Fortitude Valley
Fortitude Valley is growing fast, but densifying fast.
Fortitude Valley is growing fast, up 3.34% in the latest year against 1.76% for Queensland; close to a train station (Fortitude Valley, about 150 m as the crow flies). The trade-offs: most of the growth is high-rise — over half the homes were flats or units at the 2021 Census.
Mostly apartments, with a median age of 31 and households on a median $1,670 a week at the 2021 Census.
Compiled from ABS regional population (SA2), the 2021 Census, SEIFA 2021, RTA median rents, Queensland Police Service reported offences, Brisbane City Council flood awareness data, OpenStreetMap, Brisbane City Council parks and trails, TransLink timetables and Queensland Open Data.
What's good
- growing fast, up 3.34% in the latest year against 1.76% for Queensland
- close to a train station (Fortitude Valley, about 150 m as the crow flies)
What to weigh up
- most of the growth is high-rise — over half the homes were flats or units at the 2021 Census
Fortitude Valley on the map
The Australian Bureau of Statistics Statistical Area 2 outline for Fortitude Valley, QLD.
Map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Boundary: ABS SA2 (ASGS 2021), simplified — an SA2 can differ from the gazetted suburb, and detached parts such as islands may not all be shown.
How the population has changed
Fortitude Valley against the Queensland average, both set to 100 in the first year shown so the growth rates compare.
Fortitude Valley population grew from 7,593 in 2016 to 11,889 in 2025, a change of 56.6% over the period, against 17.0% for the Queensland average.
Show the data table
| Year | Fortitude Valley | Queensland average |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 7,593 | 4,845,152 |
| 2017 | 8,009 | 4,926,380 |
| 2018 | 8,559 | 5,006,623 |
| 2019 | 9,023 | 5,088,847 |
| 2020 | 9,590 | 5,165,613 |
| 2021 | 9,737 | 5,215,814 |
| 2022 | 10,306 | 5,310,905 |
| 2023 | 10,990 | 5,450,235 |
| 2024 | 11,505 | 5,571,890 |
| 2025 | 11,889 | 5,669,764 |
Where the growth is coming from
Fortitude Valley gained 1,582 residents from internal migration and 939 from overseas in the year to June 2025, while 2,162 people moved away — a net addition of 359 before natural increase.
- Internal migration in+1,582
- Internal migration out+1,701
- Overseas migration in+939
- Natural increase+25
Components of population change over the sample year. Natural increase is shown apart from migration so the two are not read as one figure.
How it has changed
Census · five-yearlyThe 2016 Census against 2021. Older figures are mapped onto today's boundaries via the ABS Time Series Profile, so comparisons are approximate where borders moved.
| Measure | 2016 | 2021 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 7,142 | 9,512 | +33% |
| Median age | 31 | 31 | 0 yrs |
| Median household income | $1,592/wk | $1,670/wk | +4.9% |
| Median weekly rent | $402/wk | $400/wk | -0.5% |
| Born overseas | 45.5% | 44.4% | -1.2 pts |
Who lives here
Census · five-yearlyFrom the 2021 Census — the most recent available; 2026 Census data isn't expected until mid-2027. Each figure carries its definition, so you know what is being counted.
People
Income
Housing
Work
Household
Country of birth
Language at home
How homes are held
- Owned outright 5.3%
- Mortgaged 14.0%
- Rented 78.8%
- Other / not stated 1.8%
What it costs to rent
Residential Tenancies Authority · 2026-Q2Median weekly rent for new tenancies, from the Residential Tenancies Authority's bond lodgements. Compare year-on-year — quarter-to-quarter moves are mostly seasonal noise.
Rent over time
All dwellings in Fortitude Valley against the Greater Brisbane median.
Median weekly rent in Fortitude Valley went from $570 in 2024-Q1 to $650 in 2026-Q2, up 14%, against $656 for Greater Brisbane now.
