Underwood (Qld)

Population growth drivers in Underwood are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of Nov 2025, Underwood's population is estimated at around 7,483, reflecting an increase of 674 people since the 2021 Census. The 2021 Census reported a population of 6,809 in the suburb. This growth was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 7,415 residents following examination of ABS ERP data released Jun 2024 and an additional 140 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 1,785 persons per square kilometer, above national averages assessed by AreaSearch. Underwood's growth rate of 9.9% since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA3 area average (6.1%) and the national average. Overseas migration contributed approximately 62.0% of overall population gains during recent periods in the suburb.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released Jun 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 released Apr 2023 are used. These state projections do not provide age category splits; therefore, AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with ABS Greater Capital Region projections released Dec 2023, based on 2022 data. Future population trends indicate an above median growth for the suburb, with an expected increase of 1,084 persons to 2041. This reflects a total gain of 13.6% over the 17 years.

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

Underwood saw around 49 new homes approved per year from FY-21 to FY-25. This totals an estimated 248 homes over the past five financial years. As of FY-26, 11 approvals have been recorded. On average, each dwelling adds about 2.4 new residents annually.

New homes are constructed at an average value of $626,000. In FY-26, $9.0 million in commercial approvals have been registered. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Underwood has 151.0% more new home approvals per person. The building activity shows 37.0% detached houses and 63.0% attached dwellings. By 2041, Underwood is expected to grow by approximately 1,016 residents. Current construction levels should meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

Looking ahead, Underwood is expected to grow by 1,016 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Underwood has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 23 projects likely impacting the area. Notable projects include Penrose Place Estate, Underwood Central, South East Busway extension to Springwood (commencing April 2018), and Eight Mile Plains Shopping Centre Expansion (scheduled for completion in late 2019). 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.

Underwood ranks among the top 25% of areas assessed nationally for overall employment performance

Underwood's workforce is well-educated with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 2.6% as of the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 5.0%.

As of June 2025, 4,308 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.5% lower than Greater Brisbane's 4.1%. Workforce participation was at 67.8%, comparable to Greater Brisbane's 64.5%. Key employment sectors included health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. Notably, transport, postal & warehousing had employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average.

However, professional & technical services were under-represented, with only 7.1% of Underwood's workforce compared to Greater Brisbane's 8.9%. The worker-to-resident ratio was 0.9, indicating substantial local employment opportunities. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 5.0%, labour force grew by 4.9%, leading to a 0.1 percentage point decrease in unemployment rate. In comparison, Greater Brisbane saw employment growth of 4.4% and a 0.4 percentage point drop in unemployment over the same period. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (Sep-22) project national employment expansion by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Underwood's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.6% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

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

Underwood's median income among taxpayers was $50,587 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $61,960 during the same period. In Greater Brisbane, these figures were $55,645 and $70,520 respectively. By September 2025, estimated median income was approximately $57,664 and average income was around $70,628, based on a 13.99% increase from financial year 2022 using the Wage Price Index growth rate. The 2021 Census data shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Underwood cluster around the 57th percentile nationally. In Underwood, 36.1% of individuals (2,701) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 earnings band, similar to the metropolitan region where 33.3% occupy this range. High housing costs consume 16.5% of income in Underwood, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 64th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

Underwood is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Underwood's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 84.6% houses and 15.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Brisbane metro had 77.9% houses and 22.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Underwood was at 23.8%, similar to Brisbane metro's level. Mortgaged dwellings comprised 48.4% and rented ones made up 27.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Underwood was $1,950, higher than Brisbane metro's average of $1,638. Median weekly rent in Underwood was recorded at $400, compared to Brisbane metro's $320. Nationally, Underwood's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 82.0% of all households, including 46.6% couples with children, 22.2% couples without children, and 11.6% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 18.0%, with lone person households at 15.2% and group households making up 2.6%. The median household size is 3.1 people, which is larger than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.8.

Underwood demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Underwood's educational attainment is notably high with 35.0% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications, compared to 16.2% in the broader SA4 region and 20.6% in the nearby SA3 area. Bachelor degrees are most common at 23.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.8%) and graduate diplomas (3.0%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 30.7% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 11.8% and certificates at 18.9%. Educational participation is high, with 33.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 12.2% in primary education, 8.6% in secondary education, and 6.2% pursuing tertiary education. Faith Christian School of Distance Education serves Underwood residents, but has no current enrollments. All schools offer integrated K-12 education for academic continuity. No schools are located within Underwood, requiring residents to travel to neighboring areas for educational services. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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 Underwood shows that there are currently 19 active transport stops operating within the area. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with a total of 3 weekly passenger trips provided by 3 individual routes combined. The accessibility of these transport services is rated as good, with residents typically located approximately 303 meters away from their nearest transport stop.

On average, across all routes, there are about 40 trips made per day, which equates to roughly 14 weekly trips per individual stop.

Underwood's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Underwood's health outcomes show excellent results, notably for younger cohorts with low prevalence rates of common health conditions. Private health cover stands at approximately 52% (~3,873 people), slightly lower than the SA2 area average but higher than Greater Brisbane's 49.5%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma (6.5%) and mental health issues (5.4%), with 78.6% of residents reporting no medical ailments compared to 68.5% in Greater Brisbane. Underwood has 11.2% of residents aged 65 and over (838 people), lower than Greater Brisbane's 15.4%. However, health outcomes among seniors require more attention due to being above average.

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

Underwood's population shows high cultural diversity, with 47.7% speaking a language other than English at home and 47.2% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Underwood at 36.7%. Islam is notably overrepresented at 16.7%, compared to Greater Brisbane's average of 7.6%.

Top ancestry groups include Other (19.9%), English (16.2%) and Australian (15.1%). Korean, Indian, and Samoan ethnicities are also overrepresented in Underwood: Korean at 4.1% (vs regional 1.1%), Indian at 9.1% (vs 2.3%), and Samoan at 1.2% (vs 2.4%).

Underwood hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

Underwood's median age is 34, which is slightly lower than Greater Brisbane's figure of 36 and significantly below Australia's average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Underwood has a higher proportion of residents aged 5-14 (15.5%) but fewer residents aged 75-84 (3.5%). Between the 2021 Census and present, the 75-84 age group has increased from 2.8% to 3.5% of Underwood's population. Meanwhile, the 25-34 age cohort has decreased from 15.5% to 14.2%. By 2041, Underwood's demographic landscape is projected to change significantly. The 45-54 age group is expected to grow by 34%, adding 337 residents to reach a total of 1,325. Conversely, both the 0-4 and 35-44 age groups are forecasted to decrease in number.