South Brisbane
South Brisbane is growing fast, but expensive to rent.
South Brisbane is growing fast, up 2.52% in the latest year against 1.76% for Queensland; close to a train station (South Bank, about 450 m as the crow flies). The trade-offs: renting is expensive, a median of $720 a week (RTA, 2026-Q2); unemployment ran above the Brisbane norm at the 2021 Census, at 7.9%.
Mostly apartments, with a median age of 29 and households on a median $1,831 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 2.52% in the latest year against 1.76% for Queensland
- close to a train station (South Bank, about 450 m as the crow flies)
What to weigh up
- renting is expensive, a median of $720 a week (RTA, 2026-Q2)
- unemployment ran above the Brisbane norm at the 2021 Census, at 7.9%
South Brisbane on the map
The Australian Bureau of Statistics Statistical Area 2 outline for South Brisbane, 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
South Brisbane against the Queensland average, both set to 100 in the first year shown so the growth rates compare.
South Brisbane population grew from 7,779 in 2016 to 17,517 in 2025, a change of 125.2% over the period, against 17.0% for the Queensland average.
Show the data table
| Year | South Brisbane | Queensland average |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 7,779 | 4,845,152 |
| 2017 | 9,261 | 4,926,380 |
| 2018 | 10,791 | 5,006,623 |
| 2019 | 12,216 | 5,088,847 |
| 2020 | 13,624 | 5,165,613 |
| 2021 | 14,575 | 5,215,814 |
| 2022 | 15,417 | 5,310,905 |
| 2023 | 16,312 | 5,450,235 |
| 2024 | 17,087 | 5,571,890 |
| 2025 | 17,517 | 5,669,764 |
Where the growth is coming from
South Brisbane gained 1,608 residents from internal migration and 1,340 from overseas in the year to June 2025, while 2,549 people moved away — a net addition of 399 before natural increase.
- Internal migration in+1,608
- Internal migration out+1,742
- Overseas migration in+1,340
- Natural increase+31
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 | 7,229 | 14,243 | +97% |
| Median age | 30 | 29 | -1 yr |
| Median household income | $1,723/wk | $1,831/wk | +6.3% |
| Median weekly rent | $490/wk | $470/wk | -4.1% |
| Born overseas | 54.7% | 55.5% | +0.9 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 13.0%
- Mortgaged 14.6%
- Rented 70.2%
- Other / not stated 2.2%
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 South Brisbane against the Greater Brisbane median.
Median weekly rent in South Brisbane went from $499 in 2024-Q1 to $720 in 2026-Q2, up 44%, against $656 for Greater Brisbane now.
Show the data table
| Year | South Brisbane | Greater Brisbane |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-Q1 | $499 | $562 |
| 2024-Q2 | $600 | $590 |
| 2024-Q3 | $469 | $574 |
| 2024-Q4 | $570 | $594 |
| 2025-Q1 | $479 | $585 |
| 2025-Q2 | $675 | $624 |
| 2025-Q3 | $519 | $612 |
| 2025-Q4 | $650 | $633 |
| 2026-Q1 | $539 | $625 |
| 2026-Q2 | $720 | $656 |
By dwelling type — 2026-Q2 quarter
| Type | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed | 4+ bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit / flat | $710n=200 | $900n=220 | $1,485n=36 | — |
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 South Brisbane was $720 for the 2026-Q2 quarter, up 7% on a year earlier. That is $64 a week above the Greater Brisbane median. By type: a 2-bedroom unit $900.
