Brookwater
Household income in the 99.2nd percentile nationally makes Brookwater one of the wealthiest communities in Australia by earnings, yet the suburb sits only 3.97 km2 in area and holds just 2,902 residents. That income advantage is backed by SEIFA scores placing the suburb at decile 10 on both IRSD and IER, the top tier nationally. The population grew 161.7% over the decade, driven primarily by overseas migration at 120 net arrivals a year, and the forecast projects continued expansion from 2,902 toward 13,417 by 2031. With 95.6% separate houses and 84.3% of dwellings containing 4 or more bedrooms, the suburb is built around families rather than apartments.
Population
2,902
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$3,637/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$719K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price sits at $719,000, estimated from 2025 rent data, placing Brookwater above many Greater Brisbane suburbs while remaining accessible compared to Sydney benchmarks. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,615, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 16.6%, well below the 30% stress threshold even for this high-income area. Tenure is mortgage-belt heavy at 65.4% of households still paying off their home, with only 19.7% owning outright. Stock is almost uniformly detached, with 95.6% separate houses and 84.3% of dwellings in the 4-plus bedroom category, meaning buyers are competing for large family homes rather than units. The 4.4% semi-detached share is the only alternative to full detached stock.
For Buyers
The median house price sits at $719,000, estimated from 2025 rent data, placing Brookwater above many Greater Brisbane suburbs while remaining accessible compared to Sydney benchmarks. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,615, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 16.6%, well below the 30% stress threshold even for this high-income area. Tenure is mortgage-belt heavy at 65.4% of households still paying off their home, with only 19.7% owning outright. Stock is almost uniformly detached, with 95.6% separate houses and 84.3% of dwellings in the 4-plus bedroom category, meaning buyers are competing for large family homes rather than units. The 4.4% semi-detached share is the only alternative to full detached stock.
For Investors
Weekly rent of $565 against a $719,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.1%, reasonable for a high-income outer Brisbane suburb. The vacancy rate of 7.6% is above the national average, signalling some softness in tenant demand relative to supply, and investors should weigh this before entering the market. Renter share is low at 14.9%, meaning the suburb is dominated by owner-occupiers rather than renters, which limits the rental pool. On the demand side, overseas migration adds 120 net residents a year, the primary growth driver, and the 10-year population growth of 161.7% shows sustained momentum. Development activity recorded 0 applications in the past 12 months, suggesting limited near-term new supply competition.
Demographics
The median age is 38, two years below the national figure, consistent with a family formation suburb drawing young professional households. Overseas-born residents reach 34.8%, which is 13.2 percentage points above national, with Indian ancestry (208 residents) the most prominent non-Anglo group alongside English (1,023), Scottish (268) and Irish (245). University qualifications at 46.5% run 16.4 points above the national average, reflecting the high proportion of professionals and managers. Average household size of 3.2 persons is 0.7 above national, because the dominant household type is couples with children: 1,416 of 2,672 families. Couples without children account for 18.3% and one-parent families are negligible in the data.
Age Distribution
Dwelling Structure
95.6%
Houses
4.4%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Owner-occupiers with a mortgage dominate at 65.4%, which is characteristic of a suburb where large, recent family homes carry substantial debt. Outright ownership sits at only 19.7%, lower than many comparable income suburbs, reflecting that much of the stock is relatively new and not yet paid down. Renters make up 14.9%, the smallest segment. The stock is almost entirely separate houses at 95.6%, with semi-detached at 4.4% and no apartments recorded. Bedroom sizes lean large: 84.3% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms and 15.7% have 3 bedrooms. The median house price of $719,000 and a monthly mortgage of $2,615 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 16.6%, comfortably below stress thresholds given household income in the 99.2nd percentile nationally.
