New Farm
At 5,920.3 residents per sq km on just 2.06 sq km, New Farm reads more like an inner-city apartment district than a traditional house suburb. Apartments make up 74.8% of dwellings and renters 54.8%, both higher than the 20.5% separate-house share. Compared with Teneriffe and Fortitude Valley, it leans more residential while still carrying central-Brisbane access. The standout social marker is education: 56.1% have university qualifications, 26.0 points above the national level, and household income sits at the 77.8 percentile.
Population
12,197
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,069/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
92
Median House
$559K
Estimated from rent (2025)
Homebuyers need to buy for lifestyle and dwelling type, not just land content, because 74.8% of stock is apartments compared with 20.5% separate houses and 4.4% semi-detached homes. The bedroom mix points to smaller households: 41.1% are 2-bedroom dwellings and 22.9% are 0 to 1 bedroom, while 4-plus bedrooms are only 12.4%. Monthly mortgage payments are $2,264, and mortgage households make up 20.7%, lower than the 24.5% owned outright group and well below the 54.8% renting group.
For Buyers
Homebuyers need to buy for lifestyle and dwelling type, not just land content, because 74.8% of stock is apartments compared with 20.5% separate houses and 4.4% semi-detached homes. The bedroom mix points to smaller households: 41.1% are 2-bedroom dwellings and 22.9% are 0 to 1 bedroom, while 4-plus bedrooms are only 12.4%. Monthly mortgage payments are $2,264, and mortgage households make up 20.7%, lower than the 24.5% owned outright group and well below the 54.8% renting group.
For Investors
Investors get a large tenant pool, with 54.8% of homes rented and weekly rent at $405, higher than the 20.7% mortgage share and 24.5% owned outright share. The caution is vacancy at 12.4%, so leasing risk needs sharper pricing and property selection. Development is active with 78 applications over 12 months, including multiple dwelling and commercial change-of-use work, which can refresh stock but also add competing supply. Overseas migration of 371 people a year supports demand despite -68 internal migration.
Development Activity
Total DAs
329
Last 12 Months
92
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+33.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in New Farm iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Holy Spirit School
Prep-6 · 265 students
New Farm State School
Prep-6 · 539 students
Demographics
New Farm's 12,197 residents skew educated, mobile and compact. Median age is 39, which is 1.0 year below the national figure, while 56.1% university attainment is 26.0 points above national. Overseas-born residents are 29.8%, 8.2 points above national, but the household size of 1.9 is 0.6 below national, matching the apartment base. English ancestry accounts for 4,576 people and Irish 2,133, while Italian 108, Canton 88 and Portuguese 74 speakers add smaller language clusters.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
20.5%
Houses
4.4%
Townhouse
74.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is structurally apartment led: 74.8% apartments compared with 20.5% separate houses and 4.4% semi-detached homes. That mix explains the small dwelling profile, with 41.1% 2-bedroom homes, 23.7% 3-bedroom homes and 22.9% 0 to 1 bedroom homes. Tenure is also tilted to leasing, as 54.8% rent, 24.5% own outright and 20.7% have a mortgage. A median house price is unavailable, so price reading should be by building type rather than suburb-wide house benchmarks.
Mortgage / mo
$2,264
Rent / wk
$405
HH Size
1.9
Personal Income / wk
$1,226
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
12.4%
Unoccupied
809
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
47.4%
Couples, no children
6,968
Total families
Economy & Employment
New Farm's economy is dominated by higher-skill inner-city work. Professional and tech roles account for 21.2% of local workers, healthcare 17.2%, education 8.5%, public admin 6.7% and hospitality 6.4%. Occupations reinforce this, with 2,990 professionals and 1,293 managers. Employment is solid at 71.2% full-time and 4.6% unemployment. SEIFA shows the split: education and occupation ranks in decile 10, while economic resources are lower at decile 3, partly because 54.8% of households rent and many are small.
Unemployment
5.0%
Labour Force
9,448
Unemployed
468
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
71.2%
Part-time
24.2%
Participation
62.3%
Employed
6,574
Occupations
Top Industries
University
56.1%
Postgraduate
16.0%
Born Overseas
29.8%
Dwellings
5,682
Transport to Work
Livability is strongest for residents who want short daily trips. Walking and cycling account for 21.3% of commuting, below car driving at 59.5% but higher than public transport at 13.7%, which suits the compact 2.06 sq km layout. School choice is small but strong: 2 local primary schools span ICSEA 1112 to 1138, with Holy Spirit School Catholic at 1138 and New Farm State School government at 1112 with 539 enrolments. IRSAD decile 9 points to above average social advantage, supporting amenity demand.
Drive
59.5%
Public Transport
13.7%
Walk / Cycle
21.3%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.59%/yr
(+82 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is steady rather than explosive. The trend forecast adds 0.59% a year, or about 82 residents, taking the medium scenario from 13,781 in 2026 to 14,191 in 2031. Migration is the engine because overseas inflow averages +371 people a year, higher than the -68 net internal loss. The suburb has recovered from a -5.7% COVID dip, with an 8.3% rebound. Change is aging-led, with seniors up 3.8 points and a gentrification score of 24 at the Early signs stage.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+371
Net Internal / yr
-68
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +11% since 2011, Strong overseas inflow +371/yr, COVID recovered (-6% dip → full recovery)
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How New Farm compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is New Farm a good suburb to live in?
Yes, for inner-city buyers who prefer apartments and walkable access. New Farm has 5,920.3 residents per sq km, 21.3% walk or cycle to work and 2 primary schools, while IRSAD decile 9 signals above average advantage.
What is the median house price in New Farm?
A median house price is unavailable for New Farm, so compare by dwelling type. The suburb is 74.8% apartments and 20.5% separate houses, with weekly rent at $405 and 54.8% of homes rented.
What schools are in New Farm?
New Farm has 2 local primary schools: Holy Spirit School, a Catholic school with ICSEA 1138 and 265 enrolments, and New Farm State School, a government school with ICSEA 1112 and 539 enrolments.
Is New Farm safe?
A current crime rate is unavailable, so safety should be checked street by street and by building security. Context matters: New Farm has 12,197 residents, 5,920.3 people per sq km and strong IRSAD decile 9 conditions.
Is New Farm good for property investment?
New Farm can suit investors because 54.8% of dwellings are rented and overseas migration adds an average 371 people a year. The trade-off is 12.4% vacancy and 78 development applications, so selection matters.
How is New Farm's population changing?
New Farm is growing slowly, with the trend adding 0.59% or 82 people a year. The medium scenario reaches 14,191 by 2031, driven by +371 overseas migration despite -68 internal migration.
Is there much development in New Farm?
Development activity is elevated, with 78 applications in the past 12 months. Recent examples include multiple dwelling and commercial change-of-use work, which may lift supply compared with quieter established suburbs.
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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