In the Brisbane Demographic Report released by Colliers International residential research director Jonathan Rivera those suburbs located between 5km and 10km of Brisbane's CBD are identified as the next area to cater for our booming population.
As available land in the inner-city dries up – densification of the middle ring is the way of the future says Mr Rivera.
"By reducing lot sizes and building townhouses we will start to see the birth of the 'middle make-over'," he said.
Rivera says the middle suburbs will become increasingly attractive to developers and buyers, given their proximity to the city and efficient public transport systems.
According to Mr Rivera's research, the highest levels of growth up until now have been within the outer suburbs and inner city fringe areas.
"Deciding where to put the growing numbers of single households is a challenge for Brisbane," he said.
Once a 'very conservative' place of suburban supermarkets and chemist shops – the middle ring will likely transform into a more vibrant urban community as the ripple of development is forced further out.
"Intrusion of medium density developments in areas where they weren't previously -will require a balance to be struck," said Mr Rivera.
He identified area's like Indooroopilly, Nundah, and Paddington.
"The renovation of middle Brisbane is the real future for the city," he said.
Mr Rivera said Brisbane's population is set to surpass 1.2 million residents by 2025 with the biggest increase to occur in the next eight years.
He says the ageing population is driving the push into bayside and outer suburbs.
The Brisbane Demographic Report identified the suburbs of greatest population growth – Sumner, Wakerley, Brisbane City, Fitzgibbon, Drewvale, Moggill, Seventeen Mile Rocks, Pallara, Murarrie and Kelvin Grove.
"Inner Brisbane contained just over 100,000 residents in 2001, however with the rapid development of apartments and densification of the inner city, this has now more than doubled," he said.
Not surprisingly, the five suburbs with the youngest median age in Brisbane are all close to the city – St Lucia (23 years), Nathan (23 years), Toowong (27 years), Kelvin Grove (28 years), and Auchenflower (29 years).
"Inner Brisbane suburbs have a bias towards the 20 to 40 year old age group," said Mr Rivera.
"The vibrancy and proximity to the inner city seems to attract two broad groups of demographics; the wealthy or upwardly mobile professionals and the less wealthy students and part-time or casual workers," he said.
Highest household incomes are found in Brookfield ($2586 per week), Pullenvale ($2323 per week), Fig Tree Pocket ($2115 per week), Pinjarra Hills ($2027) and Chapel Hill ($1891).