Mortgage / mo
$2,615
Rent / wk
$565
HH Size
3.2
Personal Income / wk
$1,397
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.6%
Unoccupied
74
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
15.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
18.3%
Couples, no children
2,672
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads local employment at 20.4% of workers (260 people), followed by Public Administration at 11.5% (146) and Education at 11.1% (141), with Professional/Tech at 9.5% (121) and Manufacturing at 8.3% (106). By occupation, Professionals make up the largest group at 488 workers, followed by Managers at 357, reflecting the suburb's position as a high-skill residential community. The full-time employment rate is 69.9% and unemployment is 3.6%, below state norms. SEIFA rankings confirm the economic profile: decile 10 on IRSD and IER, decile 9 on IRSAD and decile 8 on IEO. The IEO score at decile 8, slightly lower than other SEIFA measures, reflects that while incomes are very high, educational diversity across the suburb is somewhat less extreme than pure advantage deciles.
Unemployment
1.1%
Labour Force
6,409
Unemployed
73
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
69.9%
Part-time
26.5%
Participation
73.5%
Employed
1,578
Occupations
Top Industries
University
46.5%
Postgraduate
14.8%
Born Overseas
34.8%
Dwellings
891
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high at 87.9% of commuters driving, with only 4.7% using public transport and 1.4% walking or cycling, which reflects the outer Springfield corridor location rather than walkable inner-city infrastructure. SEIFA decile 10 on IRSD indicates minimal relative disadvantage, and mortgage-to-income at 16.6% and rent-to-income at 15.5% both sit well below stress thresholds, meaning residents are financially comfortable by national standards. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in the broader Springfield area. The volunteering rate of 13.3% and only 2.7% of residents needing daily assistance point to a relatively young and capable community, consistent with the median age of 38.
Drive
87.9%
Public Transport
4.7%
Walk / Cycle
1.4%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+4.46%/yr
(+454 people/yr)
High GrowthPopulation growth of 4.46% annually, adding 454 persons per year, classifies Brookwater as high-growth. The 10-year change of 161.7% is among the largest of any established suburb, driven predominantly by overseas migration at 120 net arrivals annually compared to only 26 net internal arrivals. The medium forecast projects growth from the current base to 13,417 by 2031, a trajectory that assumes continued migration inflows rather than organic increase. The gentrification stage reads new development, with a score of zero, meaning the suburb is still building its demographic profile rather than transitioning an older one. Affordability improved from 42.8% in 2011 to 35.2% in 2021 despite rising prices, because incomes grew faster than rents over that period.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+120
Net Internal / yr
+26
Gentrification Signal
New development
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Brookwater compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Brookwater a good suburb to live in?
Brookwater ranks in decile 10 on IRSD and IER nationally, the top tier for advantage and economic resources. Household income sits in the 99.2nd percentile. Mortgage-to-income is 16.6% and rent-to-income is 15.5%, both well below stress thresholds, so residents carry low financial pressure relative to incomes.
What is the median house price in Brookwater?
The median house price is $719,000 (estimated from 2025 rent data). Weekly rent averages $565 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,615, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 16.6%. The suburb is 95.6% separate houses, so buyers are almost always competing for detached family homes.
What schools are in Brookwater?
No schools are recorded inside the Brookwater suburb boundary in this dataset. Families use schools in the broader Springfield corridor nearby. University qualifications among residents reach 46.5%, which is 16.4 percentage points above the national figure, reflecting a highly educated local population.
Is Brookwater safe?
Detailed crime statistics for Brookwater are not available in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 10 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, the highest tier nationally, and only 2.7% of its 2,902 residents need daily assistance, both consistent with a low-disadvantage, low-stress community.
Is Brookwater good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $565 against a $719,000 median gives a gross yield near 4.1%. The vacancy rate of 7.6% is above average and the renter share of 14.9% is low, so the tenant pool is limited. Population is growing at 4.46% a year with overseas migration adding 120 residents annually, supporting long-term demand.
How is Brookwater's population changing?
Population grew 161.7% over the past decade and is currently expanding at 4.46% annually, adding around 454 persons a year. Overseas migration at 120 net arrivals per year is the primary driver, compared to only 26 net internal arrivals. The medium forecast projects growth from current levels toward 13,417 by 2031.
What languages are spoken in Brookwater?
About 34.8% of residents were born overseas, which is 13.2 percentage points above the national figure. The top non-English languages spoken at home are Mandarin (29 speakers), Hindi (26), Malayalam (16) and Korean (13), reflecting the suburb's international profile led by Indian and Chinese-background residents.
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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