Show every quarter, with the year-on-year change
| Quarter | Median rent | Year on year | Greater Brisbane |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-Q2 | $720 | +6.7% | $656 |
| 2026-Q1 | $539 | +12.5% | $625 |
| 2025-Q4 | $650 | +14.0% | $633 |
| 2025-Q3 | $519 | +10.7% | $612 |
| 2025-Q2 | $675 | +12.5% | $624 |
| 2025-Q1 | $479 | −4.0% | $585 |
| 2024-Q4 | $570 | −6.6% | $594 |
| 2024-Q3 | $469 | −11.3% | $574 |
| 2024-Q2 | $600 | +17.9% | $590 |
| 2024-Q1 | $499 | +25.1% | $562 |
| 2023-Q4 | $610 | +42.2% | $575 |
| 2023-Q3 | $529 | +43.4% | $536 |
| 2023-Q2 | $509 | +15.7% | $526 |
| 2023-Q1 | $399 | +6.7% | $496 |
| 2022-Q4 | $429 | −8.7% | $495 |
| 2022-Q3 | $369 | −18.0% | $455 |
| 2022-Q2 | $440 | +0.0% | $454 |
| 2022-Q1 | $374 | −6.5% | $428 |
| 2021-Q4 | $470 | +4.4% | $436 |
| 2021-Q3 | $450 | +7.1% | $416 |
| 2021-Q2 | $440 | +11.4% | $408 |
| 2021-Q1 | $400 | +11.4% | $405 |
| 2020-Q4 | $450 | +13.9% | $401 |
| 2020-Q3 | $420 | +20.0% | $392 |
| 2020-Q2 | $395 | +2.6% | $383 |
| 2020-Q1 | $359 | +2.9% | $394 |
| 2019-Q4 | $395 | +0.0% | $391 |
| 2019-Q3 | $350 | +17.1% | $384 |
| 2019-Q2 | $385 | +10.3% | $383 |
| 2019-Q1 | $349 | +7.4% | $387 |
| 2018-Q4 | $395 | −1.3% | $383 |
| 2018-Q3 | $299 | −9.4% | $381 |
| 2018-Q2 | $349 | — | $383 |
| 2018-Q1 | $325 | — | $386 |
| 2017-Q4 | $400 | — | $384 |
| 2017-Q3 | $330 | — | $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 6score 1,028
- Advantage & disadvantage (IRSAD)Higher decile means more relative advantageDecile 9score 1,088
- Economic resources (IER)Income and housing capacityDecile 1score 871
- Education & occupation (IEO)Education and occupational skill levelsDecile 10score 1,151
Safety context
Queensland Police Service · July 2026How much crime is reported where South Brisbane sits — measured for its whole police division, because that is the finest area the Queensland Police Service publishes.
South Brisbane is policed by the Queensland Police Service West End Division, which also covers Highgate Hill and West End. The reported-offence figures below are for the whole division, not South Brisbane 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 South Brisbane 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 South Brisbane — 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
- 202214%
- 201124%
- 197448%
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
6.1% of South Brisbane 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%
- Low 1.2%
- Very Low 4.0%
South Brisbane has been within a mapped flood extent before — in 2022, 2011 and 1974, with up to about 48% of the suburb inundated in the worst of those events. Council's flood-likelihood modelling maps about 6.1% of South Brisbane as flood-liable, roughly under 1% 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 | 14% of the suburb |
| Within the 2011 flood extent | 24% of the suburb |
| Within the 1974 flood extent | 48% of the suburb |
| Council likelihood modelling, all bands | 6.1% of the suburb |
| — High likelihood | under 1% of the suburb |
| — Low likelihood | 1.2% of the suburb |
| — Very Low likelihood | 4.0% 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 South Brisbane SA2, OpenStreetMap records 1 childcare or kindergarten centre, 3 hospitals, 7 GP or clinic locations, 7 supermarkets and 15 green spaces. For families: 4 libraries and 4 playgrounds. Eating out and socialising: 53 cafés, 78 restaurants and 31 pubs and bars. Staying active: 5 gyms, 2 public pools and 19 sports fields. Also 1 cinema. The nearest train station, South Bank, is about 450 m from the suburb centre. OpenStreetMap also maps 37 bus stops here.
List every mapped place
Schools
- Brisbane State High School
- Brisbane State High School
- Somerville House Aquatic Centre
- Somerville House
- Saint Laurence's College
Childcare & kindergartens
- Cottage Grove
Libraries
- TAFE Library
- The Edge
- State Library of Queensland
- UQ/Mater McAuley Library
Gyms & fitness
- Sustain On Cordelia
- Living Barre And Yoga
- Pilgrim Hot Yoga
- Snap Fitness
- Hanger 66
Public pools
- Aquativity
Cinemas
- Southbank Cineplex Cinema
Hospitals
- Queensland Children's Hospital
- Mater Hospital Brisbane
- Mater Private Hospital
GPs & clinics
- Smart Clinics
- Inclusive Health Clinic
- Princess Alexandra Hospital Radiation Oncology
- Queensland X-Ray
- Queensland Diabetes and Endocrine Centre
- Mater Eye Clinic
- Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service
Supermarkets
- Sunlit Asian Supermarket
- Woolworths Metro
- IGA
- Woolworths Metro
- HX Asian Supermarket
- Coles
- Triton Food Brokers
Green spaces
- Greenspace
- Musgrave Park
- South Bank Parklands
- Tribune Street Park
- Melbourne Street Green
- Town Square
- South Brisbane Memorial Park
- Alexander Smith Place
Train stations
- South Bank
- South Brisbane
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.
South Brisbane has 8 council parks covering 12 ha, with 1.5 km of bikeway and shared path. Of those, 2 have a barbecue.
