Brighton
Brighton's 4.1% unemployment rate sits well below the national average, reflecting a financially stable mortgage-belt community where 46.1% hold mortgages and 33.2% own outright. The suburb is overwhelmingly detached (90.1%) and Anglo-leaning (only 18.8% born overseas, 2.8 points below national), with household income at the 74th percentile ($1,981/week). Three-bedroom homes at 52.1% dominate the stock, and the median age of 42 runs 2 years above national. Growth is slow at 0.56% per year (57 persons), driven equally by internal migration (24/year) and overseas arrivals (44/year), producing a settled suburb where 79.5% stayed at the same address.
Population
9,664
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,981/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
58
Median House
$525K
Estimated from rent (2025)
Detached houses at 90.1% with three-bedrooms at 52.1% and four-bedroom-plus at 34.5% deliver family-scale housing across the 6.49 km2 footprint. The estimated $525,000 median is moderate for Brisbane's bayside, accessible at the 74th-percentile income level. Monthly mortgage repayments of $1,993 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.2%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Ownership at 79.3% combined (33.2% outright + 46.1% mortgage) reflects deep owner-occupier commitment, with renters at just 20.7%. Semi-detached at 5.7% and apartments at 1.1% offer minimal alternatives. Residential stability at 79.5% is high.
For Buyers
Detached houses at 90.1% with three-bedrooms at 52.1% and four-bedroom-plus at 34.5% deliver family-scale housing across the 6.49 km2 footprint. The estimated $525,000 median is moderate for Brisbane's bayside, accessible at the 74th-percentile income level. Monthly mortgage repayments of $1,993 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.2%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Ownership at 79.3% combined (33.2% outright + 46.1% mortgage) reflects deep owner-occupier commitment, with renters at just 20.7%. Semi-detached at 5.7% and apartments at 1.1% offer minimal alternatives. Residential stability at 79.5% is high.
For Investors
With only 20.7% renting, Brighton has a thin tenant pool below the national average. Median weekly rent of $400 against a $525,000 median produces gross yield around 4.0%, reasonable but not compelling compared to inner Brisbane returns. The 4.9% vacancy rate is manageable. No price history data is available to assess capital growth trends, but the suburb's stable owner-occupier profile limits speculative upside. Migration adds 68 people per year combined (24 internal, 44 overseas), producing gradual demand growth. With 45 DAs in 12 months, development activity is moderate, mainly residential extensions and lot reconfigurations.
Development Activity
Total DAs
172
Last 12 Months
58
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+56.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Brighton iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Kieran's School
Prep-6 · 343 students
Nashville State School
Prep-6 · 331 students
Brighton State School
Prep-6 · 438 students
Demographics
Only 18.8% were born overseas, 2.8 points below the national average, making Brighton one of Brisbane's more Anglo-Celtic suburbs. English ancestry dominates at 4,390, with Irish (1,499), Scottish (1,347) and German (682) following. University qualifications at 34.0% sit 3.9 points above the national average, a modest premium. The median age of 42 is 2 years above national, and the aging trajectory shows the senior share growing by 0.8 percentage points over the decade while the working-age share contracted by 1.0 point. Average household size of 2.6 matches the national norm, and couples with children dominate the family structure.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
90.1%
Houses
5.7%
Townhouse
1.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Ownership is dominant: 33.2% outright and 46.1% mortgage, with renters at just 20.7%, well below the national average. Detached houses at 90.1% define the built form, with three-bedrooms (52.1%) the most common type and four-bedroom-plus at 34.5%. Semi-detached (5.7%) and apartments (1.1%) are negligible. The estimated $525,000 median is accessible for the 74th-percentile income bracket. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.2% and rent-to-income of 20.2% both sit well below stress thresholds. Affordability improved over the decade, with the housing cost ratio dropping from 51.9% to 44.0%.
