West End (Brisbane - Qld)

West End lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

As of May 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of West End (Brisbane - Qld) is around 17,969, reflecting a 22.0% increase from the 2021 Census figure of 14,730 people. This growth was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of 17,696 residents following examination of ABS' latest ERP data release in June 2025 and an additional 1,029 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density ratio of 9,310 persons per square kilometer places West End in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 61.0% to overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including interstate migration and natural growth 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 or years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections released in 2023 based on 2021 data are used.

However, these state projections do not provide age category splits; hence proportional growth weightings from ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data) are applied for each age cohort. Future population dynamics predict exceptional growth for the suburb of West End, with an expected expansion of 10,112 persons to reach a total population of 28,081 by 2041. This reflects an increase of 54.8% over the 16-year period.

The level of residential development activity in West End was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

Between FY21 and FY25, West End averaged approximately 246 new dwelling approvals per year. In total, around 1,233 homes were approved during these five financial years, with an additional 441 approved in FY26 to date. Each year, about 3.1 people moved to the area for each dwelling built during this period.

This significant demand has led to heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures, as new homes are being constructed at an average expected cost of $1,128,000, indicating a focus on premium properties. In FY26 alone, commercial approvals totaled $151.2 million, reflecting high levels of local commercial activity. Comparatively, West End's new home approvals per person are similar to Greater Brisbane's, maintaining market balance with the broader area. However, building activity has slowed in recent years, yet it remains significantly above the national average, demonstrating robust developer interest. The current development composition is 2.0% detached dwellings and 98.0% medium to high-density housing, offering affordable entry pathways for downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This represents a considerable shift from the current housing mix of 20.0% houses, reflecting reduced availability of development sites and evolving lifestyle demands.

With approximately 124 people per dwelling approval, West End's population is expanding. Future projections estimate an addition of 9,839 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting stronger price growth.

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

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 53 projects likely impacting the region. Notable ones are West Village, Arc Residences, Rivara West End, and The Adler. Below is a list of projects expected to be most relevant.

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

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Employment performance in West End has been broadly consistent with national averages

West End has an educated workforce with strong professional services representation. Its unemployment rate was 4.3% in the past year, with estimated employment growth of 1.0%. As of December 2025, 11,520 residents were employed, and the unemployment rate was 4.5%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 4.1%.

Workforce participation was 76.7%, higher than Greater Brisbane's 69.6%. Home workership stood at 30.1% based on Census responses, though Covid-19 impacts should be considered. Key industries were professional & technical (2.0 times the regional level), health care & social assistance, and education & training. Construction showed lower representation at 4.6%, versus the regional average of 9.0%.

Many residents commuted elsewhere for work based on Census data. Between December 2024 and 2025, employment increased by 1.0% while labour force grew by 1.4%, raising unemployment by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Brisbane saw employment grow by 3.2%, labour force expand by 3.0%, and unemployment fall by 0.1%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% growth over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to West End's industry mix suggests local employment could increase by 7.2% over five years and 14.6% over ten years, assuming constant population projections for illustrative purposes.

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows West End's median income among taxpayers is $60,015. The average income in the suburb is $86,642. Nationally, these figures are extremely high compared to Greater Brisbane's median of $58,236 and average of $72,799. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% since financial year 2023, current estimates for West End would be approximately $66,833 (median) and $96,485 (average) as of March 2026. According to Census 2021 income data, household, family, and personal incomes in West End rank highly nationally, between the 73rd and 87th percentiles. Income distribution shows that 35.0% of residents (6,289 people) earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, mirroring the surrounding region where 33.3% occupy this bracket. Higher earners represent a substantial presence with 31.0% exceeding $3,000 weekly. High housing costs consume 17.7% of income in West End, but strong earnings still place disposable income at the 70th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

West End's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 19.6% houses and 80.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In contrast, Brisbane metro had 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in West End was at 18.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 22.0% and rented ones at 59.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,100, higher than Brisbane metro's average of $1,863. The median weekly rent in West End was recorded at $450, compared to Brisbane metro's $380. Nationally, West End's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

West End features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 56.4% of all households, including 19.4% couples with children, 28.1% couples without children, and 7.3% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 43.6%, with lone person households at 33.8% and group households comprising 9.8%. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.

Educational achievement in West End places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

West End has higher educational attainment than Queensland (QLD) and Australia averages. 57.5% of residents aged 15+ have university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in QLD and 30.4% nationally. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 34.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 18.2% and graduate diplomas at 4.6%. Vocational pathways account for 19.5% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 9.5% and certificates at 10.0%.

Educational participation is high, with 32.9% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 14.0% in tertiary education, 6.7% in primary education, and 6.3% pursuing secondary education.

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

West End has 56 active public transport stops offering a mix of ferry and bus services. These are covered by 7 different routes that collectively facilitate 4,375 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 122 meters to the nearest stop. In this predominantly residential area, most commuting is outward-bound. Cars remain the primary mode of transport at 54%, followed by bus at 18% and walking at 12%. The average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 0.7, below the regional norm.

According to the 2021 Census, a high proportion of residents, 30.1%, work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 625 trips daily across all routes, translating to roughly 78 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout West End. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were very low across all age groups. The rate of private health cover was exceptionally high at approximately 62% of the total population (11,056 people), compared to 55.8% across Greater Brisbane and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area were mental health issues and asthma, impacting 9.8 and 7.0% of residents respectively, while 75.4% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 69.2% across Greater Brisbane. Working-age residents had low chronic condition prevalence. The area had 11.4% of residents aged 65 and over (2,048 people), lower than the 15.1% in Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among seniors were particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

West End was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

West End has a high level of cultural diversity, with 30.2% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 40.4% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in West End, making up 31.9% of people there. However, Judaism is overrepresented compared to Greater Brisbane, comprising 0.4% versus 0.1%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (22.1%), Australian (16.0%), and Other (12.0%). Notably, Spanish (1.1%) and French (0.9%) are overrepresented in West End compared to the regional averages of 0.4% and 0.5%, respectively. Additionally, Vietnamese is also overrepresented at 2.0% versus the regional average of 0.8%.

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

West End has a median age of 34, which is younger than Greater Brisbane's figure of 36 and substantially under Australia's national median age of 38. Compared to Greater Brisbane, West End has a higher concentration of residents aged 25-34 (23.3%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (8.7%). This 25-34 concentration is well above the national figure of 14.6%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the proportion of West End's population in the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 2.4% to 3.6%, while the 35 to 44 cohort increased from 16.5% to 17.7%. Conversely, the 25 to 34 cohort has declined from 25.2% to 23.3%. Population forecasts for West End indicate substantial demographic changes by 2041. The 45 to 54 age group is projected to have the strongest growth, increasing by 75% to reach a total of 4,028 residents.