South East Queensland population soars

1 December 2025

South East Queensland is continuing to outpace the nation in population growth, with the state’s fastest growing corridor set to reach 4.5 million by the 2032 Olympics and as high as 5 million just four years later.

KPMG’s analysis of Australian Bureau of Statistics data reveals the region has grown by as much as 2.2 percent over the past five years, well above the national average of just 1.5 percent.

"South East Queensland took 14 years to climb from 3 million to 4 million people, but now, with growth accelerating rapidly, the next million could arrive in as little as a decade," said KPMG Urban Economist Terry Rawnsley.

More than half of this growth is occurring beyond the city of Brisbane, with almost 68,000 new residents on the Gold Coast in the last 5 years alone, 61,000 in Logan and Beaudesert, 51,600 in Ipswich and 47,500 more people on the Sunshine Coast.

“This impressive growth signals a coming-of-age moment for the region which has now cemented its place on par with Sydney and Melbourne as a major hub for economic and cultural activity,” said KPMG Queensland Mid-Market & Private Partner, Stephen Abbott.

“Brisbane was traditionally the epicentre of activity for South East Queensland, but now there are endless opportunities right up and down the M1.”

“Major infrastructure projects like the Sunshine Coast Rail and the opening of Cross River Rail will only further enhance the region’s connectivity and economic prosperity in the lead up to Brisbane 2032."

Interstate migration is also driving this unprecedented growth, with more than 22,000 people moving to South East Queensland from other cities, with almost 1,500 from the nation’s capital, more than 1,000 from each of the Top End, Cairns, Sydney’s Northern Beaches and South East Melbourne, followed by Townsville and Blacktown.

Shrugging off the retiree image

The data also shows the region is moving past its retiree image, with more than 65,000 additional people aged under 35 in South East Queensland in 2023-24, double the growth in 2018-19.

“These demographic changes highlight the south-east’s growing appeal to younger Aussies, thanks to the fantastic opportunities for education, employment, and high-quality urban living,” Rawnsley said.

“The rapid growth in young workers is also providing the region’s businesses with access to a whole range of skilled workers and further increasing the attractiveness of the region as a place to invest now and in the future," Abbott said.