Show the data table
| Year | Fortitude Valley | Greater Brisbane |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-Q1 | $570 | $562 |
| 2024-Q2 | $580 | $590 |
| 2024-Q3 | $580 | $574 |
| 2024-Q4 | $575 | $594 |
| 2025-Q1 | $585 | $585 |
| 2025-Q2 | $600 | $624 |
| 2025-Q3 | $620 | $612 |
| 2025-Q4 | $620 | $633 |
| 2026-Q1 | $650 | $625 |
| 2026-Q2 | $650 | $656 |
By dwelling type — 2026-Q2 quarter
| Type | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed | 4+ bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit / flat | $600n=304 | $760n=182 | $1,600n=20 | — |
n is the number of new bonds behind each median — treat a figure with a small n as indicative only.
The median weekly rent across all dwellings in Fortitude Valley was $650 for the 2026-Q2 quarter, up 8% on a year earlier. That is $6 a week below the Greater Brisbane median. By type: a 2-bedroom unit $760.
Show every quarter, with the year-on-year change
| Quarter | Median rent | Year on year | Greater Brisbane |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-Q2 | $650 | +8.3% | $656 |
| 2026-Q1 | $650 | +11.1% | $625 |
| 2025-Q4 | $620 | +7.8% | $633 |
| 2025-Q3 | $620 | +6.9% | $612 |
| 2025-Q2 | $600 | +3.4% | $624 |
| 2025-Q1 | $585 | +2.6% | $585 |
| 2024-Q4 | $575 | +4.5% | $594 |
| 2024-Q3 | $580 | +5.5% | $574 |
| 2024-Q2 | $580 | +12.6% | $590 |
| 2024-Q1 | $570 | +18.8% | $562 |
| 2023-Q4 | $550 | +18.3% | $575 |
| 2023-Q3 | $550 | +22.2% | $536 |
| 2023-Q2 | $515 | +14.4% | $526 |
| 2023-Q1 | $480 | +11.6% | $496 |
| 2022-Q4 | $465 | +10.7% | $495 |
| 2022-Q3 | $450 | +0.0% | $455 |
| 2022-Q2 | $450 | +9.8% | $454 |
| 2022-Q1 | $430 | +7.5% | $428 |
| 2021-Q4 | $420 | +6.3% | $436 |
| 2021-Q3 | $450 | +12.5% | $416 |
| 2021-Q2 | $410 | +5.1% | $408 |
| 2021-Q1 | $400 | −2.4% | $405 |
| 2020-Q4 | $395 | −1.3% | $401 |
| 2020-Q3 | $400 | +0.0% | $392 |
| 2020-Q2 | $390 | +0.0% | $383 |
| 2020-Q1 | $410 | +5.1% | $394 |
| 2019-Q4 | $400 | +3.9% | $391 |
| 2019-Q3 | $400 | +5.3% | $384 |
| 2019-Q2 | $390 | +2.6% | $383 |
| 2019-Q1 | $390 | +0.0% | $387 |
| 2018-Q4 | $385 | −3.8% | $383 |
| 2018-Q3 | $380 | +0.5% | $381 |
| 2018-Q2 | $380 | — | $383 |
| 2018-Q1 | $390 | — | $386 |
| 2017-Q4 | $400 | — | $384 |
| 2017-Q3 | $378 | — | $381 |
Rent data © the State of Queensland (Residential Tenancies Authority), used under CC BY 4.0, June 2026 release. Figures are the median for new bonds lodged in the quarter, not all tenancies. The RTA suppresses a median where too few bonds were lodged.
How well-off the area is
Census · five-yearlyThe ABS SEIFA indexes rank every area by relative advantage and disadvantage. Decile 1 is the lowest tenth of Australia; decile 10 is the highest.
