Queensland most sought after state for Aussies on move
New data collected by the REIQ shows that Queensland tops the interstate migration ladder, with one region emerging as the most sought after. But it could spell tough news for home buyers.
According to interstate migration data analysed by Real Estate Institute Queensland, New South Wales remains the largest source of interstate migrants to Queensland, making up 60 percent of the state’s net gain in 2024-25.
The news comes as Queensland tops the national list in attracting inter-state migration with the Sunshine Coast the most sought after relocation.
REIQ CEO Antonia Mercorella claimed the high numbers of Australians moving to Queensland was a vote of confidence in the state’s lifestyle, economy and prospects.
“Queensland’s overall population growth of 1.6 percent has easily outpaced New South Wales’ 1.2 percent, and in particular, the Sunshine State has proven to be an incredibly strong magnet for interstate migrants,” Mercorella said.
She adds that in 2025, Queensland gained 16,528 people from interstate migration, while New South Wales lost 21,465 people.
You might like
“The only other state with positive net interstate migration was Western Australia with 10,410, so Queensland comes out on top again,” Mercorella added.
But as a result of the high numbers, she said data analysts expected Brisbane would also defy the predicted national downturn in property values due to supply shortfall, sustained demand pressures and strong long-term growth drivers.
“It’s hard to see how that wouldn’t be the case, with all that’s on the horizon for the city and the state – namely, just a little thing called the Olympics.”
Cotality’s June quarter Home Value Index indicates that Brisbane’s median dwelling value is sitting at $1,118,306, lower than Sydney’s $1,265,608.
Stay informed, daily
Meanwhile median dwelling prices in regional Queensland are sitting at $855,835, higher than the median for regional New South Wales at $841,198.
Nevertheless, Queensland has continued to feature prominently among Australia’s leading regional destinations, according to the latest Regional Movers Index.
The Sunshine Coast has remained the nation’s top regional migration hotspot, attracting 8.8 percent of Australia’s total net internal migration over the 12 months to March 2026.
Fraser Coast ranked third nationally with 3.9 percent migration during the same period.
Toowoomba and Townsville were ranked as some of the fastest-growing destinations for capital city movers, with annual growth in net capital-to-regional migration of 236.4 percent and 159.7 percent respectively.
Queensland’s economic growth rate has also exceeded that of New South Wales, growing at an average annual rate of 3.6 percent since 1989-90, compared to NSW’s 2.3 percent.
Mercorella said Queensland’s success and popularity has brought with it a responsibility to ensure housing supply and infrastructure keep up.
“Queensland’s growth story should be celebrated, but it also reinforces the need to tackle our housing shortage with urgency,” she said.
“If we want to keep attracting workers, families and investors, we need to make sure we’re building the homes, communities and infrastructure that support a growing population.”
Want to see more stories from InDaily Qld in your Google search results?
- Click here to set InDaily Qld as a preferred source.
- Tick the box next to "InDaily Qld". That's it.
