Woolloongabba

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

Woolloongabba's population was estimated at 10,402 as of Nov 2025, reflecting an increase of 1,715 people since the 2021 Census. The ABS ERP estimate for surrounding areas applied to Woolloongabba by AreaSearch in Jun 2024 showed a resident population of 10,176. This included 504 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density was 4,160 persons per square kilometer, placing Woolloongabba in the top 10% nationally according to AreaSearch. Between 2021 and Nov 2025, Woolloongabba's growth rate of 19.7% exceeded both national (8.9%) and state averages. Overseas migration contributed approximately 67.0% of overall population gains during this period.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections released in 2023 based on 2021 data for areas not covered by ABS projections or years post-2032. Future trends predict exceptional growth for Woolloongabba, with an expected increase of 7,855 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 73.4% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Woolloongabba when compared nationally

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, indicates Woolloongabba has seen approximately 161 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 805 homes. As of FY-26, 85 approvals have been recorded. Over these five years (FY-21 to FY-25), each dwelling built has resulted in an average of 2.9 new residents per year, suggesting strong demand that supports property values. New homes are being constructed at an average expected cost of $917,000, reflecting a developer focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties.

In FY-26, commercial development approvals have reached $90.8 million, indicating high levels of local commercial activity. Current new development consists of 5.0% detached dwellings and 95.0% townhouses or apartments, promoting higher-density living to create more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This shift from the current housing mix (30.0% houses) reflects reduced availability of development sites and addresses shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. Woolloongabba has approximately 2495 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established market.

According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the location is expected to grow by 7635 residents through to 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

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

AreaSearch has identified 57 projects that could impact the area, with notable ones including Cross River Rail - Woolloongabba Station, Silk Lane Development, East Brisbane State School Redevelopment & Vertical School Expansion, and The Carter by Mosaic.

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

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AreaSearch analysis reveals Woolloongabba recording weaker employment conditions than most comparable areas nationwide

Woolloongabba has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 5.6% as of June 2024, with an estimated employment growth of 2.2% over the past year, according to AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data.

As of June 2025, 6,577 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.6% above Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation is at 69.4%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 64.5%. The dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, accommodation & food, and professional & technical services. The area shows strong specialization in accommodation & food, with an employment share of 1.9 times the regional level.

Conversely, construction employs only 4.8% of local workers, below Greater Brisbane's 9.0%. There are 2.0 workers for every resident, indicating that Woolloongabba functions as an employment hub hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas. During the year to June 2025, employment levels increased by 2.2%, and labour force increased by 1.9%, resulting in a decrease of unemployment by 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Brisbane experienced an employment growth of 4.4% and a labour force expansion of 4.0%, with unemployment falling by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 suggest that national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with growth rates varying significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Woolloongabba's employment mix indicates a potential local employment increase of 7.2% over five years and 14.7% over ten years.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 2022 shows that Woolloongabba has an average national income. The median income is $51,526 and the average is $65,767. In contrast, Greater Brisbane has a median income of $55,645 and an average income of $70,520. Based on Wage Price Index growth from June 2022 to September 2025, estimated incomes are approximately $58,734 (median) and $74,968 (average). The 2021 Census data indicates that Woolloongabba's household, family, and personal incomes cluster around the 58th percentile nationally. The income band of $1,500 - $2,999 captures 34.9% of Woolloongabba residents (3,630 individuals), similar to metropolitan regions where 33.3% fall within this range. High housing costs consume 21.4% of income in Woolloongabba, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 50th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Woolloongabba features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Woolloongabba's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 29.8% houses and 70.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Brisbane metro had no specified percentages for houses or other dwellings in its evaluation. Woolloongabba's home ownership rate was 10.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 17.3% and rented ones at 72.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Woolloongabba was $2,000, aligning with Brisbane metro's average. The median weekly rent figure in Woolloongabba was $440, while Brisbane metro had no specified figures for these metrics. Nationally, Woolloongabba's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Woolloongabba features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a median household size of 2.1 people

Family households constitute 48.2% of all households, including 13.2% couples with children, 26.7% couples without children, and 5.6% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 51.8%, with lone person households at 32.3% and group households comprising 19.5%. The median household size is 2.1 people.

Woolloongabba shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Woolloongabba's residents aged 15+ have a higher proportion with university qualifications at 51.0% compared to Queensland's 25.7% and Australia's 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 34.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (12.9%) and graduate diplomas (3.5%). Vocational pathways account for 22.8%, with advanced diplomas at 9.4% and certificates at 13.4%. Educational participation is high, with 40.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 25.0% in tertiary education, 4.0% in primary education, and 3.2% pursuing secondary education. Woolloongabba has 3 schools with a combined enrollment of 314 students. The area's socio-educational conditions are above average (ICSEA: 1083). Educational mix includes 1 primary school and 2 K-12 schools. The low ratio of 3.0 school places per 100 residents suggests many local students attend schools outside the immediate area.

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

Woolloongabba has 42 active public transport stops. These are a mix of train and bus stations. There are 140 individual routes serving these stops, providing a total of 16,605 weekly passenger trips.

The average distance from residents to the nearest transport stop is 162 meters. On average, there are 2,372 trips per day across all routes, which equals approximately 395 weekly trips per individual stop.

Woolloongabba's residents are extremely healthy with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics indicates strong performance throughout Woolloongabba, particularly for younger cohorts who exhibit a very low prevalence of common health conditions.

The rate of private health cover in Woolloongabba leads that of the average SA2 area at approximately 53% of the total population (~5,540 people). Mental health issues and asthma were found to be the most common medical conditions in the area, impacting 11.0% and 7.7% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 74.1%, declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 0% across Greater Brisbane. The area has 7.4% of residents aged 65 and over (769 people). Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges requiring more attention than the broader population.

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

Woolloongabba has a high level of cultural diversity, with 34.5% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 43.0% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion in Woolloongabba, comprising 31.9% of people. Buddhism is overrepresented compared to Greater Brisbane, making up 3.7% of Woolloongabba's population.

The top three ancestry groups are English (20.9%), Australian (16.3%), and Other (12.7%). Notably, Russian (0.8%) Korean (1.6%) and Spanish (0.8%) ethnic groups are overrepresented in Woolloongabba compared to the regional average.

Woolloongabba hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Woolloongabba's median age is 29, lower than Greater Brisbane's 36 and Australia's 38. The 25-34 age group is prominent at 34.4%, compared to 14.5% nationally. The 5-14 group is smaller at 4.8%. Post-2021 Census data shows the 25-34 group grew from 32.2% to 34.4%, while the 35-44 cohort increased from 12.7% to 14.6%. Conversely, the 15-24 group declined from 25.3% to 21.1%. By 2041, Woolloongabba's 25-34 age cohort is projected to rise substantially, increasing by 2,016 people (56%) from 3,578 to 5,595.