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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis of ABS population updates and new addresses validated since the 2021 Census, the suburb of Woolloongabba had an estimated resident population of 10,467 as of May 2026. This figure reflects a growth of 1,780 people (20.5%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 8,687. The increase is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025 and an additional 514 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 4,186 persons per square kilometer, placing Woolloongabba in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's growth rate exceeded both the national average (9.3%) and the state average during this period. Overseas migration contributed approximately 67.0% to overall population gains, with interstate migration and natural growth also being positive factors.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 using a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data or years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections released in 2023 and based on 2021 data are used. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits; therefore, AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort, released in 2023 using a base year of 2022. Future population trends predict exceptional growth for Woolloongabba, placing it in the top 10 percent of statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch. By 2041, the suburb is expected to grow by 7,152 persons based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an overall increase of 68.3% over the 16-year period.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers in Woolloongabba shows approximately 160 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 804 homes. As of FY26261 approvals have been recorded. On average, each dwelling built between FY21 and FY25 has resulted in 2.9 new residents per year, indicating strong demand that supports property values. New homes are being constructed at an average expected cost of $914,000, reflecting a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties.

In FY26, $90.8 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, demonstrating high levels of local commercial activity. The current new development mix consists of 5.0% detached dwellings and 95.0% townhouses or apartments, creating more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This shift reflects the reduced availability of development sites and addresses changing lifestyle demands and affordability requirements, differing from the current housing mix of 30.0% houses. Woolloongabba has an established market with approximately 2850 people per dwelling approval.

According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the location is expected to grow by 7152 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

Area infrastructure changes significantly influence local performance. AreaSearch identified 59 potential impact projects, including Cross River Rail - Woolloongabba Station, Silk Lane Development, Brisbane Arena (Gabba Entertainment and Housing Precinct), The Carter by Mosaic.

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

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The employment landscape in Woolloongabba shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Woolloongabba has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 5.5% as of December 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 1.9% over the past year. There were 6,852 residents in work at this time, with an unemployment rate of 1.3% above Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.1%.

Workforce participation was fairly standard at 74.5%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 69.6%. According to Census responses, 20.2% of residents worked from home. The dominant employment sectors were health care & social assistance, accommodation & food, and professional & technical services. Woolloongabba showed strong specialization in accommodation & food, with an employment share of 1.9 times the regional level.

However, construction employed only 4.8% of local workers, below Greater Brisbane's 9.0%. There were 2.0 workers for every resident as at the Census, indicating that Woolloongabba functions as an employment hub hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment levels increased by 1.9% and labour force increased by 2.6%, resulting in a rise of unemployment by 0.7 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Brisbane saw employment grow by 3.2%, labour force expand by 3.0%, and unemployment fall by 0.1 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Woolloongabba's employment should increase by 7.2% over five years and 14.7% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation of industry-specific projections against the local employment mix.

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 2023 indicates that Woolloongabba has a median income of $51,528 and an average income of $65,771. This is lower than the national averages of $58,236 (median) and $72,799 (average). In Greater Brisbane, the median income is $58,236 and the average is $72,799. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes for Woolloongabba as of March 2026 are approximately $57,382 (median) and $73,243 (average). According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Woolloongabba cluster around the 58th percentile nationally. The $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 34.9% of individuals in Woolloongabba, with a total of 3,652 individuals. This is similar to the metropolitan region where 33.3% fall within this range. High housing costs consume 21.4% of income. Despite this, disposable income remains at the 50th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

Woolloongabba's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, comprised 29.8% houses and 70.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Brisbane metro had a higher proportion of houses at 73.5%. Home ownership in Woolloongabba was 10.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 17.3% and rented dwellings at 72.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,000, higher than Brisbane metro's average of $1,863. Median weekly rent in Woolloongabba was $440, compared to Brisbane metro's $380. Nationally, Woolloongabba's mortgage repayments are higher at $2,000 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents are substantially higher at $440 compared to the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 48.2 percent of all households, consisting of 13.2 percent couples with children, 26.7 percent couples without children, and 5.6 percent single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 51.8 percent, with lone person households at 32.3 percent and group households comprising 19.5 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.6.

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

Woolloongabba's educational attainment is notably higher than broader averages. Among residents aged 15+, 51.0% hold university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in Queensland and 30.4% nationally. 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% of qualifications, 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.

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

Woolloongabba has 43 active public transport stops serving a mix of train and bus services. These stops are operated by 148 individual routes, providing a total of 18,700 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 169 meters from the nearest stop. As primarily residential, most residents commute outward using different modes of transport: car (55%), bus (18%), and walking (11%). Vehicle ownership averages 0.8 per dwelling, below the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, 20.2% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

The service frequency averages 2,671 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 434 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Woolloongabba are marginally below the national average with the level of common health conditions among the general population somewhat typical, though higher than the nation's average among older cohorts

Woolloongabba's health indicators show below-average outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The level of common health conditions among the general population is somewhat typical but higher than the national average among older cohorts.

Private health cover stands at approximately 53% of the total population (~5,574 people), slightly leading the average SA2 area, compared to 55.8% across Greater Brisbane. The most prevalent medical conditions in Woolloongabba are mental health issues and asthma, affecting 11.0% and 7.7% of residents respectively. Conversely, 74.1% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.2% across Greater Brisbane. Working-age residents in Woolloongabba exhibit low chronic condition prevalence. However, the area has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, at 7.3% (764 people), compared to 15.1% in Greater Brisbane. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges but rank lower nationally 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's cultural diversity is high, with 34.5% speaking a language other than English at home and 43.0% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion, comprising 31.9%. Buddhism is overrepresented at 3.7%, compared to Greater Brisbane's 2.0%.

For ancestry, English is 20.9%, Australian is 16.3%, and Other is 12.7%. Notably, Russian (0.8% vs regional 0.3%), Korean (1.6% vs 0.5%), and Spanish (0.8% vs 0.4%) are overrepresented.

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

Woolloongabba's median age is 28 years, which is below Greater Brisbane's average of 36 and Australia's average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Woolloongabba has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (36.8%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (3.9%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.6%. According to the 2021 Census, Woolloongabba's population has shifted since the last census: the 25 to 34 age group increased from 32.2% to 36.8%, while the 35 to 44 cohort rose from 12.7% to 14.9%. Conversely, the 15 to 24 age group decreased from 25.3% to 20.2% and the 5 to 14 age group fell from 4.9% to 3.9%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes for Woolloongabba, with the 25 to 34 age group projected to grow by 56%, reaching 5,999 people from its current total of 3,851.