Suburb / Locality · Area profile
South Brisbane
2 km²
A huge shift in residents has occurred in South Brisbane, where nearly 75% of the population moved in within the last five years. This is a very young, professional community, with a typical resident aged just 29. High numbers of overseas arrivals have created a multicultural hub where nearly half the people were born abroad. The area is almost entirely made up of apartments and renters, reflecting its position as a fast-growing, high-density inner-city precinct.
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The community is far younger than the state and national average, with 44% of people being young adults aged 25 to 44. It is also a place where people are more likely to be in a de facto relationship, at 20.8%, which is well above the national figure of 11.5%.
Overseas birth rates are far above the national average, with 49.5% of residents born abroad. China is the most common birth country outside of Australia, accounting for 11.9% of the population.
Language diversity is very high, as 39.8% of people use a language other than English at home, which is far above the Queensland figure of 13.2%. Mandarin is the most common non-English language, spoken by 14.5% of residents.
A majority of the community—51.3%—reports having no religion, a figure far above the national average of 38.9%.
The area is highly qualified, with 45.1% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher, which is far above the national figure of 26.3%. This high level of education is reflected in the professional nature of the workforce.
Typical weekly family incomes are a little above the national figure at $2,296. High earners are also common, with 15.8% of people earning $2,000 or more per week, which is well above the national average.
Residents are generally healthy, with the rate of long-term health conditions at 17.7%, which is far below the national average of 27.7%. Only 2% of people need help with daily activities, a figure well below the state average.
Unpaid care and housework are much less common here than in other areas, with only 10.4% of people doing 15 or more hours of unpaid housework per week.
First Nations residents in the area are noticeably older than those in the state or nation, with a typical age of 28. While the unemployment rate is well above the national average at 16.8%, Year 12 completion is far above the national figure at 65.3%.
Living arrangements are dominated by singles and couples, with 39.4% of people living alone and 48% of households consisting of couples without children. Consequently, the typical home is small, with only 1.9 people per household.
The housing landscape is almost entirely apartments, with 93.7% of homes being flats or apartments and 70.4% of households renting. Typical weekly rents are well above the national figure at $470.
Public transport use is very high, with 12.9% of people commuting by transit, well above the national figure of 3.1%. This is supported by the fact that 22.2% of homes have no motor vehicle, which is far above the state average.
The area is highly transient, with 74.9% of residents having moved in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals make up 42.8% of the population, a figure far above the national average.
The workforce is largely professional, with 37.6% of people working as professionals. However, the unemployment rate is 8.0%, which is a little above the national average of 5.1%.
This is a walker's paradise with a score of 9.5, where every single home is within a 15-minute walk of public transport, parks, groceries, and health services.