Mortgage / mo
$1,993
Rent / wk
$400
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$910
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.9%
Unoccupied
189
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
24.1%
Couples, no children
7,953
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads at 17.7% (629 workers), followed by Education at 13.3% (473) and Construction at 11.0% (390). Professional/Tech at 9.1% and Public Admin at 8.7% round out the top five. Professionals (1,235), Managers (716) and Clerical/Admin (700) form the occupation core, a white-collar majority but with significant blue-collar presence in Construction and Labourers (379). The full-time rate of 66.0% and participation at 60.3% are near national averages. Unemployment at 4.1% is well below the national rate. SEIFA deciles are uniformly mid-range (IEO 7, IER 7, IRSAD 7, IRSD 7), confirming average-to-above-average conditions.
Unemployment
3.0%
Labour Force
6,168
Unemployed
186
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.0%
Part-time
29.9%
Participation
60.3%
Employed
4,472
Occupations
Top Industries
University
34.0%
Postgraduate
7.3%
Born Overseas
18.8%
Dwellings
3,670
Transport to Work
Car dependency is very high at 87.7%, with public transport at 4.8% and walking/cycling at 2.5%, well below the Brisbane average. Three schools serve the suburb: St Kieran's School (ICSEA 1,090, 343 students, Catholic), Nashville State School (ICSEA 1,058, 331 students, Government) and Brighton State School (ICSEA 1,055, 438 students, Government), all above the national 1,000 ICSEA benchmark. IRSAD decile 7 and IRSD decile 7 confirm above-average socio-economic conditions. The 4.1% unemployment rate is one of the lowest in this batch.
Drive
87.7%
Public Transport
4.8%
Walk / Cycle
2.5%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.56%/yr
(+57 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth averages 0.56% per year (57 persons), slow by Brisbane standards. The 7.2% increase over the decade is below the national average. Migration is balanced between internal (24/year) and overseas (44/year), with no dominant driver. The medium forecast projects 10,480 by 2031, up from 10,197 in 2026. Real income grew 19.9% over the decade, and affordability improved from 51.9% to 44.0%. The gentrification score of 0 confirms a stable, non-gentrifying suburb. The young share expanded slightly by 1.0 point, countering the national aging trend.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+44
Net Internal / yr
+24
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Brighton compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Brighton a good suburb to live in?
Brighton offers stable family living with a $525,000 median, 4.1% unemployment (below national), and all 3 schools above the ICSEA 1,000 benchmark. Mortgage stress at 23.2% is comfortable, and 79.5% residential stability reflects a settled community. The tradeoff is high car dependency at 87.7% and limited housing diversity (90.1% detached). IRSAD decile 7 confirms above-average conditions.
What is the median house price in Brighton?
The estimated median is $525,000 (rent-derived, 2025). Weekly rent is $400 and monthly mortgage repayments sit at $1,993. At the 74th household income percentile, the mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.2% is well below the 30% stress threshold, making Brighton one of Brisbane's more financially comfortable bayside options.
What schools are in Brighton?
Brighton has 3 schools, all above the national ICSEA benchmark. St Kieran's School (ICSEA 1,090, 343 students, Catholic) leads, followed by Nashville State School (ICSEA 1,058, 331 students) and Brighton State School (ICSEA 1,055, 438 students), both government primaries. Scores range 55-90 points above the 1,000 baseline.
Is Brighton safe?
Crime data is not available for Brighton in the current dataset. The IRSD decile 7 indicates below-average disadvantage. The 4.1% unemployment rate is well below the national average, and the 15.9% volunteering rate suggests community engagement. IRSAD decile 7 confirms above-average socio-economic standing.
Is Brighton good for property investment?
The 20.7% renter share provides a thin tenant pool below the national average. Gross yield is roughly 4.0% ($400/week on $525,000). The 4.9% vacancy rate is manageable. With 45 DAs in 12 months, development is moderate. Growth of 0.56% per year is slow, meaning capital gains will likely track broader Brisbane market movements rather than outperform.
How is Brighton's population changing?
Growth is slow at 0.56% per year (57 people), with population up 7.2% over the decade, below the national average. Migration is balanced between internal (24/year) and overseas (44/year). The medium forecast projects 10,480 by 2031. The median age of 42 is 2 years above national, consistent with a settled family suburb.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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