- Relative disadvantage (IRSD)Lower decile means more relative disadvantageDecile 7score 1,033
- Advantage & disadvantage (IRSAD)Higher decile means more relative advantageDecile 8score 1,062
- Economic resources (IER)Income and housing capacityDecile 1score 856
- Education & occupation (IEO)Education and occupational skill levelsDecile 9score 1,092
Safety context
Queensland Police Service · July 2026How much crime is reported where Fortitude Valley sits — measured for its whole police division, because that is the finest area the Queensland Police Service publishes.
Fortitude Valley is policed by the Queensland Police Service Fortitude Valley Division, which also covers New Farm and Newstead - Bowen Hills. The reported-offence figures below are for the whole division, not Fortitude Valley specifically.
Most-reported offences · Fortitude Valley Division, last 12 months
- Drug Offences7,795 /100k+368% vs QLD↑ 28%
- Other Theft (excl. Unlawful Entry)5,316 /100k+102% vs QLD↓ 1%
- Assault2,152 /100k+104% vs QLD↓ 4%
- Unlawful Entry1,317 /100k+95% vs QLD↓ 4%
- Unlawful Use of Motor Vehicle504 /100k+49% vs QLD↓ 6%
- Robbery101 /100k+123% vs QLD↓ 14%
Rate per 100,000 people across the whole Fortitude Valley Division — not Fortitude Valley on its own; the arrow compares the last 12 months with the 12 before.
Of these categories, drug offences is reported most across the whole Fortitude Valley Division over the last 12 months, running 368% above the Queensland rate and up on the year before. None of this is specific to Fortitude Valley — a police division usually spans several suburbs, so treat it as area context, not a street-level read.
Show the data table
| Offence category | Division | Queensland | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drug Offences | 7,795 per 100k | 1,666 per 100k | ↑ 28% vs prior year |
| Other Theft (excl. Unlawful Entry) | 5,316 per 100k | 2,632 per 100k | ↓ 1% vs prior year |
| Assault | 2,152 per 100k | 1,053 per 100k | ↓ 4% vs prior year |
| Unlawful Entry | 1,317 per 100k | 677 per 100k | ↓ 4% vs prior year |
| Unlawful Use of Motor Vehicle | 504 per 100k | 338 per 100k | ↓ 6% vs prior year |
| Robbery | 101 per 100k | 45 per 100k | ↓ 14% vs prior year |
Crime statistics © State of Queensland (Queensland Police Service), used under CC BY 4.0, updated July 2026. Reported offences are counted for the Fortitude Valley Division; suburb-level detail is not published as open data. Monthly counts are volatile — the 12-month figures above smooth that noise, per QPS’s own guidance.
Flood risk
Brisbane City Council · updated August 2026Has this suburb flooded before, and how much of it does Brisbane City Council map as flood-liable? The historic extents are the ground truth; the likelihood bands are the council's modelling of how often flooding is expected.
Historic flood exposure
- 20222.0%
- 20113.5%
- 19748.1%
Share of the suburb inside each event’s mapped flood surface. These maps cover only the river and creek extents of those specific events — being outside them does not mean a property is flood-free.
Council flood-likelihood modelling
19% of Fortitude Valley is mapped as flood-liable, split by how often flooding is expected. This layer dates from 2013 and reads conservatively for some riverside suburbs.
- High 1.9%
- Medium 4.8%
- Low 1.0%
- Very Low 11%
Fortitude Valley has been within a mapped flood extent before — in 2022, 2011 and 1974, with up to about 8.1% of the suburb inundated in the worst of those events. Council's flood-likelihood modelling maps about 19% of Fortitude Valley as flood-liable, roughly 6.7% of it in a high or medium likelihood band.
