Sunnybank

Sunnybank has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

As of November 2025, the population of the Sunnybank statistical area (Lv2) is estimated at around 10,371 people. This reflects an increase of 1,479 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 8,892 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 10,356, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024) and an additional 41 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2,309 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Sunnybank's 16.6% growth since the 2021 census exceeded both the national average (9.7%) and the state average, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 92.0% 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 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, an above median population growth of statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch is projected for Sunnybank (SA2), with the area expected to grow by 2,037 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 17.3% in total over the 17 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Sunnybank averaged around 38 new dwelling approvals per year. Between FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 192 homes were approved, with a further 22 approved so far in FY-26. This averages to about 4.4 people moving to the area for each dwelling built over these years.

New dwellings are developed at an average expected construction cost of $758,000, indicating developers target the premium market segment. There have been $19.2 million in commercial approvals this financial year.

New development consists of 97.0% detached dwellings and 3.0% townhouses or apartments, preserving Sunnybank's suburban nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. The location has approximately 325 people per dwelling approval, indicating room for growth. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Sunnybank is expected to grow by 1,797 residents through to 2041. Development is keeping reasonable pace with projected growth, though buyer competition may increase as the population expands.

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

AreaSearch has identified 23 projects that could impact the area's performance. Key projects include Macgregor State High School Major Upgrade & Expansion, 12-20 Bothwell Street Apartments, Macgregor Gardens Retirement Village Expansion, and Salina Towers. 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.

AreaSearch assessment indicates Sunnybank faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

Sunnybank has a highly educated workforce with diverse sector representation. Its unemployment rate was 5.8% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 0.8%.

As of September 2025, there were 5,176 residents employed, and the unemployment rate was 1.8% higher than Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.0%. Workforce participation lagged at 57.4%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 64.5%. Employment was concentrated in health care & social assistance, accommodation & food, and retail trade. The area had a particularly strong specialization in accommodation & food, with an employment share 1.9 times the regional level.

Education & training had limited presence, with 6.8% employment compared to 9.4% regionally. Many residents commuted elsewhere for work based on Census data. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 0.8%, labour force increased by 1.3%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.5 percentage points in Sunnybank. In comparison, Greater Brisbane recorded employment growth of 3.8% and a fall in unemployment by 0.5 percentage points. State-level data from 25-Nov-25 shows Queensland's employment contracted by 0.01%, with an unemployment rate of 4.2%. National employment forecasts from May-25 indicate national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Sunnybank's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released for financial year 2023, Sunnybank had a median taxpayer income of $41,637 and an average income of $54,778. Nationally, the median was $58,236 and the average was $72,799 in Greater Brisbane. By September 2025, estimates suggest median income will be approximately $45,763 and average income $60,206, based on a 9.91% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023. Census data shows individual incomes at the 15th percentile were $627 weekly, while household incomes were at the 40th percentile. Income distribution indicates that 31.1% of residents (3,225 people) earn between $1,500 and $2,999, similar to regional levels where 33.3% fall into this bracket. Housing affordability is severe, with only 83.3% of income remaining, ranking at the 40th percentile. Sunnybank's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Sunnybank is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with strong rates of outright home ownership

Sunnybank's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census evaluation, consisted of 86.1% houses and 13.9% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. In Sunnybank, home ownership stood at 37.0%, with 22.1% of dwellings under mortgage and 40.9% rented out. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,000. Meanwhile, the median weekly rent figure amounted to $400. Nationally, Sunnybank's median monthly mortgage repayments surpassed the Australian average of $1,863, while its median weekly rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Sunnybank features high concentrations of group households, with a median household size of 3.0 people

Family households account for 70.3% of all households, including 30.2% couples with children, 25.3% couples without children, and 12.6% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 29.7%, with lone person households at 20.0% and group households comprising 9.7%. The median household size is 3 people.

Sunnybank performs slightly above the national average for education, showing competitive qualification levels and steady academic outcomes

Sunnybank's educational attainment is notably higher than broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15 and above, 37.8% have university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in Queensland (QLD) and 30.4% nationwide. This includes 25.1% with bachelor degrees, 10.1% with postgraduate qualifications, and 2.6% with graduate diplomas. Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 25.5% of residents holding such qualifications - including 10.9% with advanced diplomas and 14.6% with certificates.

Educational participation is high in Sunnybank, with 32.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.9% in tertiary education, 8.0% in primary education, and 6.8% pursuing secondary education.

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

Sunnybank has 63 active public transport stops, serving a mix of train and bus services. These stops are covered by 60 different routes, which together facilitate 5,237 weekly passenger trips. The transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents on average being located 185 meters from their nearest transport stop.

Across all routes, the service frequency averages 748 trips per day, equating to about 83 weekly trips per individual stop.

Sunnybank's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Analysis of health metrics indicates robust performance across Sunnybank, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. Approximately 49% of the total population (~5,072 people) has private health cover, compared to the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, affecting 5.3 and 5.3% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 78.0%, report being completely free of medical ailments, contrasting with 0% across Greater Brisbane. Sunnybank has 15.6% of its population aged 65 and over (1,617 people), with health outcomes among seniors aligning closely with the general population's health profile.

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

Sunnybank has a population where 59.9% speak a language other than English at home, and 58.9% were born overseas. Christianity is the dominant religion in Sunnybank, with 35.7%. Buddhism, however, is more prevalent here compared to Greater Brisbane, comprising 8.0% of Sunnybank's population.

The top three ancestry groups are Chinese (29.7%), English (15.3%), and Other (14.1%). Korean (2.7%) Vietnamese (2.6%) and Filipino (2.8%) ethnicities are notably overrepresented in Sunnybank compared to the regional averages.

Sunnybank's population is younger than the national pattern

Sunnybank's median age is 34, which is slightly lower than Greater Brisbane's 36 and Australia's 38 years. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Sunnybank has a higher percentage of residents aged 25-34 (20.6%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (10.0%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national figure of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the population aged 15 to 24 has increased from 13.8% to 16.2%, while the 65 to 74 age group has decreased from 9.0% to 7.8%. By 2041, Sunnybank's population is expected to undergo substantial demographic changes. The 45 to 54 cohort is projected to grow by 31%, adding 349 residents to reach a total of 1,480. This growth will contribute significantly to the overall increase in residents aged 65 and older, who are expected to represent 52% of the population growth. Conversely, the 35 to 44 and 0 to 4 age cohorts are anticipated to experience population declines.