Eight Mile Plains
More than half of Eight Mile Plains residents were born overseas, at 54.4%, which is 32.8 percentage points above the national rate. The suburb sits between Sunnybank's established Asian retail core and Rochedale's newer estates, but its profile is more settled: 15,326 people, median age 36 and 64.6% separate houses. Household income sits at the 71.8 percentile, supported by 53.6% university attainment. Density is 2,013 people per sq km, higher than many outer Brisbane family suburbs because townhouses make up 26.2% of stock.
Population
15,326
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,917/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
41
Median House
$518K
Estimated from rent (2025)
Homebuyers get a family-scale housing mix rather than an apartment market: 64.6% separate houses, 26.2% semi-detached homes and only 3.3% apartments. The strongest pull is space, because 52.5% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms and 36.1% have 3. A current median house price is not stated, so serviceability signals matter: the $1,803 median monthly mortgage equals 21.7% of income, below common stress thresholds, while household income ranks at the 71.8 percentile.
For Buyers
Homebuyers get a family-scale housing mix rather than an apartment market: 64.6% separate houses, 26.2% semi-detached homes and only 3.3% apartments. The strongest pull is space, because 52.5% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms and 36.1% have 3. A current median house price is not stated, so serviceability signals matter: the $1,803 median monthly mortgage equals 21.7% of income, below common stress thresholds, while household income ranks at the 71.8 percentile.
For Investors
Investors face a sizeable but not tight rental market. Renters are 35.0% of households and the median rent is $420 a week, but vacancy is 5.0%, higher than a scarcity market. Demand is supported by 54.4% overseas-born residents and 571 average net overseas migrants a year, because new arrivals often rent before buying. Development activity is also material, with 30 applications in 12 months, so owners need to compare newer townhouse supply against older houses near busway access.
Development Activity
Total DAs
132
Last 12 Months
41
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+46.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Eight Mile Plains iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Warrigal Road State School
Prep-6 · 1159 students
Eight Mile Plains State School
Prep-6 · 324 students
Demographics
Eight Mile Plains is younger, more educated and more internationally connected than the national benchmark. Median age is 36, which is 4.0 years below national, while 53.6% university attainment is 23.5 percentage points above national. The overseas-born share is 54.4%, 32.8 points higher, with Chinese ancestry the largest group at 4,334 people, followed by Indian at 1,214 and Korean at 912. Mandarin speakers number 1,414, giving local shops and services a clear multilingual customer base.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
64.6%
Houses
26.2%
Townhouse
3.3%
Apartment
Tenure
The housing base is mixed but still house-led. Separate houses account for 64.6% of dwellings, above the 26.2% semi-detached share and far higher than the 3.3% apartment share. Tenure is balanced: 32.8% owned outright, 32.3% with a mortgage and 35.0% renting. Larger homes dominate because 52.5% have 4 or more bedrooms. With median mortgage payments at $1,803 a month and mortgage-to-income at 21.7%, ownership costs sit below stress settings despite the family-size stock.
Mortgage / mo
$1,803
Rent / wk
$420
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$769
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.0%
Unoccupied
272
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
24.2%
Couples, no children
12,225
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local workforce leans into knowledge and care roles, above the profile of a purely commuter suburb. Healthcare employs 990 residents, or 18.4%, followed by Professional/Tech at 613 and 11.4%, Education at 578 and 10.8%, Retail at 413 and 7.7%, and Hospitality at 342 and 6.4%. Professionals are the largest occupation group at 2,184, higher than clerical/admin at 931. SEIFA is advantaged but uneven: IEO decile 8 and IRSAD decile 7 sit above IRSD decile 6 because education and occupations are stronger than disadvantage measures.
Unemployment
2.9%
Labour Force
9,569
Unemployed
279
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.8%
Part-time
30.5%
Participation
57.5%
Employed
6,779
Occupations
Top Industries
University
53.6%
Postgraduate
17.2%
Born Overseas
54.4%
Dwellings
5,142
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-oriented but well positioned for south Brisbane employment corridors. Car drivers are 80.4% of commuters, above public transport at 10.7% and walking/cycling at 2.2%, so motorway and busway access matter more than local walkability. Schooling is primary-focused within the suburb: 2 government schools span ICSEA 1023 to 1085, led by Warrigal Road State School with 1,159 enrolments and Eight Mile Plains State School with 324. IRSAD decile 7 supports amenity, but no crime rate per 1,000 is available, so safety should be checked at street level.
Drive
80.4%
Public Transport
10.7%
Walk / Cycle
2.2%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.0%/yr
(+168 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is steady rather than speculative. The trend forecast is 1.0% a year, or about 168 people annually, lifting the medium population path from 16,867 in 2026 to 17,705 in 2031. Migration explains the shape: overseas migration is the primary driver with average net overseas gain of 571 a year, while internal movement is -313 a year. The shift profile is Aging, with senior share up 5.1 points and working share down 1.5 points. Gentrification score is 15 and stage is Not gentrifying, lower than a renovation-led boom suburb.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+571
Net Internal / yr
-313
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +14% since 2011, Net internal outflow -313/yr, Strong overseas inflow +571/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Eight Mile Plains compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Eight Mile Plains a good suburb to live in?
Yes, for many family and professional households. It has 15,326 residents, 64.6% separate houses, 2 local government primary schools and household income at the 71.8 percentile.
What is the median house price in Eight Mile Plains?
A current median house price is not stated for Eight Mile Plains. The clearest cost markers are a $1,803 median monthly mortgage, $420 median weekly rent and 21.7% mortgage-to-income ratio.
What schools are in Eight Mile Plains?
There are 2 local government primary schools: Warrigal Road State School, with ICSEA 1085 and 1,159 enrolments, and Eight Mile Plains State School, with ICSEA 1023 and 324 enrolments.
Is Eight Mile Plains safe?
No suburb-level crime rate per 1,000 is stated, so safety is best checked street by street. For broader context, IRSAD decile 7 and IRSD decile 6 point to moderate to advantaged conditions.
Is Eight Mile Plains good for property investment?
It has investment depth but also competition. Renters make up 35.0% of households, median rent is $420 a week and vacancy is 5.0%, while 30 development applications signal ongoing supply.
How is Eight Mile Plains's population changing?
Population growth is forecast at 1.0% a year, or about 168 people annually. The medium path rises from 16,867 in 2026 to 17,705 in 2031, driven mainly by overseas migration.
What languages are spoken in Eight Mile Plains?
The suburb is highly multilingual, with 54.4% of residents born overseas. Key non-English language counts include Mandarin 1,414, Cantonese 455, Korean 429 and Punjabi 381.
What development is happening in Eight Mile Plains?
Development activity is active rather than dormant, with 30 applications recorded in 12 months. Recent items include plan sealing and referral agency responses, often linked to site design and building format plans.
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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