics Estate, Flagstone Master Planned Community, Everleigh Estate by Mirvac, and Park Ridge Economic Corridor Development.

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.

AreaSearch assessment indicates North Maclean faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

North Maclean has a balanced mix of white and blue collar jobs, with construction being notably prominent. The unemployment rate here is 5.3%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. By December 2025682 residents are employed while the unemployment rate stands at 1.1% higher than Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.1%.

Workforce participation in North Maclean is significantly lower at 47.7%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 69.6%. A moderate 17.1% of residents work from home, considering Covid-19 lockdown impacts. Employment in the area is concentrated in construction, retail trade, and health care & social assistance. North Maclean shows strong specialization in construction with an employment share double that of the regional level.

Conversely, health care & social assistance is under-represented at 10.9% compared to Greater Brisbane's 16.1%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data comparing working population to resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, the labour force decreased by 13.8% while employment declined by 14.4%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.7 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Brisbane saw employment grow by 3.2% with a labour force growth of 3.0%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that North Maclean's employment should increase by 5.9% over five years and 12.3% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation using the local employment profile.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that in North Maclean, median income is $43,312 and average income is $49,342. This is lower than national averages of $58,236 (median) and $72,799 (average). In Greater Brisbane, median income is $58,236 and average income is $72,799. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes for North Maclean as of March 2026 would be approximately $48,232 (median) and $54,947 (average). According to the 2021 Census, individual income is at the 15th percentile ($630 weekly), while household income is at the 48th percentile. The income distribution shows that 36.2% of residents (776 people) earn between $1,500 and $2,999, similar to the metropolitan region where 33.3% fall into this bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe in North Maclean, with only 83.4% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 49th percentile.

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

North Maclean's dwelling structures, as recorded in the latest Census, consisted of 99.0% houses and 1.0% 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 North Maclean stood at 33.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 44.2% and rented ones at 22.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,820, lower than Brisbane metro's average of $1,863. The median weekly rent in North Maclean was $450, higher than Brisbane metro's figure of $380. Nationally, North Maclean's mortgage repayments were below the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

North Maclean features high concentrations of group households and family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 79.8% of all households, including 35.0% couples with children, 28.1% couples without children, and 16.0% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 20.2%, consisting of 14.9% lone person households and 4.8% group households. The median household size is 3.0 people, which is larger than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 11.1%, significantly lower than Greater Brisbane's average of 30.5%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 7.7%, followed by graduate diplomas (1.8%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.6%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 40.8% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 8.8% and certificates at 32.0%. Educational participation is high, with 25.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 9.2% in secondary education, 8.7% in primary education, and 3.0% pursuing tertiary education.

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

North Maclean has eight active public transport stops operating, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by two different routes that together facilitate 244 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility to these transport options is limited, with residents on average being located 955 meters from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most commuters travel outward. Cars remain the primary mode of transportation, used by 94% of residents. On average, there are 2.3 vehicles per dwelling in North Maclean, which is higher than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 17.1% of residents work from home, a figure that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes averages 34 trips per day, equating to roughly 30 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

North Maclean faces significant health challenges, based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is extremely low at approximately 47% of the total population (~1,002 people), compared to 55.8% across Greater Brisbane and the national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are asthma and arthritis, impacting 10.5 and 9.0% of residents respectively. However, 64.1% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.2% across Greater Brisbane. The working-age population faces notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 17.4% of residents aged 65 and over (373 people), which is higher than the 15.1% in Greater Brisbane.

In terms of cultural diversity, North Maclean records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

North Maclean's population, born in Australia, is 81.3%, with 90.3% being citizens and 89.8% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion, accounting for 46.5%. The 'Other' category is slightly overrepresented at 1.7% compared to Greater Brisbane's 1.3%.

Top ancestry groups are English (32.2%), Australian (28.0%), and Irish (7.6%). Notably, Welsh (0.9%) and New Zealand (1.2%) representation is higher than the regional average, as is Vietnamese (1.0%).

North Maclean's median age exceeds the national pattern

North Maclean has a median age of 41, which is higher than Greater Brisbane's figure of 36, and marginally higher than Australia's 38 years. Compared to Greater Brisbane's average, the 55-64 age cohort is notably over-represented in North Maclean at 14.4%, while the 25-34 year-olds are under-represented at 10.2%. Between 2021 and present, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 5.4% to 6.6% of the population. Conversely, the 15 to 24 cohort has declined from 14.8% to 13.9%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests North Maclean's age profile will evolve significantly. The 45 to 54 age cohort is projected to expand by 78 people (24%) from 321 to 400. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 52% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Meanwhile, the 15 to 24 and 35 to 44 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.