Paddington (Qld)

Population growth drivers in Paddington are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch since May 2026, Paddington's estimated population is around 9,311. This reflects an increase of 248 people (2.7%) from the 2021 Census figure of 9,063. The change was inferred from a resident population estimate of 9,143 by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025 and an additional 22 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 3,831 persons per square kilometer, placing Paddington (Qld) in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 73.0% of overall population gains during recent periods for this suburb.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections released in 2023 based on 2021 data are used. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits, so AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data for each age cohort. Future population trends project an above median growth for Paddington (Qld), with the area expected to expand by 1,451 persons to 2041. This reflects a total increase of 13.8% over the 16-year period based on aggregated SA2-level projections.

The level of residential development activity in Paddington is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Paddington has seen approximately 8 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years ending FY26, totalling around 44 homes. As of FY26, 45 approvals have been recorded. The population decline during this period has maintained an adequate housing supply relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with varied buyer choices. The average construction cost for new homes is $1,793,000, indicating developers' focus on the premium market.

In FY26, $1,000 in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting minimal commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Paddington has significantly lower development activity, 81.0% below the regional average per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established homes. The area's development level is also below national averages, reflecting its maturity and possible planning constraints. New developments consist of 12.0% standalone homes and 88.0% attached dwellings, offering affordable entry pathways and attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This shift from the current housing mix (66.0% houses) reflects reduced development site availability and changing lifestyle demands. Paddington has a population density of around 6171 people per dwelling approval, indicating a highly mature market.

According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Paddington is projected to grow by 1,283 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting stronger price growth.

Paddington 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 a total of twenty-five projects likely to impact the area. Notable projects include the three-hundred-and-five-unit Milton Development, Kings Row Redevelopment, The Governess, 49 Reading Street, and Coles Local Bardon. 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 in Paddington shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

Paddington has an educated workforce with strong professional services representation. Its unemployment rate is 2.8%, lower than Greater Brisbane's 4.1%. As of December 2025, 6,194 residents are employed.

Workforce participation in Paddington is high at 80.6% compared to Greater Brisbane's 69.6%. Census data shows 32.7% of residents work from home. Leading employment industries include professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. The area specializes in professional & technical services with an employment share twice the regional level.

However, manufacturing is under-represented at 3.1%. The worker-to-resident ratio is 0.7, indicating ample local employment opportunities. Between December 2024 and December 2025, Paddington's labour force decreased by 0.3% while employment fell by 0.7%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Brisbane saw employment growth of 3.2%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest total employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Paddington's industry mix indicates local employment could increase by 7.5% over five years and 15.0% over ten years, assuming constant population projections.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ending June 2023, Paddington suburb had a median income among taxpayers of $70,352 with the average level at $114,663. This places it in the top percentile nationally and compares to levels of $58,236 and $72,799 across Greater Brisbane respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% since financial year ending June 2023, current estimates would be approximately $78,344 (median) and $127,689 (average) as of March 2026. Census data from 2021 shows household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Paddington, between the 94th to 95th percentiles nationally. Income distribution indicates that 33.8% of individuals earn above $4,000 weekly, differing from metropolitan patterns where $1,500 - $2,999 dominates with 33.3%. A significant 46.8% earn above $3,000 weekly. Housing accounts for 14.4% of income while strong earnings rank residents within the 94th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

Paddington displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In Paddington, as per the latest Census evaluation, 66.2% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 33.8% being semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This differs slightly from Brisbane's metropolitan area, where 73.5% of dwellings are houses. Home ownership in Paddington stood at 25.5%, mirroring Brisbane metro's figure, with mortgaged properties at 31.0% and rented ones at 43.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Paddington was $2,708, surpassing the Brisbane metro average of $1,863. The median weekly rent in Paddington was recorded at $470, compared to Brisbane metro's $380. Nationally, Paddington's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Paddington features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 63.0% of all households, including 28.2% couples with children, 26.2% couples without children, and 7.1% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 37.0%, with lone person households at 26.8% and group households comprising 10.3% of the total. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.

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

Paddington's educational attainment is notably higher than broader averages. Among residents aged 15+, 58.2% possess university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in Queensland (QLD) and 30.4% nationally. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 38.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (14.5%) and graduate diplomas (5.4%). Vocational pathways account for 18.7% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 8.9% and certificates at 9.8%.

Educational participation is high, with 32.2% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.8% in tertiary education, 8.2% in primary education, and 7.0% pursuing secondary education.

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

Paddington has 47 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 10 different routes that together facilitate 1,810 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents on average located just 140 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outwards daily due to its residential nature. Car remains the primary mode of travel at 70%, followed by bus at 12% and walking at 9%. On average, there are 1.3 vehicles per dwelling in the area.

According to the 2021 Census, a high proportion of residents, 32.7%, work from home, which might be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 258 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 38 weekly trips per stop.

Paddington's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Paddington's health outcomes show excellent results based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are very low across all age groups. Approximately 73% of Paddington's total population (6,762 people) has private health cover, compared to 55.8% in Greater Brisbane and the national average of 55.7%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions, affecting 9.4% and 7.9% of residents respectively. A total of 73.9% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 69.2% in Greater Brisbane. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. Paddington has 12.1% of residents aged 65 and over (1,126 people), lower than the 15.1% in Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, aligning with national rankings for the general population.

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

Paddington's population showed cultural diversity similar to the wider region's average, with 79.2% born in Australia, 88.6% being citizens, and 90.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 42.9%. However, Judaism was overrepresented at 0.3%, compared to 0.1% regionally.

The top three ancestry groups were English (28.1%), Australian (22.0%), and Irish (13.0%). Notable divergences included Scottish (10.0% vs regional 7.4%), Hungarian (0.4% vs 0.2%), and French (0.7% vs 0.5%) groups.

Paddington hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

Paddington's median age is 34, which is younger than Greater Brisbane's figure of 36 and substantially under Australia's 38 years. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Paddington has a higher concentration of 25-34 residents at 20.0%, but fewer 5-14 year-olds at 9.9%. This 25-34 concentration is well above the national figure of 14.6%. Between the 2021 Census and present, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 2.8% to 3.8% of the population. Conversely, the 0 to 4 cohort has declined from 5.3% to 4.2%, and the 5 to 14 group has dropped from 11.0% to 9.9%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Paddington. The 45 to 54 age group is projected to grow by 23%, adding 299 residents to reach a total of 1,622. However, both the 0 to 4 and 35 to 44 age groups are expected to see reduced numbers.