Highgate Hill
Highgate Hill is still affordable, but short on schools.
Highgate Hill is still relatively affordable to rent, with a median of $575 a week (RTA, 2026-Q2) — about $81 below the Greater Brisbane median; close to a train station (South Bank, about 850 m as the crow flies). The trade-offs: no schools or childcare are recorded within the suburb itself; unemployment ran above the Brisbane norm at the 2021 Census, at 6.0%.
Mostly apartments, with a median age of 37 and households on a median $1,935 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
- still relatively affordable to rent, with a median of $575 a week (RTA, 2026-Q2) — about $81 below the Greater Brisbane median
- close to a train station (South Bank, about 850 m as the crow flies)
What to weigh up
- no schools or childcare are recorded within the suburb itself
- unemployment ran above the Brisbane norm at the 2021 Census, at 6.0%
Highgate Hill on the map
The Australian Bureau of Statistics Statistical Area 2 outline for Highgate Hill, 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
Highgate Hill against the Queensland average, both set to 100 in the first year shown so the growth rates compare.
Highgate Hill population grew from 6,755 in 2016 to 7,335 in 2025, a change of 8.6% over the period, against 17.0% for the Queensland average.
Show the data table
| Year | Highgate Hill | Queensland average |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 6,755 | 4,845,152 |
| 2017 | 6,752 | 4,926,380 |
| 2018 | 6,764 | 5,006,623 |
| 2019 | 6,710 | 5,088,847 |
| 2020 | 6,663 | 5,165,613 |
| 2021 | 6,467 | 5,215,814 |
| 2022 | 6,623 | 5,310,905 |
| 2023 | 6,928 | 5,450,235 |
| 2024 | 7,200 | 5,571,890 |
| 2025 | 7,335 | 5,669,764 |
Where the growth is coming from
Highgate Hill gained 676 residents from internal migration and 450 from overseas in the year to June 2025, while 985 people moved away — a net addition of 141 before natural increase.
- Internal migration in+676
- Internal migration out+758
- Overseas migration in+450
- Natural increase-6Natural decrease — deaths exceeded births.
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 | 6,328 | 6,372 | +0.7% |
| Median age | 33 | 37 | +4 yrs |
| Median household income | $1,545/wk | $1,935/wk | +25% |
| Median weekly rent | $370/wk | $380/wk | +2.7% |
| Born overseas | 38.1% | 35.1% | -3.0 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 24.6%
- Mortgaged 23.3%
- Rented 49.7%
- Other / not stated 2.4%
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 Highgate Hill against the Greater Brisbane median.
Median weekly rent in Highgate Hill went from $435 in 2024-Q1 to $575 in 2026-Q2, up 32%, against $656 for Greater Brisbane now.
Show the data table
| Year | Highgate Hill | Greater Brisbane |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-Q1 | $435 | $562 |
| 2024-Q2 | $550 | $590 |
| 2024-Q3 | $510 | $574 |
| 2024-Q4 | $580 | $594 |
| 2025-Q1 | $475 | $585 |
| 2025-Q2 | $530 | $624 |
| 2025-Q3 | $500 | $612 |
| 2025-Q4 | $550 | $633 |
| 2026-Q1 | $500 | $625 |
| 2026-Q2 | $575 | $656 |
By dwelling type — 2026-Q2 quarter
| Type | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed | 4+ bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit / flat | $450n=28 | $600n=35 | $1,150n=10 | — |
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 Highgate Hill was $575 for the 2026-Q2 quarter, up 8% on a year earlier. That is $81 a week below the Greater Brisbane median. By type: a 2-bedroom unit $600.
