Wavell Heights

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

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Wavell Heights is around 11,148, reflecting an increase of 812 people since the 2021 Census. The 2021 Census reported a population of 10,336 in the suburb. This change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimated resident population of 11,109 as of June 2024 and an additional 17 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of approximately 2,725 persons per square kilometer, placing Wavell Heights in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's population growth rate of 7.9% since the census is within 2.0 percentage points of the national average (9.9%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Natural growth contributed approximately 57.99999999999999% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including overseas migration and interstate migration being positive factors.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 using 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections released in 2023 based on 2021 data are adopted, with proportional growth weightings applied for age cohorts. Future population trends suggest an increase just below the median of national areas, with an expected expansion of 724 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 6.2% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Wavell Heights among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers for Wavell Heights shows approximately 53 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 269 homes. As of FY-26, 21 approvals have been recorded. Over these five years (FY-21 to FY-25), each dwelling has supported an average of 2.7 new residents per year, indicating strong demand and supporting property values. The average construction cost value for new homes is $906,000, suggesting a focus on the premium market with high-end developments.

This financial year (FY-26) has seen $794,000 in commercial approvals, reflecting the area's residential nature. New development consists predominantly of standalone homes (96%) and townhouses/apartments (4%), maintaining Wavell Heights' traditional suburban character with a focus on family homes.

The population density is approximately 198 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market. Looking ahead, AreaSearch estimates that Wavell Heights will grow by 694 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling growth beyond current forecasts.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 30 projects likely impacting the region. Notable initiatives include Danby Lane, The Prince Charles Hospital Expansion, Bakery Square, and Brisbane Housing Company - Chermside Development. Relevant projects are detailed below.

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

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Employment conditions in Wavell Heights rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

Wavell Heights has an educated workforce with strong professional services representation. Its unemployment rate was 2.3% in the past year, with estimated employment growth of 11.1%. As of September 2025, 7,052 residents are employed, and the unemployment rate is 1.7% lower than Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.0%.

Workforce participation is high at 82.6%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 70.7%. A significant portion, 25.5%, of residents work from home. Leading employment industries are health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training. The area specializes in professional & technical jobs, with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level.

Manufacturing is under-represented at 4.1% compared to Greater Brisbane's 6.4%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by Census data. Over the year to September 2025, employment increased by 11.1%, while labour force grew by 11.0%, reducing unemployment by 0.1 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Brisbane had employment growth of 3.8% and a 0.5 percentage point drop in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Wavell Heights' employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.1% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

The suburb of Wavell Heights has a median taxpayer income of $63,874 and an average income of $80,479 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. Nationally, these figures are extremely high, contrasting with Greater Brisbane's median income of $58,236 and average income of $72,799. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $70,204 (median) and $88,454 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals that household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Wavell Heights, between the 88th and 92nd percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate that 27.6% of locals (3,076 people) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 category, mirroring the region where 33.3% occupy this bracket. Economic strength is evident through 43.6% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. Housing accounts for 13.8% of income while strong earnings rank residents within the 93rd percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Wavell Heights is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Wavell Heights' dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consists of 90.8% houses and 9.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Brisbane metro's 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Wavell Heights stands at 29.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 43.2% and rented ones at 27.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment is $2,450, exceeding Brisbane metro's average of $1,863. Weekly rent in Wavell Heights is $421, higher than Brisbane metro's $380 but lower than the national average of $375. Nationally, Wavell Heights' mortgage repayments are significantly higher at $2,450 compared to Australia's average of $1,863.

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

Family households constitute 75.8% of all households, including 41.0% couples with children, 23.8% couples without children, and 9.8% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 24.2%, with lone person households at 20.4% and group households making up 3.8%. The median household size is 2.7 people, larger than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.

The educational profile of Wavell Heights exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Educational attainment in Wavell Heights is notably higher than broader benchmarks. As of the latest data, 40.3% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in Queensland (QLD) and 30.4% nationally. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 27.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (8.4%) and graduate diplomas (4.4%). Vocational credentials are also common, with 28.9% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas account for 11.5% and certificates for 17.4%.

Educational participation is high, with 30.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.3% in primary education, 8.5% in secondary education, and 6.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Transport analysis indicates 74 active transport stops within Wavell Heights, consisting of buses. These stops are served by 11 routes, collectively facilitating 1031 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 149 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward, predominantly using cars (82%), with 10% opting for trains. Vehicle ownership averages 1.5 per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, 25.5% of residents work from home, possibly due to COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 147 trips daily across all routes, equating to approximately 13 weekly trips per stop.

The level of general health in Wavell Heights is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions quite low across both younger and older age cohorts

Wavell Heights shows superior health outcomes based on AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is notably low across both younger and older age groups.

Approximately 59% of Wavell Heights' total population (6,587 people) has private health cover, compared to 55.8% in Greater Brisbane. Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 7.6 and 7.1% of residents respectively. Notably, 74.0% of residents report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 69.2% across Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes for those under 65 are better than average. The area has 12.7% of residents aged 65 and over (1,415 people), lower than the 15.2% in Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, generally aligning with national rankings.

In terms of cultural diversity, Wavell Heights records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Wavell Heights' cultural diversity aligns with the broader area's average. 80.2% of its residents were born in Australia, 90.9% are citizens, and 88.5% speak English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion, practiced by 54.6% of Wavell Heights' population.

Notably, Judaism, at 0.2%, is slightly overrepresented compared to Greater Brisbane's 0.1%. The top three ancestry groups are English (26.9%), Australian (25.1%), and Irish (10.7%). Some ethnic groups show variations: German is slightly more prevalent in Wavell Heights at 4.4% versus the regional average of 4.2%, Samoan is underrepresented at 0.3% compared to 0.9%, and New Zealanders are also less represented at 0.8% versus 1.0%.

Wavell Heights's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Wavell Heights's median age is nearly 37 years, close to Greater Brisbane's average of 36 years and Australia's median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Wavell Heights has a higher percentage of residents aged 45-54 (14.4%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (11.0%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the 15-24 age group has increased from 11.7% to 13.2%, while the 25-34 cohort has decreased from 13.4% to 11.0%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Wavell Heights's age profile, with the 75-84 cohort projected to grow by 63%, adding 267 residents to reach 691. Residents aged 65 and above are expected to drive 55% of population growth. Conversely, the 5-14 and 25-34 age groups are projected to experience population declines.