Paddington (Qld)

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

Paddington's population is estimated at 9,445 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase from 9,063 people in the 2021 Census, a rise of 382 people (4.2%). The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of resident population at 9,249 following examination of ABS ERP data release in June 2024 and validation of 19 new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 3,886 persons per square kilometer, placing Paddington in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Paddington's compound annual growth rate was 1.7%, outpacing its SA3 area. Overseas migration contributed approximately 73.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

For future projections, AreaSearch adopts 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 based on 2021 data are adopted. These state projections lack age category splits; thus AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings aligned with ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data for each age cohort. By 2041, Paddington's population is projected to increase by 1,647 persons, reflecting a 20.7% total increase over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Paddington according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, Paddington has experienced around 9 dwellings receiving development approval each year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 49 homes. So far in FY-26, 1 approval has been recorded. On average, 11.8 new residents arrive per year for every dwelling constructed between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating demand significantly exceeds supply, which typically results in price growth and increased buyer competition. New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost value of $1,793,000, reflecting a focus on the premium market with high-end developments.

In FY-26, $1,000 in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting minimal commercial development activity compared to residential. When measured against Greater Brisbane, Paddington has significantly less development activity, 79.0% below the regional average per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established homes. This level is also below national average, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. New development consists of 25.0% standalone homes and 75.0% attached dwellings, offering affordable entry pathways and attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This represents a considerable change from the current housing mix, which is currently 66.0% houses, likely due to reduced availability of development sites and shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. With around 1932 people per dwelling approval, Paddington reflects a highly mature market.

According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Paddington is expected to grow by 1,952 residents through to 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers 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 impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 26 projects that could affect the area. Notable projects include Milton Development (305 units), Kings Row Redevelopment, The Governess, 49 Reading Street, and Coles Local Bardon. The following list details those likely most relevant.

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

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Employment conditions in Paddington demonstrate exceptional strength compared to most Australian markets

Paddington has an educated workforce, with professional services well-represented. Its unemployment rate is 2.6%, with estimated employment growth of 0.7% over the past year (AreaSearch aggregation). As of September 2025, 6,642 residents are employed, with a 1.4% lower unemployment rate than Greater Brisbane's 4.0%.

Workforce participation is high at 86.9%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 70.7%. Census responses show 32.7% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Key employment industries are professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Paddington specializes in professional & technical jobs, with a share twice the regional level (2.0 vs 1.0).

Manufacturing is under-represented at 3.1%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 6.4%. The worker-to-resident ratio is 0.7, indicating ample local employment opportunities. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 0.7% and labour force grew by 0.8%, keeping unemployment stable. In contrast, Greater Brisbane saw employment rise by 3.8%, labour force grow by 3.3%, and unemployment fall by 0.5 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's May-25 national employment forecasts project overall growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates across industries. Applying these projections to Paddington's employment mix suggests local employment could increase by 7.5% over five years and 15.0% over ten years (simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes).

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 2023, Paddington had a median income among taxpayers of $70,352. The average income stood at $114,663. This places Paddington in the top percentile nationally. In comparison, Greater Brisbane's median and average incomes were $58,236 and $72,799 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Paddington would be approximately $77,324 (median) and $126,026 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family, and personal incomes in Paddington rank highly nationally, between the 94th and 94th percentiles. The income distribution reveals that 33.8% of individuals earn above $4,000 weekly, differing from metropolitan patterns where the dominant band is $1,500 - $2,999 at 33.3%. A significant 46.8% in Paddington earn above $3,000 weekly. Housing accounts for 14.4% of income, and residents rank 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

Paddington's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 66.2% houses and 33.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Brisbane metro had 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Paddington was at 25.5%, similar to Brisbane metro's level. Dwellings were either mortgaged (31.0%) or rented (43.6%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Paddington was $2,708, higher than the Brisbane metro average of $1,863 and the national average of $1,863. The median weekly rent in Paddington was $470, compared to Brisbane metro's $380 and 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%. 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 and above, 58.2% have university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in Queensland and 30.4% nationally. This high level of educational attainment positions the area favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common 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 making up 8.9% and certificates 9.8%. Educational participation is high in Paddington, with 32.2% of residents 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 collectively facilitate 1,810 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located just 140 meters from the nearest transport stop. Most residents in this primarily residential area commute outward using their cars, which remain the dominant mode of transportation at 70%. Only 12% use buses and 9% walk to their destinations. On average, there are 1.3 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, a high proportion of residents, 32.7%, work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 258 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 38 weekly trips per individual 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 of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The area has a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. Approximately 73% of Paddington's total population (6,859 people) have private health cover, which is notably higher than Greater Brisbane's 55.8%.

This figure is also above the national average of 55.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions in Paddington are mental health issues and asthma, affecting 9.4% and 7.9% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 73.9%, report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 69.2% across Greater Brisbane. Working-age residents in Paddington exhibit low chronic condition prevalence. The area has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over (12.0%, or 1,133 people) than Greater Brisbane (15.2%). Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are strong and align 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 was found to align with the wider region's average in terms of cultural diversity, with approximately 79.2% born in Australia, 88.6% being citizens, and 90.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity was identified as the predominant religion in Paddington, comprising around 42.9% of its population. However, Judaism showed notable overrepresentation, making up approximately 0.3% compared to the regional average of 0.1%.

The top three ancestry groups based on parents' country of birth were English (28.1%), Australian (22.0%), and Irish (13.0%). Some ethnic groups also exhibited significant differences in representation: Scottish at around 10.0% compared to the regional average of 7.4%, Hungarian at approximately 0.4% versus 0.2%, and French at about 0.7% compared to 0.5%.

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

Paddington has a median age of 34, which is lower than Greater Brisbane's figure of 36 and significantly below Australia's average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Paddington has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34, at 18.6%, but fewer residents aged 5-14, at 10.3%. Between the 2021 Census and the present day, the population share of those aged 75 to 84 has increased from 2.8% to 3.7%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 0 to 4 has decreased from 5.3% to 4.4%. By 2041, Paddington's population is projected to undergo significant demographic shifts. The 45-54 age group is expected to grow by 30%, adding 399 residents to reach a total of 1,741. Meanwhile, the 0-4 age cohort is projected to grow by a modest 3%, with an increase of 14 people.