- Musgrave Park91 Cordelia Street, South Brisbane6.3 ha0.6 km bikeway & shared path1 barbecue
- South Brisbane Riverside Lands Park151A Jane Street, West End2.3 ha0.6 km bikeway & shared path
- Queensland Maritime Museum Park412 Stanley Street, South Brisbane1.9 ha
- Kurilpa Point Park11 Montague Road, South Brisbane1.5 ha0.4 km bikeway & shared path3 barbecues
- Alexander Smith Place63 Grey Street, South Brisbane0.2 ha
- Jolly Place Park15 Peel Street, South Brisbane0.1 ha
- Dock Street Park204 Vulture Street, South Brisbane0.1 ha
- Tribune Street Park186A Vulture Street, South Brisbane0.1 ha
Parks just over the boundary
These sit mostly in a neighbouring suburb but their boundary reaches into South Brisbane. They are not counted in the figures above.
- Kangaroo Point Cliffs Park · Kangaroo Point · 6.6 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 South Brisbane on public transport — the routes you'd catch here, how long they take and how often they run.
From South Brisbane, route 130 runs to the Brisbane CBD in about 4 minutes, roughly every 5 minutes in the morning peak — it joins the South East Busway at South Bank. Brisbane Metro (M1 and M2) also serves South Brisbane, on high-frequency all-day headways. Times are scheduled and in-vehicle only — they exclude walking, waiting and any transfer.
Routes to the city from South Brisbane
- 130Parkinson - City~4 min · every ~5 min in the peak · via the busway at South Bank
- 140Browns Plains - City Express via Mains Road~4 min · every ~10 min in the peak · via the busway at South Bank
- 61Ashgrove Shops - Coorparoo via City~4 min · every ~10 min in the peak · via the busway at South Bank
- 196Fairfield Gardens - Merthyr via City/Valley~4 min · every ~10 min in the peak
- 333Chermside - Woolloongabba via City~4 min · every ~10 min in the peak · via the busway at South Bank
- 555Brisbane City - Loganholme~4 min · every ~15 min in the peak · via the busway at South Bank
- 150Browns Plains - City Express via Runcorn~5 min · every ~5 min in the peak · via the busway at South Bank
- 180Garden City - City Express via Mansfield~5 min · every ~10 min in the peak · via the busway at South Bank
- Metro M2RBWH - UQ Lakes via City~5 min · every ~5 min in the peak · via the busway at South Bank
- Metro M1Eight Mile Plains - City~6 min · every ~5 min in the peak · via the busway at South Bank
Brisbane Metro runs high-frequency, all-day — there is no timetable to check.
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 4 min |
| Typical trip (all services) | about 6 min |
| Best route, morning peak (7–9am) | about every 5 min |
| Best route, off-peak (10am–3pm) | about every 5 min |
| 130 — Parkinson - City | about 4 min, joins the busway at South Bank |
| 140 — Browns Plains - City Express via Mains Road | about 4 min, joins the busway at South Bank |
| 61 — Ashgrove Shops - Coorparoo via City | about 4 min, joins the busway at South Bank |
| 196 — Fairfield Gardens - Merthyr via City/Valley | about 4 min |
| 333 — Chermside - Woolloongabba via City | about 4 min, joins the busway at South Bank |
| 555 — Brisbane City - Loganholme | about 4 min, joins the busway at South Bank |
| 150 — Browns Plains - City Express via Runcorn | about 5 min, joins the busway at South Bank |
| 180 — Garden City - City Express via Mansfield | about 5 min, joins the busway at South Bank |
| Metro M2 — RBWH - UQ Lakes via City | about 5 min, joins the busway at South Bank |
| Metro M1 — Eight Mile Plains - City | about 6 min, joins the busway at South Bank |
| Nearest busway station | South Bank, about 300 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 South Brisbane SA2 contains 4 schools — 1 secondary school and 3 combined schools, of which 2 are government and 2 non-government. Its 3 schools with a published ICSEA average 1147 (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, South Brisbane sits in decile 10 of the ABS SEIFA index of education and occupation nationally and 88% of adults here completed Year 12 (Census 2021).
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), East Brisbane State School (primary).
Catchments can divide a suburb — confirm your address on EdMap.
Show school list
- Brisbane State High School · State · 7–12
- Queensland Children's Hospital School · State · Prep–12
- Somerville House (South Brisbane) · Independent · Prep–12
- St Laurence's College (South Brisbane) · Catholic · 5–12
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.
- HereSouth Brisbane+2.5%
- 01Spring Hill+5.0%
- 02Brisbane City+3.9%
- 03Fortitude Valley+3.3%
- 04West End+2.9%
- 05Kangaroo Point+2.9%
- 06Highgate Hill+1.9%
- 07New Farm+1.1%
Dots place each suburb's growth on the same scale, slowest at left.
South Brisbane: common questions
Is South Brisbane a good place to live?
How much does it cost to rent in South Brisbane?
Has South Brisbane ever flooded?
Is South Brisbane a safe suburb?
How long is the commute from South Brisbane to the Brisbane CBD?
What schools are in South Brisbane?
What amenities and public transport does South Brisbane have?
Weighing up another suburb?
Type a name, then pick from the list. Every suburb is compared to the Queensland average.