Highgate Hill (Qld)

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Following an examination of ABS demographic releases for the wider region and new locations confirmed by Districts after the Census, the suburb of Highgate Hill had an estimated resident count of approximately 7,436 in May 2026. This represents a growth of 1,207 individuals (19.4%) from the 2021 Census, which documented a total of 6,229 residents. This shift is calculated from the resident population of 7,420 estimated by Districts using the ABS demographic release from June 2025 and 44 additional address validations post-Census. With these numbers, the demographic density stands at 6,045 individuals per square kilometer, placing the locality within the highest 10% of areas analyzed by Districts and indicating strong competition for local land. The growth rate of 19.4% post-2021 outperformed the national average (9.3%) as well as the state figure, establishing the area as a regional growth leader. This expansion was predominantly driven by arrivals from abroad, which served as the exclusive contributor to demographic growth in recent times.

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Highgate Hill has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services, an unemployment rate of 8.0%, and relative employment stability over the past year, according to Districts aggregation of statistical area data. As of March 2026, 4,535 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 3.7% above Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.3%, showing room for improvement, and workforce participation is fairly standard (73.9% compared to Greater Brisbane's 70.4%). Based on Census responses, a high 27.4% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

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Tax statistics from the ATO for financial year 2023 show a median taxpayer income of $49,811 and an average of $71,911 in the area. This represents a stronger outcome than the national average, though it sits below the Greater Brisbane median of $58,236 and average of $72,799. Adjusting for a Wage Price Index expansion of 11.36% since financial year 2023, estimated values for March 2026 would be approximately $55,470 for the median and $80,080 for the average. In the 2021 Census, household, family, and individual incomes clustered around the 66th national percentile. The most common weekly income band is $1,500 - 2,999, accounting for 29.0% of residents (2,156 people), which is close to the metropolitan average of 33.3%. High household earnings are evident, with of residents earning more than weekly, which helps sustain high-end retail and local services. Residential costs account for of income, leaving disposable earnings at the th percentile nationally, while the SEIFA index ranks the area in the th decile for income.

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Residential structures in the suburb of Highgate Hill at the time of the Census consisted of 37.9% detached houses and 62.0% multi-unit dwellings (including townhouses and apartments), compared to a metropolitan breakdown of 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. The rate of home ownership was slightly lower than the Brisbane average at 25.0%, with the remaining properties being purchased under a mortgage (23.5%) or occupied by tenants (51.5%). The median monthly home loan repayment of $2,376 was higher than the Brisbane metropolitan median, while the weekly rent matched the metropolitan figure of $380, compared to $1,863 and $380 respectively. At a national level, monthly mortgage commitments are higher than the Australian median of $1,863, and rents exceed the national median of $375.

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Families make up 57.1% of local households, consisting of 22.3% couples with children, 24.0% couples without children, and 9.3% single parent arrangements. Non-family households account for the remaining 42.9%, with single-person households at 31.9% and shared group households at 11.0%. The median household size of 2.3 individuals is smaller than the average of 2.6 across Greater Brisbane.

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Educational profiles in the suburb of Highgate Hill are elevated compared to broader averages, with 54.7% of residents aged 15+ holding a university degree, compared to 25.7% throughout QLD and 30.4% across Australia. This educational background positions the local workforce well for knowledge-intensive roles. Undergraduate degrees are held by 32.7% of residents, followed by post-graduate degrees (17.2%) and graduate diplomas (4.8%). Vocational training accounts for 19.6% of qualifications among residents aged 15+, consisting of advanced diplomas (8.8%) and certificates (10.8%).

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Public transport services in the suburb of Highgate Hill consist of 21 active stops serviced by buses. These stops accommodate 3 separate routes that provide 821 weekly services. Accessibility is strong, with residents living an average of 123 meters from their nearest transit stop. Given the residential nature of the area, most workers commute out of the suburb, with private cars being the primary mode of travel for 59% of commuters, followed by walking at 13% and bus travel at 12%. Average motor vehicle ownership stands at 0.9 per household, which is lower than the metropolitan average. Additionally, 27.4% of residents worked from home, according to the 2021 Census, which may reflect pandemic-era workplace conditions.

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Health indicators demonstrate positive results across the suburb of Highgate Hill, according to Districts rankings of mortality rates and chronic illnesses, which show low rates of common health issues across all cohorts, while private health insurance coverage is high, representing approximately 56% of the population (~4,141 people).

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The suburb of Highgate Hill exhibits higher levels of cultural diversity than most locations, with 26.7% of residents speaking a language other than English at home and 35.2% born outside Australia. Christianity is the most common religious affiliation, representing 32.9% of the community. However, Buddhism shows the most pronounced concentration relative to the wider city, accounting for 4.8% of residents compared to 2.0% across Greater Brisbane.

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The median age in the suburb of Highgate Hill is 36 years, matching Greater Brisbane's average of 36 but younger than the national average of 38. Young adults in the 25 - 34 bracket are highly represented at 21.2% of the population, whereas children in the 5 - 14 group are less common at 7.9%. The concentration of residents aged 25 - 34 is higher than the national figure of 14.6%. Since 2021, the 25 to 34 cohort has increased its share from 18.4% to 21.2%, and the 15 to 24 cohort rose from 15.9% to 18.0%. Conversely, the 5 to cohort declined from to and the to cohort decreased from to . Long-term projections for indicate shifts in local age structure, with the to cohort expected to grow by residents () from to while the to group is projected to rise by a modest ( individuals).

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Highgate Hill currently has an estimated 163 children under 5 years old, comprising approximately 96 children aged 0-2 and 64 children aged 3-4. This cohort grew by an estimated 14% since the previous census. while population forecasts indicate future growth, with an anticipated increase of 5% by 2041 (to approximately 171 children). Meanwhile the 5-12 cohort currently amounts to 466. While growth has been positive birth rates observed in the area have been low, with approximately 4.0 births per 1,000 residents recorded over the latest two-year period analysed which ranks the area among the bottom 20% of areas assessed nationally. This rate has slowed down slightly in recent years however.