St Lucia
At 25, St Lucia's median age sits 15 years below the national benchmark, making it one of Brisbane's clearest education-linked rental markets. The suburb holds 12,220 people in 3.97 sq km, with density at 3,074.8 per sq km. Compared with nearby Toowong and Indooroopilly, St Lucia reads more like a campus-side apartment peninsula: 59.9% of dwellings are apartments and 54.5% of homes are rented. The 67.7% university-qualified share is 37.6 percentage points above national, while 42.9% born overseas adds a strong international intake.
Population
12,220
Median Age
25.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,761/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
33
Median House
$533K
Estimated from rent (2025)
Homebuyers are choosing a compact, apartment-led market rather than a classic detached-house suburb. Separate houses make up 33.1% of dwellings, well below apartments at 59.9%, while 2-bedroom homes are the largest group at 40.6%. With mortgage repayments at $2,000 per month and mortgage costs at 26.2% of income, pressure sits below common stress thresholds. The median house price is not available, so buyers need to compare recent sales by dwelling type, because the 23.7% share of 4-plus bedroom homes is a smaller and less liquid segment.
For Buyers
Homebuyers are choosing a compact, apartment-led market rather than a classic detached-house suburb. Separate houses make up 33.1% of dwellings, well below apartments at 59.9%, while 2-bedroom homes are the largest group at 40.6%. With mortgage repayments at $2,000 per month and mortgage costs at 26.2% of income, pressure sits below common stress thresholds. The median house price is not available, so buyers need to compare recent sales by dwelling type, because the 23.7% share of 4-plus bedroom homes is a smaller and less liquid segment.
For Investors
St Lucia has a deep tenant pool, with renters at 54.5% and median rent at $410 per week, both central to the suburb's investment case. Vacancy is high at 10.9%, well above a tight-market setting, so leasing risk matters more than headline demand. New supply is also active, with 26 development applications in 12 months. Demand is supported because overseas migration averages +890 people a year, compared with a net internal outflow of -179, but investors should price in seasonal turnover and apartment competition.
Development Activity
Total DAs
120
Last 12 Months
33
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+3.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in St Lucia iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Ironside State School
Prep-6 · 895 students
Demographics
St Lucia is unusually young and highly educated: the median age is 25, which is 15 years below the national figure, and 67.7% of residents hold a university qualification, 37.6 percentage points above national. Overseas-born residents are 42.9%, 21.3 points above national, led by English ancestry at 3,519 people and Chinese ancestry at 1,789. Mandarin is the largest non-English language with 605 speakers. The profile is shaped by study and professional work because household size is 2.4, slightly lower than national, and many residents are in smaller rental households.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
33.1%
Houses
6.9%
Townhouse
59.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing in St Lucia is tilted toward density: apartments account for 59.9% of dwellings vs 33.1% separate houses and 6.9% semi-detached homes. Tenure is also different from owner-occupier suburbs, with 54.5% renting, 27.3% owned outright and 18.2% owned with a mortgage. Bedroom supply reinforces the apartment bias, as 2-bedroom homes make up 40.6% compared with 23.7% at 4-plus bedrooms. Rent-to-income is 23.3% and mortgage-to-income is 26.2%, so measured housing stress is lower than many inner rental markets.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wk
$410
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$548
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.9%
Unoccupied
480
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
32.1%
Couples, no children
5,960
Total families
Economy & Employment
St Lucia's economy is dominated by knowledge and care work. Education employs 928 residents, or 23.8%, followed by Professional/Tech at 610 and Healthcare at 561. Professionals are the largest occupation group at 2,329, far higher than managers at 570 or sales workers at 563. SEIFA shows the split clearly: education and occupation strength place IEO in decile 10 and IRSAD in decile 9, while IER sits much lower in decile 2 because many residents have low current incomes, part-time work or study patterns. Unemployment is 12.8% and participation is 51.2%.
Unemployment
3.0%
Labour Force
8,476
Unemployed
256
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
49.4%
Part-time
37.8%
Participation
51.2%
Employed
4,866
Occupations
Top Industries
University
67.7%
Postgraduate
30.3%
Born Overseas
42.9%
Dwellings
3,918
Transport to Work
St Lucia's livability is strongest for people who value short trips, education access and inner-west amenity. Public transport is used by 16.2% of commuters, while 18.7% walk or cycle, a higher active-transport share than car-dependent suburbs; car drivers still account for 60.2%. Local schooling is concentrated around Ironside State School, a Government primary with ICSEA 1178 and 895 enrolments, giving the suburb 1 listed school and an ICSEA range of 1178 to 1178. IRSAD decile 9 points to above-average advantage, supporting service quality and local amenity.
Drive
60.2%
Public Transport
16.2%
Walk / Cycle
18.7%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.31%/yr
(+203 people/yr)
EstablishedSt Lucia's growth outlook is steady rather than explosive, with forecast annual growth of 1.31%, equal to about 203 people a year. The medium scenario reaches 15,926 residents by 2031, compared with 14,975 currently. Migration explains the pattern: overseas migration is the primary driver at +890 people a year, while internal migration averages -179, so international inflow more than offsets local outflow. The gentrification score is 45 and the stage is Active, while the trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 3.3 percentage points and real income growth at 34.2%.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+890
Net Internal / yr
-179
Gentrification Signal
Active
Population +29% since 2011, Net internal outflow -179/yr, Strong overseas inflow +890/yr, Accelerating: 11% → 16%, COVID recovered (-8% dip → full recovery)
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How St Lucia compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is St Lucia a good suburb to live in?
Yes, especially for students, professionals and renters who want a compact inner-west location. The median age is 25, 67.7% of residents are university qualified and 18.7% walk or cycle to work, giving it a more education-focused feel than many Brisbane suburbs.
What is the median house price in St Lucia?
A current median house price is not available for St Lucia. The best context is the housing mix: 59.9% apartments, 33.1% separate houses and 54.5% rentals, so buyers should compare recent sales by dwelling type rather than rely on one suburb-wide figure.
What schools are in St Lucia?
The listed local school is Ironside State School, a Government primary school with 895 enrolments and an ICSEA score of 1178. That gives St Lucia 1 listed in-suburb school, so families may also assess nearby secondary and independent options outside the suburb boundary.
Is St Lucia safe?
A suburb-level crime rate per 1,000 is not available for St Lucia, so recent police maps should be checked before renting or buying. Broader livability indicators are strong, with IRSAD in decile 9 and 18.7% of commuters walking or cycling.
Is St Lucia good for property investment?
St Lucia suits investors who understand apartment and student-style rental cycles. Renters make up 54.5% of households and median rent is $410 per week, but vacancy is high at 10.9% and 26 development applications in 12 months point to supply competition.
How is St Lucia's population changing?
St Lucia is growing at a forecast 1.31% a year, or about 203 people annually. The medium scenario reaches 15,926 residents by 2031, driven mainly by overseas migration averaging +890 people a year despite internal migration of -179.
What languages are spoken in St Lucia?
St Lucia has a large international population, with 42.9% of residents born overseas. Mandarin is the largest listed non-English language with 605 speakers, followed by Canton at 102, Bengali at 84 and Hindi at 56.
Is there much development in St Lucia?
Yes. St Lucia recorded 26 development applications in the past 12 months, including a 2026 material change of use involving commercial and multiple-dwelling activity. That level is above the 20-application threshold and matters for apartment supply.
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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