A suburb rollup can’t tell you about an individual property. Check a specific address on Brisbane City Council’s FloodWise Property Report →
Show the data table
| Measure | Share |
|---|---|
| Within the 2022 flood extent | 2.0% of the suburb |
| Within the 2011 flood extent | 3.5% of the suburb |
| Within the 1974 flood extent | 8.1% of the suburb |
| Council likelihood modelling, all bands | 19% of the suburb |
| — High likelihood | 1.9% of the suburb |
| — Medium likelihood | 4.8% of the suburb |
| — Low likelihood | 1.0% of the suburb |
| — Very Low likelihood | 11% of the suburb |
Flood data © Brisbane City Council, used under CC BY 4.0, updated August 2026. The Flood Awareness Maps are an awareness tool, not a substitute for a FloodWise Property Report or professional advice.
Getting around, and what's nearby
OpenStreetMap · quarterlyWhat OpenStreetMap records inside the suburb boundary. Counts reflect what is tagged in OSM and can undercount a real but less-mapped area. The park count here is OpenStreetMap green space of any kind, including privately held land — it is a different measure from the council parks below.
Within the Fortitude Valley SA2, OpenStreetMap records 1 childcare or kindergarten centre, 3 GP or clinic locations, 4 supermarkets and 8 green spaces. Eating out and socialising: 21 cafés, 51 restaurants and 52 pubs and bars. Staying active: 5 gyms, 1 public pool and 3 sports fields. Also 1 cinema and 3 shopping centres. The nearest train station, Fortitude Valley, is about 150 m from the suburb centre. OpenStreetMap also maps 40 bus stops here.
List every mapped place
Schools
- Fortitude Valley State Secondary College
- All Hallows School
Childcare & kindergartens
- Goodstart Fortitude Valley
Gyms & fitness
- F45 Training
- Breakdance element collective
- Jetts Fitness
- Urban Climb
- Goodlife Health Clubs Fortitude Valley
Cinemas
- Palace Centro
Shopping centres
- Metro Valley Shopping Centre
- Harvey Norman
- Homemaker The Valley
GPs & clinics
- Holdsworth House
- Central Brunswick Medical Centre
- Savage Xray
Supermarkets
- Woolworths Metro
- IGA
- James St Market
- Aldi
Green spaces
- Platypus Court
- Kemp Place Park
- Centenary Place
Train stations
- Fortitude Valley
Parks and trails
Brisbane City Council · biannuallyCouncil-managed parks inside the suburb boundary, with the recreation trails and facilities Brisbane City Council records in each.
Fortitude Valley has 6 council parks covering 1.6 ha, with 0.0 km of bikeway and shared path. Of those, 1 has a dog off-leash area.
- Centenary Place85 Wickham Street, Fortitude Valley0.9 ha
- Ivory Street Park (Road Reserve)Ivory Street, Fortitude Valley0.3 haDog off-leash, fully fenced
- Kemp Place Park (Road Reserve)Kemp Place, Fortitude Valley0.2 ha
- Church Street Park21 East Street, Fortitude Valley0.2 ha
- Brunswick Street Park165 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley0.0 ha
- Morse St Park7 Morse Street, Newstead0.0 ha0.0 km bikeway & shared path
Parks just over the boundary
These sit mostly in a neighbouring suburb but their boundary reaches into Fortitude Valley. They are not counted in the figures above.
- Howard Smith Wharf Precinct · Brisbane City · 3.5 ha
Parks across Brisbane — biggest, off-leash areas and trails →
Park locations © Brisbane City Council 2026; tracks and trails © Brisbane City Council 2025. Used under CC BY 4.0, updated September 2026.
Getting to the CBD
TransLink timetablesHow to reach the city centre from Fortitude Valley on public transport — the routes you'd catch here, how long they take and how often they run.
From Fortitude Valley, route 199 runs to the Brisbane CBD in about 5 minutes, roughly every 5 minutes in the morning peak. Times are scheduled and in-vehicle only — they exclude walking, waiting and any transfer.
