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

South Maclean's population is estimated at around 3,198 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 966 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,232 people. The change was inferred from the resident population of 2,889 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 763 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 180 persons per square kilometer. South Maclean's growth of 43.3% since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.9%). Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by interstate migration contributing approximately 85.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections are adopted. Exceptional growth is predicted over the period to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, with the suburb expected to increase by 2,336 persons reflecting an increase of 68.0% in total over the 17 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows South Maclean averaged around 121 new dwelling approvals each year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 605 homes. So far in FY-26, 68 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.6 new residents per year per dwelling constructed were noted between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating a balanced supply and demand dynamic.

New properties are constructed at an average value of $395,000, higher than regional norms, reflecting quality-focused development. Compared to Greater Brisbane, South Maclean has 99.0% more development activity per person, offering buyers greater choice. This is above the national average, indicating strong developer confidence in the area. All new construction has been detached houses, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. There are approximately 14 people per dwelling approval, suggesting an expanding market.

By 2041, South Maclean is expected to grow by 2,175 residents. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 20 projects that may impact this region. Notable projects include Flagstone Community Hub, Pebble Creek, Flourish Estate, and Flagstone. The following details those considered most relevant.

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

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Employment conditions in South Maclean demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally

South Maclean has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. The construction sector is prominent, with an unemployment rate of 2.9% and estimated employment growth of 4.4% over the past year (AreaSearch data). As of September 2025, 1,692 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.1% below Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.0%.

Workforce participation is high at 77.5%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 70.7%. According to Census responses, 14.5% of residents work from home. Employment is concentrated in construction, health care & social assistance, and manufacturing. Construction employment levels are particularly high, at 1.8 times the regional average.

Conversely, professional & technical jobs show lower representation at 4.1%, compared to the regional average of 8.9%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over a 12-month period ending in September 2025, employment increased by 4.4% and labour force by 3.9%, causing unemployment to fall by 0.5 percentage points (AreaSearch analysis). This compares with Greater Brisbane's employment growth of 3.8%, labour force expansion of 3.3%, and unemployment reduction of 0.5 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years (May-25 projections). Applying these projections to South Maclean's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.9% over five years and 12.4% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released for financial year 2023, South Maclean had a median income among taxpayers of $52,813 and an average level of $60,049. These figures are lower than the national averages of $58,236 and $72,799 respectively for Greater Brisbane. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since financial year 2023, current estimates for South Maclean as of September 2025 would be approximately $58,047 (median) and $66,000 (average). The 2021 Census shows household income ranks at the 69th percentile ($2,061 weekly), while personal income sits at the 45th percentile. Income analysis reveals that 40.2% of South Maclean's population falls within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, mirroring the regional trend where 33.3% occupy this bracket. 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 structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 99.6% houses and 0.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In contrast, Brisbane metro had 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in South Maclean was 27.4%, similar to Brisbane metro's level. Dwellings were either mortgaged (60.2%) or rented (12.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,950, higher than the Brisbane metro average of $1,863. Median weekly rent in South Maclean was $470, compared to Brisbane metro's $380. Nationally, South Maclean's mortgage repayments were above the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially higher than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 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 account for 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, larger than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.

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, comprising 11.5% in primary, 10.7% in secondary, and 3.2% in tertiary 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

South Maclean has four operational public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These are served by two different routes that collectively facilitate 244 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is considered limited, with residents typically residing 1151 meters away from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential zone, most inhabitants commute outward, primarily using cars (93%). On average, there are 2.4 vehicles per dwelling, exceeding the regional norm. According to the 2021 Census, 14.5% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

Across all routes, an average of 34 trips occur daily, translating to roughly 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, as assessed by AreaSearch using mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence data. Common health conditions are somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts.

Private health cover is relatively low at approximately 51% of the total population (~1630 people), compared to 55.8% across Greater Brisbane. The most common medical conditions in the area are asthma and arthritis, impacting 9.1 and 8.7% of residents respectively, while 67.0% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.2% across Greater Brisbane. The working-age population faces notable health challenges due to elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 13.1% of residents aged 65 and over (418 people), which is lower than the 15.2% in Greater Brisbane, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

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's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 88.6% of its population being citizens, 83.7% born in Australia, and 93.3% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 48.2% of South Maclean's population. The most notable overrepresentation was in the 'Other' category, which made up 1.1% compared to 1.3% across Greater Brisbane.

Regarding ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three groups were English at 30.9%, Australian at 27.4%, and Irish at 8.9%. Notably, New Zealanders were overrepresented at 1.3% in South Maclean compared to 1.0% regionally, Russians at 0.5% versus 0.3%, and Germans at 4.7% versus 4.2%.

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

South Maclean's median age is 38, slightly higher than Greater Brisbane's 36 but equal to Australia's 38 years. The 55-64 age group comprises 13.0%, compared to Greater Brisbane, while the 25-34 cohort makes up 9.9%. Between 2021 and present, the 35-44 age group has increased from 13.1% to 14.6%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort has decreased from 14.9% to 13.0%, and the 65-74 group has fallen from 9.6% to 7.9%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in South Maclean's age structure, with the 45-54 group expected to grow by 83%, reaching 759 people from 415.