South Maclean

South Maclean lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validation, as of Nov 2025, South Maclean's estimated population is around 3,172. This reflects a 42.1% increase since the 2021 Census, which reported 2,232 people. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 2,889 residents following examination of ABS's June 2024 ERP data release and an additional 682 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 179 persons per square kilometer. South Maclean's growth exceeded national (9.7%) and state averages, marking it as a regional growth leader. Interstate migration contributed approximately 85% of overall population gains.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. 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; hence proportional growth weightings from ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data) are applied for each age cohort. Future demographic trends predict exceptional growth, placing South Maclean in the top 10 percent of Australian statistical areas. By 2041, it is expected to grow by 2,296 persons, reflecting a 67.8% increase over the 17 years.

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

South Maclean recorded around 121 residential properties granted approval annually based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Approximately 605 homes were approved over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, with an additional 68 approved in FY-26 so far.

On average, 1.6 new residents per year per dwelling constructed were recorded during this period. The average construction value of these properties was $395,000. Compared to Greater Brisbane, South Maclean had 99.0% more building activity per person as of the latest data. This activity comprised entirely detached dwellings, maintaining the area's low-density character with a focus on family homes. There were approximately 14 people per dwelling approval in the location.

According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, South Maclean is expected to grow by 2,152 residents through to 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering favourable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating further population growth beyond current projections.

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

Twenty projects have been identified by AreaSearch as likely to impact the area, with key ones including Flagstone Community Hub, Pebble Creek, Flourish Estate, and Flagstone.

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

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AreaSearch analysis places South Maclean well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

South Maclean has a balanced workforce comprising white and blue collar jobs. The construction sector is prominent with an unemployment rate of 2.9% and estimated employment growth of 4.5% over the past year (AreaSearch data).

As of September 2025, there are 1,690 employed residents, with an unemployment rate of 1.1% below Greater Brisbane's 4.0%. Workforce participation is similar to Greater Brisbane at 64.5%. Dominant sectors include construction, health care & social assistance, and manufacturing. Construction has a high employment share, 1.8 times the regional level.

Professional & technical jobs are under-represented at 4.1%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 8.9%. Limited local employment opportunities are indicated by Census data. Over the year to September 2025, employment increased by 4.5% and labour force by 3.9%, reducing unemployment by 0.5 percentage points. State-wide, Queensland employment contracted slightly by 0.01% (losing 1,210 jobs) as of 25-Nov, with an unemployment rate of 4.2%. National employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to South Maclean's employment mix suggests local growth rates of 5.9% over five years and 12.4% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that South Maclean's median income is $52,813 and average income is $60,049. This is below Greater Brisbane's median income of $58,236 and average income of $72,799. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since financial year 2023, estimated current incomes as of September 2025 are approximately $58,047 (median) and $66,000 (average). Census data indicates household income ranks at the 69th percentile ($2,061 weekly), with personal income at the 45th percentile. Income brackets show that 40.2% of locals (1,275 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 category, similar to the metropolitan region's 33.3%. High housing costs consume 16.0% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 69th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

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

South Maclean's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 99.6% houses and 0.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Brisbane metro's 97.3% houses and 2.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in South Maclean was at 27.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 60.2% and rented ones at 12.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,950, below Brisbane metro's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in South Maclean was $470, higher than Brisbane metro's $390 but lower than the national average of $375. Nationally, South Maclean's mortgage repayments were higher at $1,950 compared to Australia's average of $1,863.

South Maclean features high concentrations of family households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 85.2% of all households, including 40.5% couples with children, 30.6% couples without children, and 12.7% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 14.8%, with lone person households at 12.4% and group households comprising 1.9%. The median household size is 3.1 people, which is smaller than the Greater Brisbane average of 3.2.

The educational profile of South Maclean exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 12.3%, significantly lower than Greater Brisbane's average of 30.5%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 9.0%, followed by graduate diplomas (1.8%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.5%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 44.8% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (9.9%) and certificates (34.9%). Educational participation is high, with 30.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including primary (11.5%), secondary (10.7%), and tertiary (3.2%) education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 30.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.5% in primary education, 10.7% in secondary education, and 3.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

The analysis of public transport in South Maclean shows that there are four active transport stops currently operating. These stops offer a mix of bus services, with two individual routes providing a total of 244 weekly passenger trips combined. The accessibility to these transport services is rated as limited, with residents generally located 1151 meters away from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 34 trips per day across all routes, which amounts to approximately 61 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

South Maclean faces significant health challenges, with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts.

Private health cover is relatively low at approximately 51% of the total population (~1617 people). The most common medical conditions are asthma and arthritis, impacting 9.1 and 8.7% of residents respectively. 67.0% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.6% across Greater Brisbane. The area has 13.0% of residents aged 65 and over (412 people), which is higher than the 11.4% in Greater Brisbane.

South Maclean ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

South Maclean had a lower cultural diversity, with 88.6% being citizens, 83.7% born in Australia, and 93.3% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 48.2%. The 'Other' category was slightly overrepresented at 1.1%, compared to 1.0% regionally.

In terms of ancestry, the top groups were English (30.9%), Australian (27.4%), and Irish (8.9%). Notably, New Zealanders were overrepresented at 1.3% (vs regional 1.6%), Russians at 0.5% (vs 0.3%), and Germans at 4.7% (vs 4.0%).

South Maclean's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

South Maclean has a median age of 38, which is slightly higher than Greater Brisbane's figure of 36 but equal to Australia's median age of 38 years. The 5-14 age group comprises 15.1% of South Maclean's population, compared to Greater Brisbane, while the 25-34 cohort makes up 10.6%. Between 2021 and now, the median age has decreased by 1 year from 39 to 38, indicating a shift towards a younger demographic. The 35-44 age group has grown from 13.1% to 14.4% of South Maclean's population during this period. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort has declined from 14.9% to 13.1%, and the 55-64 group has dropped from 14.5% to 12.7%. By 2041, South Maclean's age profile is expected to change significantly, with the 45-54 group projected to grow by 80%, reaching 750 people from its current figure of 415.