St Lucia

An assessment of population growth drivers in St Lucia reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

As of November 2025, the estimated population of St Lucia is around 15,276, reflecting a 3,056 person increase since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 12,220. This growth represents a 25.0% change from the previous census figure. The current resident population estimate of 14,981 by AreaSearch is based on examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and includes an additional 129 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density ratio for St Lucia stands at 3,847 persons per square kilometer, placing it within the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. This high density makes land in the area a highly sought resource. St Lucia's population growth of 25.0% since the 2021 Census exceeds both the SA4 region (8.3%) and the national average, positioning it as a growth leader in the region.

Overseas migration contributed approximately 96.0% of overall population gains during recent periods. 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 from 2023, based on 2021 data, are used. Where state projections lack age category splits, AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 and based on 2022 data for each age cohort. Future population trends indicate that the suburb of St Lucia is expected to grow by 1,292 persons to reach a total population of approximately 16,568 by the year 2041. This projected increase reflects an overall growth rate of 6.5% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees St Lucia recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Based on AreaSearch analysis using ABS building approval numbers from statistical area data, St Lucia recorded approximately 27 residential property approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 135 homes. As of FY-26, there has been 1 approval recorded so far. Assuming an average of 10 new residents per home built annually between FY-21 and FY-25, demand significantly outpaces supply, potentially driving up prices and increasing competition among buyers. The average construction value for new homes is around $1,170,000, indicating a focus on the premium market with high-end developments.

In FY-26, $138.6 million in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting strong local business investment. Compared to Greater Brisbane, St Lucia has seen reduced construction activity, with 57.0% fewer approvals per person, which generally supports stronger demand and values for established homes. This level is also below the national average, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. Recent construction comprises 68.0% detached houses and 32.0% townhouses or apartments, offering options across different price points. New construction favours detached housing more than current patterns suggest (33.0% at Census), indicating robust demand for family homes despite increasing density pressures.

St Lucia has a population density of approximately 693 people per approval, demonstrating its mature and established nature. Population forecasts indicate an increase of 997 residents by 2041, with current construction levels expected to meet housing demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

St Lucia 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 50 projects that could impact this region. Notable ones include the 525-Home Indooroopilly Development, University of Queensland Student Residence Complex, University of Queensland Paralympic Centre of Excellence, and St Lucia Site Development Plan. The following list details those likely to be 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.

AreaSearch assessment positions St Lucia ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

St Lucia has a highly educated workforce with professional services showing strong representation. The unemployment rate is 2.6%, as aggregated from statistical area data by AreaSearch.

As of June 2025, 8,086 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.5% lower than Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation in St Lucia is somewhat below standard at 60.4%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 64.5%. The dominant employment sectors among residents include education & training, professional & technical, and health care & social assistance. Notably, there is a high concentration in education & training, with employment levels at 2.2 times the regional average.

Conversely, construction is under-represented, with only 3.3% of St Lucia's workforce compared to 9.0% in Greater Brisbane. The ratio of 0.9 workers per resident indicates substantial local employment opportunities. Over the 12 months to June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 1.5%, and employment declined by 1.3%, resulting in a fall of 0.2 percentage points in the unemployment rate. This contrasts with Greater Brisbane where employment rose by 4.4% and the labour force grew by 4.0%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 offer insight into potential future demand within St Lucia. These projections suggest national employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with growth rates differing significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to St Lucia's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

St Lucia's median income among taxpayers was $39,312 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $77,848 during the same period. Comparing these figures to Greater Brisbane's median and average incomes of $55,645 and $70,520 respectively shows St Lucia's higher income levels nationally. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.99% since financial year 2022, estimated median and average incomes for St Lucia as of September 2025 would be approximately $44,812 and $88,739 respectively. According to the 2021 Census figures, individual incomes in St Lucia lag at the 6th percentile ($548 weekly), while household income performs better at the 51st percentile. Income analysis reveals that 31.0% of residents (4,735 people) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket, which is similar to the surrounding region where this cohort represents 33.3%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in St Lucia, with only 82.6% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 49th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

St Lucia features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

The latest Census evaluated dwelling structures in St Lucia with 33.1% houses and 66.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Brisbane metro had 48.9% houses and 51.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in St Lucia was 27.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 18.3% and rented at 54.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in St Lucia was $2,000, below Brisbane metro's average of $2,167. Median weekly rent in St Lucia was $410, matching Brisbane metro's figure but exceeding the national average of $375. Nationally, St Lucia's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,000 compared to Australia's average of $1,863.

St Lucia features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 55.1% of all households, including 21.9% couples with children, 23.9% couples without children, and 6.3% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 44.9%, with lone person households at 25.0% and group households comprising 19.9%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.5.

St Lucia shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Educational attainment in St Lucia is notably high, with 51.6% of residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications. This is significantly higher than the Queensland average of 25.7% and the Australian average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 27.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 21.9% and graduate diplomas at 2.7%. Technical qualifications make up 13.6% of educational achievements for residents aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas at 6.2% and certificates at 7.4%.

Educational participation is also high, with 56.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 41.9% in tertiary education, 5.8% in primary education, and 3.9% pursuing secondary education. Ironside State School serves the local educational needs within St Lucia, with an enrollment of 937 students as of a recent report. The school's performance is exceptional, with an ICSEA score of 1180, placing it among the most advantaged nationally. It focuses exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in surrounding areas. However, local school capacity is limited, with only 6.1 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 26.0, leading many families to travel for schooling.

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

Transport analysis shows 54 active stops operating within St Lucia. These comprise a mix of ferry and bus services. They are served by 18 individual routes, collectively offering 6,187 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 149 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 883 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 114 weekly trips per stop.

St Lucia's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Health outcomes data shows excellent results across St Lucia, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover stands at approximately 58% of the total population (8,867 people), compared to 66.6% in Greater Brisbane.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions, affecting 8.6 and 7.3% of residents respectively, while 77.2% report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.7% in Greater Brisbane. St Lucia has 10.8% of its population aged 65 and over (1,649 people), lower than the 14.4% in Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, broadly aligning with the general population's health profile.

St Lucia is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

St Lucia has a high level of cultural diversity, with 33.6% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 42.9% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion in St Lucia, making up 34.9% of people there. However, Judaism is overrepresented compared to Greater Brisbane, comprising 0.3% of St Lucia's population.

The top three ancestry groups are English (21.4%), Australian (19.1%), and Other (14.3%). Notably, Russian (0.5%) and South African (0.8%) ethnicities are overrepresented in St Lucia compared to regional figures.

St Lucia hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

St Lucia's median age is 24, which is lower than Greater Brisbane's 36 and Australia's 38 years. The age profile shows a prominent 15-24 year-old group (41.6%), while the 55-64 group is smaller at 4.7%. Post-2021 Census data indicates rejuvenation, with median age falling from 25 to 24 and 15-24 cohort growing from 38.1% to 41.6%, while the 55-64 group declined from 6.0% to 4.7%. By 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts: the 85+ age cohort is projected to surge by 425 people (214%) from 198 to 624, with residents aged 65 and older accounting for 66% of anticipated growth. Conversely, the 5-14 and 0-4 cohorts are expected to decline in population.