Show every quarter, with the year-on-year change
| Quarter | Median rent | Year on year | Greater Brisbane |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-Q2 | $575 | +8.5% | $656 |
| 2026-Q1 | $500 | +5.3% | $625 |
| 2025-Q4 | $550 | −5.2% | $633 |
| 2025-Q3 | $500 | −2.0% | $612 |
| 2025-Q2 | $530 | −3.6% | $624 |
| 2025-Q1 | $475 | +9.2% | $585 |
| 2024-Q4 | $580 | +7.4% | $594 |
| 2024-Q3 | $510 | +13.3% | $574 |
| 2024-Q2 | $550 | +22.2% | $590 |
| 2024-Q1 | $435 | −3.3% | $562 |
| 2023-Q4 | $540 | +35.0% | $575 |
| 2023-Q3 | $450 | +12.5% | $536 |
| 2023-Q2 | $450 | +12.5% | $526 |
| 2023-Q1 | $450 | +18.4% | $496 |
| 2022-Q4 | $400 | +5.3% | $495 |
| 2022-Q3 | $400 | +14.3% | $455 |
| 2022-Q2 | $400 | +0.0% | $454 |
| 2022-Q1 | $380 | +20.6% | $428 |
| 2021-Q4 | $380 | +8.6% | $436 |
| 2021-Q3 | $350 | +11.1% | $416 |
| 2021-Q2 | $400 | +14.3% | $408 |
| 2021-Q1 | $315 | −1.6% | $405 |
| 2020-Q4 | $350 | +0.0% | $401 |
| 2020-Q3 | $315 | −8.7% | $392 |
| 2020-Q2 | $350 | −2.8% | $383 |
| 2020-Q1 | $320 | −11.1% | $394 |
| 2019-Q4 | $350 | +2.9% | $391 |
| 2019-Q3 | $345 | +6.2% | $384 |
| 2019-Q2 | $360 | +10.8% | $383 |
| 2019-Q1 | $360 | +9.1% | $387 |
| 2018-Q4 | $340 | −5.6% | $383 |
| 2018-Q3 | $325 | +8.3% | $381 |
| 2018-Q2 | $325 | — | $383 |
| 2018-Q1 | $330 | — | $386 |
| 2017-Q4 | $360 | — | $384 |
| 2017-Q3 | $300 | — | $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 1,036
- Advantage & disadvantage (IRSAD)Higher decile means more relative advantageDecile 9score 1,075
- Economic resources (IER)Income and housing capacityDecile 3score 956
- Education & occupation (IEO)Education and occupational skill levelsDecile 9score 1,125
Safety context
Queensland Police Service · July 2026How much crime is reported where Highgate Hill sits — measured for its whole police division, because that is the finest area the Queensland Police Service publishes.
Highgate Hill is policed by the Queensland Police Service West End Division, which also covers South Brisbane and West End. The reported-offence figures below are for the whole division, not Highgate Hill specifically.
Most-reported offences · West End Division, last 12 months
- Other Theft (excl. Unlawful Entry)4,228 /100k+61% vs QLD↓ 3%
- Drug Offences1,348 /100k−19% vs QLD↑ 33%
- Unlawful Entry1,347 /100k+99% vs QLD↓ 13%
- Assault1,161 /100k+10% vs QLD↓ 3%
- Unlawful Use of Motor Vehicle508 /100k+50% vs QLD↓ 8%
- Robbery170 /100k+277% vs QLD↑ 41%
Rate per 100,000 people across the whole West End Division — not Highgate Hill on its own; the arrow compares the last 12 months with the 12 before.
Of these categories, other theft is reported most across the whole West End Division over the last 12 months, running 61% above the Queensland rate and down on the year before. None of this is specific to Highgate Hill — 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other Theft (excl. Unlawful Entry) | 4,228 per 100k | 2,632 per 100k | ↓ 3% vs prior year |
| Drug Offences | 1,348 per 100k | 1,666 per 100k | ↑ 33% vs prior year |
| Unlawful Entry | 1,347 per 100k | 677 per 100k | ↓ 13% vs prior year |
| Assault | 1,161 per 100k | 1,053 per 100k | ↓ 3% vs prior year |
| Unlawful Use of Motor Vehicle | 508 per 100k | 338 per 100k | ↓ 8% vs prior year |
| Robbery | 170 per 100k | 45 per 100k | ↑ 41% 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 West End 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
- 20221.7%
- 20112.1%
- 19743.6%
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
<1% of Highgate Hill 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%
- Very Low <1%
Highgate Hill has been within a mapped flood extent before — in 2022, 2011 and 1974, with up to about 3.6% of the suburb inundated in the worst of those events.
