Park Ridge

Park Ridge lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

Park Ridge's population is estimated at around 14,698 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 6,243 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 8,455. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 12,942 following examination of ABS ERP data release in June 2024 and an additional 2,304 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 873 persons per square kilometer. Park Ridge's growth rate of 73.8% since the 2021 census exceeded both national (9.9%) and state averages, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration contributing approximately 82.0%.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections released in 2023 based on 2021 data are adopted. Exceptional growth is predicted over the period to 2041 with the suburb expected to grow by 7,755 persons, reflecting an increase of 30.4% in total over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Park Ridge was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

Park Ridge averaged 427 new dwelling approvals annually between FY-21 and FY-25. This totals 2,136 homes approved over these five years, with an additional 292 approved in FY-26 to date. Each year, approximately 2.1 people moved to the area per new home constructed during this period.

The average construction cost of new homes was $361,000. This financial year has seen $28.2 million in commercial approvals registered in Park Ridge. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Park Ridge had 205.0% more new home approvals per person as of recent years. However, building activity has slowed recently. Nationally, Park Ridge's new building activity is above average, indicating strong developer confidence in the area.

Detached dwellings accounted for 84.0% of new building activity, with townhouses or apartments making up the remaining 16.0%. This maintains Park Ridge's traditional low-density character, focused on family homes. With around 37 people per dwelling approval, Park Ridge exhibits growth area characteristics. Population forecasts suggest Park Ridge will gain 4,471 residents by 2041. Given current development patterns, new housing supply should meet demand, creating favorable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Park Ridge 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 35 projects that may impact the area. Notable projects include Chambers Flat Road Upgrade, Queensland Energy Roadmap 2025, Chambers Flat Road Upgrade (Park Ridge Road to Derby Road), and Stone Ridge Estate Logan Reserve. 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.

Employment performance in Park Ridge exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Park Ridge has a skilled workforce with strong representation in manufacturing and industrial sectors. The unemployment rate was 3.3% as of September 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 4.0% over the past year. As of this date, 5,899 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 0.7% lower than Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.0%.

Workforce participation in Park Ridge was significantly lower at 61.3%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 70.7%. According to Census responses, only 8.2% of residents worked from home, with Covid-19 lockdown impacts considered. The leading employment industries among residents were health care & social assistance, retail trade, and transport, postal & warehousing. Park Ridge showed strong specialization in transport, postal & warehousing, with an employment share 1.9 times the regional level.

However, professional & technical services were under-represented at 4.5% compared to Greater Brisbane's 8.9%. The predominantly residential area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the difference between Census working population and resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 4.0%, labour force grew by 3.0%, causing a drop in unemployment rate of 0.9 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Brisbane experienced employment growth of 3.8% and labour force growth of 3.3%, with a 0.5 percentage point drop in unemployment rate. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, released in May-25, projected national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Park Ridge's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.1% over five years and 12.9% over ten years, although these are simple weighted extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localized population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows Park Ridge's median income among taxpayers is $53,952. The average income in Park Ridge is $60,749. This is lower than the national average. Greater Brisbane has a median income of $58,236 and an average of $72,799. Based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023, current estimates for Park Ridge's median income are approximately $59,299 as of September 2025, with the average being around $66,769. Census data indicates household, family and personal incomes in Park Ridge rank modestly, between the 30th and 41st percentiles. The distribution data shows that 35.6% of individuals in Park Ridge earn between $1,500 - 2,999, which is similar to the broader area where this cohort represents 33.3%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Park Ridge, with only 80.0% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 24th percentile.

Park Ridge is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Park Ridge's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census data, consisted of 82.3% houses and 17.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Brisbane metro's 72.3% houses and 27.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Park Ridge stood at 25.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 22.9% and rented ones at 51.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, lower than Brisbane metro's $1,863. The median weekly rent figure was $370, compared to Brisbane metro's $380. Nationally, Park Ridge's mortgage repayments were below the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.

Park Ridge features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households compose 71.0% of all households, including 29.4% couples with children, 27.8% couples without children, and 12.6% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 29.0%, with lone person households at 24.9% and group households comprising 4.0%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which aligns with the Greater Brisbane average.

Educational attainment in Park Ridge aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 17.9%, significantly lower than Greater Brisbane's average of 30.5%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 12.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.4%) and graduate diplomas (1.5%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 40.1% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (10.8%) and certificates (29.3%). Educational participation is high, with 29.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, comprising primary (10.8%), secondary (6.6%), and tertiary (4.4%) levels.

Educational participation is notably high, with 29.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.8% in primary education, 6.6% in secondary education, and 4.4% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Park Ridge has 11 operational public transport stops, all serving buses. These stops are covered by 8 different routes, offering a combined total of 973 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is considered limited, with residents typically living 1163 meters away from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outwards due to its residential nature. Cars remain the primary mode of transportation, used by 93% of residents. On average, there are 1.4 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, only 8.2% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Across all routes, an average of 139 trips are made daily, equating to approximately 88 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Park Ridge is well below average with considerably higher than average prevalence of common health conditions and to an even higher degree among older age cohorts

Park Ridge faces significant health challenges, according to AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are substantially higher than average in Park Ridge, with older age cohorts experiencing an even greater degree of these issues.

Private health cover is relatively low at approximately 51% of the total population (~7,537 people), compared to 55.8% across Greater Brisbane. The most common medical conditions are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 8.8 and 8.3% of residents respectively, while 69.3% report being completely clear of medical ailments, similar to the 69.2% figure for Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among the working-age population are typical. The area has 14.3% of residents aged 65 and over (2,101 people). While health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, they rank lower nationally than those of the broader population.

Park Ridge was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Park Ridge has a high level of cultural diversity, with 28.6% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 38.8% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion in Park Ridge, comprising 42.3% of the population. Notably, the category 'Other' makes up 6.6% of the population, which is significantly higher than the Greater Brisbane average of 1.3%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are English (25.3%), Australian (19.8%), and Other (16.4%). The latter is substantially higher than the regional average of 9.4%. There are also notable divergences in certain ethnic groups: Samoan (3.8% vs 0.9% regionally), Maori (3.7% vs 1.1%), and New Zealand (1.3% vs 1.0%).

Park Ridge hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Park Ridge has a median age of 30, which is younger than Greater Brisbane's figure of 36 and substantially under the Australian median of 38. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Park Ridge has a higher concentration of residents aged 25-34 (22.5%) but fewer residents aged 55-64 (5.1%). This 25-34 concentration is well above the national figure of 14.4%. Between 2021 and present, the 35 to 44 age group has grown from 11.1% to 13.4% of Park Ridge's population. Conversely, the 65 to 74 cohort has declined from 7.7% to 6.6%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections show that Park Ridge's 15 to 24 age cohort is projected to increase significantly, with an expansion of 657 people (31%) from 2,131 to 2,789.