Sherwood (Qld)

Population growth drivers in Sherwood are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch since the Census, Sherwood's population is estimated at around 6,727 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 645 people (10.6%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,082 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 6,597, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, and an additional 95 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2,937 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Sherwood's 10.6% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region (8.5%), along with the national average, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the suburb of Sherwood (Qld) was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 63.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including natural growth and interstate migration were positive factors.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and for years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections, released in 2023 and based on 2021 data, are adopted. It should be noted that these state projections do not provide age category splits; hence where utilised, AreaSearch is applying proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data) for each age cohort. Anticipating future population dynamics, a population increase just below the median of statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch is expected, with the suburb of Sherwood (Qld) expected to grow by 720 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 8.6% in total over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Sherwood when compared nationally

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers for Sherwood shows around 25 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, approximately 126 homes were approved, with a further 8 approved so far in FY-26. This averages out to about 5.3 new residents per year for every home built during this period.

However, supply is substantially lagging demand, leading to heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures. The average construction value of new properties is $683,000, indicating a focus on the premium market with high-end developments. In FY-26, there have been $2.2 million in commercial approvals, suggesting minimal commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Sherwood records 12.0% less building activity per person and ranks among the 53rd percentile of areas assessed nationally.

New building activity is evenly split between detached houses (50.0%) and townhouses or apartments (50.0%), indicating a trend towards denser development which caters to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. The area has approximately 303 people per dwelling approval, suggesting room for growth. Population forecasts indicate Sherwood will gain 580 residents by 2041, based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. Given current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Sherwood 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 identified four projects likely impacting the area: Oxley Creek Transformation, Parklands at Sherwood, Cross River Rail - Graceville Station, and Centenary Motorway Bypass. Details about these key projects follow.

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

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AreaSearch assessment positions Sherwood ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

Sherwood has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate is 3.4%, as per AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of September 2025, there are 3,693 residents employed while the unemployment rate is 0.6% lower than Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.0%.

Workforce participation in Sherwood is similar to Greater Brisbane's at 70.7%. According to Census responses, 31.8% of residents work from home, but Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Major employment industries include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. Sherwood specializes in professional & technical jobs with an employment share 1.6 times the regional level, while construction shows lower representation at 4.8% compared to the regional average of 9.0%.

The area offers limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the working population vs resident population count. Over a 12-month period ending in May-25, Sherwood's labour force decreased by 3.6%, and employment declined by 2.8%, causing unemployment to fall by 0.8 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Brisbane recorded employment growth of 3.8% and labour force growth of 3.3%, with unemployment falling by 0.5 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Sherwood's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.1% over five years and 14.4% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

As per AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released on 30 June 2023 for financial year 2023, the suburb of Sherwood's median income among taxpayers is $66,843. The average income is $91,155. Nationally, this is extremely high compared to Greater Brisbane's median of $58,236 and average of $72,799. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Sherwood would be approximately $73,467 (median) and $100,188 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, individual earnings in Sherwood stand out at the 83rd percentile nationally with a weekly income of $1,057. The earnings profile shows that 29.3% of residents (1,971 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 weekly income bracket. This reflects regional patterns where 33.3% occupy this range. Higher earners represent a substantial presence with 33.3% exceeding $3,000 weekly. High housing costs consume 15.5% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 68th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Sherwood displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Sherwood's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 51.6% houses and 48.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Brisbane metro had 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Sherwood was at 29.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 33.4% and rented ones at 37.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Sherwood was $2,197, higher than Brisbane metro's average of $1,863. Weekly rent in Sherwood was recorded at $390, compared to Brisbane metro's $380. Nationally, Sherwood's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

Sherwood features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 64.5% of all households, including 29.3% couples with children, 25.4% couples without children, and 8.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 35.5%, with lone person households at 31.3% and group households comprising 4.1%. The median household size is 2.3 people, smaller than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.

Educational achievement in Sherwood places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Sherwood's educational attainment exceeds broader benchmarks significantly. Among residents aged 15+, 50.5% hold university qualifications compared to 25.7% in Queensland (QLD) and 30.4% nationwide. This educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 32.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 13.8% and graduate diplomas at 4.6%.

Vocational pathways account for 21.9% of qualifications among those aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 9.8% and certificates at 12.1%. Educational participation is notably high, with 31.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.2% in tertiary education, 8.8% in primary education, and 8.7% pursuing secondary education.

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

Sherwood has 21 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 89 routes collectively providing 2,761 weekly passenger trips. Residents have good access to transport, with an average distance of 207 meters to the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward from this primarily residential area. Car is the dominant mode of travel at 74%, while train accounts for 17%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.1 per dwelling, below the regional average.

In 2021 Census data, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions, 31.8% of residents work from home. Service frequency averages 394 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 131 weekly trips per individual stop.

Sherwood's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis shows strong health performance across Sherwood based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both young and old age cohorts had low prevalence of common health conditions. Private health cover was found to be exceptionally high at approximately 63% of the total population (4,259 people), compared to 55.8% across Greater Brisbane and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions were mental health issues and asthma, impacting 8.4% and 7.4% of residents respectively. 72.7% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.2% across Greater Brisbane. Working-age residents had low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 19.2% of residents aged 65 and over (1,291 people), higher than the 15.2% in Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among seniors were above average, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Sherwood was found to be slightly above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Sherwood's population, as per the 2016 Census, showed above-average cultural diversity with 14.8% speaking languages other than English at home and 26.2% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion, constituting 47.3%. Notably, Judaism was overrepresented at 0.3%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 0.1%.

The top three parental ancestry groups were English (27.6%), Australian (22.1%), and Irish (11.1%). Some ethnic groups showed notable differences: Scottish (9.9% vs regional 7.4%), Russian (0.7% vs 0.3%), and French (0.7% vs 0.5%) were overrepresented in Sherwood.

Sherwood's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

Sherwood's median age is 38, slightly higher than Greater Brisbane's 36 but equal to Australia's 38 years. The 75-84 age group makes up 8.2% of Sherwood's population, compared to Greater Brisbane, while the 25-34 cohort comprises 12.5%. Between 2021 and present, the 75-84 age group has increased from 5.2% to 8.2%, and the 25-34 cohort has decreased from 14.2% to 12.5%. By 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts in Sherwood's age structure. The 75-84 group is expected to grow by 60% (331 people), reaching 883 from 551. Those aged 65 and above are projected to contribute 72% of the population growth. Meanwhile, the 15-24 and 0-4 age groups are anticipated to experience population declines.