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 | 1.7% of the suburb |
| Within the 2011 flood extent | 2.1% of the suburb |
| Within the 1974 flood extent | 3.6% of the suburb |
| Council likelihood modelling, all bands | under 1% of the suburb |
| — High likelihood | under 1% of the suburb |
| — Very Low likelihood | under 1% 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 Highgate Hill SA2, OpenStreetMap records 5 GP or clinic locations, 1 supermarket and 7 green spaces. For families: 1 playground. Eating out and socialising: 5 cafés and 1 restaurant. Staying active: 2 sports fields. The nearest train station, South Bank, is about 850 m from the suburb centre. OpenStreetMap also maps 21 bus stops here.
List every mapped place
GPs & clinics
- Growlife Medical
- Gladstone Road Medical
- Southcity Family Medical Centre
- QML Pathology
- Highgate Hill Doctors
Supermarkets
- Handmade Naturals
Green spaces
- Highgate Hill Park
- Brydon Street Park
- Beaconsfield Reserve
- Dauphin Terrace Park
- Derby Street Park
- Lyons Playground
- Boobook Gully
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.
Highgate Hill has 5 council parks covering 1.8 ha, with 0.2 km of walking track.
- Highgate Hill Park21 Bellevue Street, Highgate Hill0.5 ha
- Brydon Street Park19 Brydon Street, Highgate Hill0.5 ha
- Lyons Playground Park25 Paradise Street, Highgate Hill0.4 ha
- Dr Manon Griffiths Park14 Derby Street, Highgate Hill0.2 ha
- Dauphin Terrace Park35 Fraser Terrace, Highgate Hill0.2 ha0.2 km walking track
Parks just over the boundary
These sit mostly in a neighbouring suburb but their boundary reaches into Highgate Hill. They are not counted in the figures above.
- Boundary Street Park (No. 349) · West End · 0.1 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 Highgate Hill on public transport — the routes you'd catch here, how long they take and how often they run.
From Highgate Hill, route 196 runs to the Brisbane CBD in about 9 minutes, roughly every 10 minutes in the morning peak. South Bank busway station is about 850 m away (straight line) for Brisbane Metro. Times are scheduled and in-vehicle only — they exclude walking, waiting and any transfer.
Routes to the city from Highgate Hill
- 196Fairfield Gardens - Merthyr via City/Valley~9 min · every ~10 min in the peak
- 192Yeronga - City via UQ Lakes and Highgate Hill~16 min · every ~21 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 9 min |
| Best route, morning peak (7–9am) | about every 10 min |
| Best route, off-peak (10am–3pm) | about every 15 min |
| 196 — Fairfield Gardens - Merthyr via City/Valley | about 9 min |
| 192 — Yeronga - City via UQ Lakes and Highgate Hill | about 16 min |
| Nearest busway station | South Bank, about 850 m away (straight line) |
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 centre of this SA2 is zoned for West End State School (primary), Brisbane State High School (junior secondary), Brisbane State High School (senior secondary).
Parts of the SA2 also fall in the catchment of Dutton Park State School (primary).
Catchments can divide a suburb — confirm your address on EdMap.
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.
- HereHighgate Hill+1.9%
- 01Spring Hill+5.0%
- 02Brisbane City+3.9%
- 03Fortitude Valley+3.3%
- 04West End+2.9%
- 05Kangaroo Point+2.9%
- 06South Brisbane+2.5%
- 07New Farm+1.1%
Dots place each suburb's growth on the same scale, slowest at left.
Highgate Hill: common questions
Is Highgate Hill a good place to live?
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