Sunnybank

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

As of May 2026, the population of Sunnybank is estimated to be around 10,413. This reflects an increase of 1,521 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 8,892. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of 10,398 residents based on the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025 and an additional 46 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 2,319 persons per square kilometer, above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Sunnybank's population growth of 17.1% since the 2021 census exceeded both the national average (9.3%) and the state average. Overseas migration contributed approximately 92.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

For projections, AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for SA2 areas covered by this data. For other areas and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections released in 2023 based on 2021 data are used, applying proportional growth weightings from ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data for age cohorts. Looking ahead, an above median population growth is projected for the suburb of Sunnybank, with an expected increase of 1,669 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 15.9% over the 16 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Sunnybank among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

Sunnybank has seen approximately 38 new homes approved annually. Between FY21 and FY25, around 191 homes were approved, with an additional 34 approved in FY26 to date. On average, each home built over the past five financial years accommodates about 5.7 new residents per year.

This indicates a significant lag between supply and demand, potentially leading to heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures. The average construction cost of new homes is around $753,000, suggesting developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties.

Commercial approvals this financial year totaled $19.2 million, reflecting steady commercial investment activity in the area. Recent construction consists predominantly of standalone homes (97.0%) and a smaller proportion of medium and high-density housing (3.0%), maintaining Sunnybank's suburban identity with a focus on family homes suited to buyers seeking space. With approximately 337 people per dwelling approval, Sunnybank exhibits signs of a developing market. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Sunnybank is projected to grow by 1,654 residents by 2041. Current construction rates appear balanced with future demand, suggesting steady market conditions without excessive price pressure.

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

AreaSearch has identified 23 projects likely to impact the area, significantly influencing its 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 analysis reveals Sunnybank recording weaker employment conditions than most comparable areas nationwide

Sunnybank has an educated workforce with diverse sector representation. The unemployment rate was 5.7% as of the past year, with estimated employment growth at 2.3%. As of December 2025, 5,229 residents were employed, while the unemployment rate was 1.5% higher than Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.1%.

Workforce participation in Sunnybank was 60.9%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 69.6%. According to Census responses, 13.7% of residents worked from home. Leading employment industries were health care & social assistance, accommodation & food, and retail trade. Accommodation & food had notably high representation at 1.9 times the regional average.

Conversely, education & training showed lower representation at 6.8% versus the regional average of 9.4%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. From December 2024 to December 2025, employment levels increased by 2.3%, and labour force grew by 2.8%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.5 percentage points in Sunnybank. In Greater Brisbane, employment rose by 3.2%, labour force grew by 3.0%, and unemployment fell by 0.1 percentage points during the same period. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia indicate a potential increase of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years for Sunnybank, based on industry-specific projections applied to its employment mix.

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

Sunnybank suburb has a lower income level compared to national averages based on latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. Its median income among taxpayers is $41,637 with an average of $54,778. Greater Brisbane's figures are $58,236 and $72,799 respectively. By March 2026, estimates suggest the median will be approximately $46,367 and average $61,001, accounting for Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% since financial year 2023. Census data shows individual incomes at the 15th percentile are $627 weekly, while household income is stronger at the 40th percentile. Income distribution reveals that 31.1% of locals (3,238 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 category, mirroring the region where 33.3% occupy this bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 83.3% of income remaining after necessary expenses, 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 above-average rates of outright home ownership

Sunnybank's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 86.1% houses and 13.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Brisbane metro's 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Sunnybank stood at 37.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 22.1% and rented ones at 40.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, exceeding Brisbane metro's average of $1,863. Median weekly rent in Sunnybank was $400, compared to Brisbane metro's $380. Nationally, Sunnybank's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Sunnybank features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 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 comprise the remaining 29.7%, with lone person households at 20.0% and group households making up 9.7%. The median household size is 3.0 people, which is larger than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.

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

Sunnybank's educational attainment exceeds broader standards with 37.8% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 25.7% in Queensland and 30.4% in Australia. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 25.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (10.1%) and graduate diplomas (2.6%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 25.5% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas account for 10.9% and certificates for 14.6%. Educational participation is high in the area, 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 individual routes, offering a total of 5,237 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents located an average of 185 meters from the nearest stop. In this primarily residential area, most commutes are outward-bound: cars remain the dominant mode at 75%, followed by buses at 11% and trains at 9%. Average vehicle ownership per dwelling stands at 1.4. According to the 2021 Census, 13.7% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

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

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

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Sunnybank. AreaSearch's assessment indicates low prevalence of common health conditions among both young and old age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is relatively low at approximately 49% of the total population (~5,092 people), compared to 55.8% across Greater Brisbane and 55.7% nationally.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, impacting 5.3% and 5.3% of residents respectively. 78.0% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.2% across Greater Brisbane. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 15.5% of residents aged 65 and over (1,614 people). Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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 one of the most culturally diverse populations in Australia, with 59.9% speaking a language other than English at home and 58.9% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Sunnybank, accounting for 35.7% of its population. Buddhism is notably overrepresented compared to Greater Brisbane, comprising 8.0% versus 2.0%.

The top three ancestry groups are Chinese (29.7%), English (15.3%), and Other (14.1%). Sunnybank has higher proportions than the regional average for Korean (2.7% vs 0.5%), Vietnamese (2.6% vs 0.8%), and Filipino (2.8% vs 1.2%) ancestry groups.

Sunnybank's population is younger than the national pattern

Sunnybank's median age is 34, which is slightly lower than Greater Brisbane's figure of 36 and notably under Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Sunnybank has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (22.2%), but fewer residents aged 5-14 (9.2%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly above the national figure of 14.6%. Between the 2021 Census and present, Sunnybank's population has seen growth in the 15 to 24 age group from 13.8% to 16.6%, and the 25 to 34 cohort has increased from 20.1% to 22.2%. Conversely, the 65 to 74 age group has decreased from 9.0% to 7.6%, and the 5 to 14 age group has dropped from 10.5% to 9.2%. Population forecasts for Sunnybank indicate substantial demographic changes by 2041, with the 45 to 54 cohort projected to grow by 29%, adding 319 residents to reach a total of 1,423. Meanwhile, the 35 to 44 age group is expected to contract by 6 residents.