Moving to South Brisbane QLD 4101
What the official numbers say about living in South Brisbane — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Renting? The census median is $470 a week, against a median household income of $1,818 a week.
About 28% of homes are owner-occupied and 71% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the apartment.
Who you'll be living with
South Brisbane grew 162% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (5,451 → 14,292 people).
Around 49% of households are families, averaging 1.9 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: China, England, India; most spoken languages besides English: Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), South Brisbane sits in the country’s more advantaged bracket (decile 10 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (36% of workers), while 25% work from home.
Nearest train station: South Brisbane, 250 m north.
Nearest bus interchange: Cultural Centre, 400 m north.
Nearest ferry wharf: South Bank ferry terminal, 450 m east.
Nearest airport: Brisbane Airport, 14.9 km north-east.
The Brisbane CBD is roughly 1 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 69 schools · 769 cafes & restaurants · 39 supermarkets · 116 parks — see them all on the South Brisbane profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Brisbane State High School 400 m · Somerville House Aquatic Centre 900 m · West End State School 950 m · Somerville House 1 km · Arethusa College 1.1 km · Saint Laurence's College 1.2 km · Albert Park Flexible Learning Centre 1.4 km · St Joseph's Parish School 1.7 km
Groceries: IGA 250 m · HX Asian Supermarket 400 m · Handmade Naturals 550 m · Coles 600 m · Harris Farm Markets 600 m · The Green Grocer 650 m · Triton Food Brokers 700 m · Health-T 750 m
Parks and reserves: Greenspace 200 m · Musgrave Park 200 m · Melbourne Street Green 350 m · Town Square 400 m · Alexander Smith Place 500 m · South Bank Parklands 500 m · The Common 550 m · Mollison Park 550 m
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around South Brisbane, most often seen first: Noisy Miner · Torresian Crow · Rainbow Lorikeet · Australian White Ibis · Welcome Swallow · Australian Magpie.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to South Brisbane, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Brisbane here | 14,292 | — | 10/10 | 9% |
| Highgate Hill | 6,229 | — | 10/10 | 18% |
| Brisbane City | 12,587 | — | 10/10 | 12% |
| West End | 14,730 | — | 10/10 | 11% |
| Milton | 3,144 | — | 10/10 | 12% |
| Petrie Terrace | 1,168 | — | 10/10 | 13% |
| Spring Hill | 6,593 | — | 9/10 | 16% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Brisbane — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Griffith — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 4101 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full South Brisbane profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
Renters pay a median $470 a week, and about 71% of homes here are rented.
The population grew 162% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 5,451 people to 14,292. It sits about 1 km from the Brisbane CBD in a straight line, and South Brisbane station is roughly 0.2 km away. Local government is Brisbane council, and the federal seat is Griffith.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: South Brisbane vs Brisbane City · South Brisbane vs West End.
Nearby guides: Highgate Hill · Brisbane City · West End · Milton · Petrie Terrace · Spring Hill.
Keep an eye on South Brisbane
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