Routes to the city from Fortitude Valley
- 199West End - Teneriffe Ferry via City/Valley~5 min · every ~5 min in the peak
- 204Carindale - City/Valley~5 min · every ~19 min in the peak
- 310Brighton - City Express~5 min · every ~34 min in the peak
- 306Nudgee/Toombul - City~6 min · every ~26 min in the peak
- 301Toombul - City via Hendra~6 min · every ~39 min in the peak
- 322Chermside - City via Toombul~6 min · every ~35 min in the peak
- 125Garden City - City/Valley via Salisbury~6 min · every ~15 min in the peak
- 175Garden City - City via Logan Rd~6 min · every ~15 min in the peak
These are timetabled figures for a typical weekday. Plan a door-to-door trip on the TransLink journey planner →
Show the data table
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Fastest scheduled trip to the Brisbane CBD | about 5 min |
| Typical trip (all services) | about 7 min |
| Best route, morning peak (7–9am) | about every 5 min |
| Best route, off-peak (10am–3pm) | about every 10 min |
| 199 — West End - Teneriffe Ferry via City/Valley | about 5 min |
| 204 — Carindale - City/Valley | about 5 min |
| 310 — Brighton - City Express | about 5 min |
| 306 — Nudgee/Toombul - City | about 6 min |
| 301 — Toombul - City via Hendra | about 6 min |
| 322 — Chermside - City via Toombul | about 6 min |
| 125 — Garden City - City/Valley via Salisbury | about 6 min |
| 175 — Garden City - City via Logan Rd | about 6 min |
Timetable data © State of Queensland (Department of Transport and Main Roads, TransLink Division), used under CC BY 4.0. Scheduled in-vehicle times for a representative weekday, city-bound — they exclude walking, waiting and transfer time, and real running times vary with traffic.
Schools
Every open Queensland school whose campus sits inside the SA2 boundary, with the average ICSEA across them. Open a school for its own ICSEA, student background and a link to My School.
The Fortitude Valley SA2 contains 4 schools — 2 secondary schools and 2 combined schools, of which 1 is government and 3 non-government. Its schools with a published ICSEA average 1105 (1000 is the national average); each school's own figure and student background are on its page. NAPLAN results for each school are on its My School profile (ACARA). For area context, Fortitude Valley sits in decile 9 of the ABS SEIFA index of education and occupation nationally and 84% of adults here completed Year 12 (Census 2021).
The centre of this SA2 is zoned for Brisbane Central State School (primary), Fortitude Valley State Secondary College (junior secondary), Fortitude Valley State Secondary College (senior secondary).
Parts of the SA2 also fall in the catchment of New Farm State School (primary).
Catchments can divide a suburb — confirm your address on EdMap.
Show school list
- Fortitude Valley State Secondary College · State · 7
- Music Industry College (Fortitude Valley) · Independent · 11–12
- All Hallows' School (Brisbane) · Catholic · 5–12
- Angelorum College (Fortitude Valley) · Independent · Prep–10
School list & catchments: Queensland Government Open Data (Department of Education), licensed CC BY 4.0. ICSEA: ACARA School Profile. NAPLAN: myschool.edu.au (ACARA).
Nearby, in Brisbane Inner
Others in the same ABS district, by population growth. If this one doesn't fit, one of these might.
- HereFortitude Valley+3.3%
- 01Spring Hill+5.0%
- 02Brisbane City+3.9%
- 03West End+2.9%
- 04Kangaroo Point+2.9%
- 05South Brisbane+2.5%
- 06Highgate Hill+1.9%
- 07New Farm+1.1%
Dots place each suburb's growth on the same scale, slowest at left.
Fortitude Valley: common questions
Is Fortitude Valley a good place to live?
How much does it cost to rent in Fortitude Valley?
Has Fortitude Valley ever flooded?
Is Fortitude Valley a safe suburb?
How long is the commute from Fortitude Valley to the Brisbane CBD?
What schools are in Fortitude Valley?
What amenities and public transport does Fortitude Valley have?
Weighing up another suburb?
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