Where the Italian community lives in Brisbane
McDowall has the largest Italian community: 7.7% of residents reported Italian ancestry, 1.1% were born in Italy, and 1.9% speak Italian at home. New Farm and Stafford Heights follow. These 15 suburbs came from a field of 262 eligible Brisbane suburbs.
This page ranks Brisbane suburbs by where the Italian community is most established, using the 2021 Census. Suburbs are ordered by the share of residents who reported Italian ancestry, and each one also shows the share who were born in Italy and speak Italian at home. Only suburbs with at least 2,000 residents are ranked.
No single number captures a community on its own — ancestry is the broadest (it includes Australian-born second and third generations), country of birth captures migrants, and language spoken at home tracks the actively speaking core. We show every angle the 2021 Census publishes for the Italian community so you can see the full picture. Ancestry is a multiple-response question, so shares read as "residents who reported this ancestry" rather than an exclusive count. Percentile ranks are computed within Brisbane's pool. This is descriptive demographic information, not a recommendation.
Where the Italian community lives in Brisbane
Ranked by the share of residents who reported Italian ancestry in the 2021 Census, among suburbs with at least 2,000 residents. Each suburb also shows the share who were born in Italy and speak Italian at home — the angles the census publishes on where the Italian community is established.
McDowall
QLD 4053 · 7,612 residents8% Italian ancestry · 1% born in Italy · 2% speak Italian
New Farm
QLD 4005 · 12,197 residents7% Italian ancestry · 1% born in Italy · 2% speak Italian
Stafford Heights
QLD 4053 · 6,992 residents7% Italian ancestry · 1% born in Italy · 2% speak Italian
Kedron
QLD 4031 · 9,907 residents7% Italian ancestry · 1% born in Italy · 1% speak Italian
Lutwyche
QLD 4030 · 4,610 residents7% Italian ancestry · 2% born in Italy · 3% speak Italian
Wooloowin
QLD 4030 · 4,029 residents6% Italian ancestry · 1% born in Italy · 2% speak Italian
Chermside West
QLD 4032 · 6,965 residents6% Italian ancestry · 1% born in Italy · 2% speak Italian
Bridgeman Downs
QLD 4035 · 10,938 residents6% Italian ancestry · 1% born in Italy · 1% speak Italian
Hendra
QLD 4011 · 4,914 residents6% Italian ancestry · 0% born in Italy · 1% speak Italian
Wavell Heights
QLD 4012 · 10,336 residents6% Italian ancestry · 1% born in Italy · 1% speak Italian
Kalinga
QLD 4030 · 2,144 residents6% Italian ancestry · 0% born in Italy · 1% speak Italian
Windsor
QLD 4030 · 7,811 residents6% Italian ancestry · 1% born in Italy · 1% speak Italian
Gordon Park
QLD 4031 · 4,390 residents6% Italian ancestry · 1% born in Italy · 1% speak Italian
Stafford
QLD 4053 · 6,978 residents6% Italian ancestry · 0% born in Italy · 1% speak Italian
Wilston
QLD 4051 · 4,110 residents6% Italian ancestry · 1% born in Italy · 1% speak Italian
Ranked from 262 qualifying suburbs.
Ranked on the share of residents who reported this ancestry (the broadest signal — it includes Australian-born second and third generations) in the 2021 Census, percentile-ranked within Brisbane's candidate pool. Every suburb also shows all three census angles — ancestry, country of birth, and language spoken at home — because no single number captures a community on its own. Only suburbs with at least 2,000 residents qualify. Ancestry is a multiple-response question, so shares read as "residents who reported this ancestry", not an exclusive count. Descriptive ABS Census data, not a recommendation. See how we calculate for the full methodology.
Common questions about this ranking
How is this ranking put together?
Suburbs are ordered by the share of residents who reported Italian ancestry. Ancestry is the broadest measure — it includes Australian-born second and third generations, not just migrants. Only suburbs with at least 2,000 residents are included, and percentile ranks are computed within Brisbane's pool, so the list reflects concentration relative to other metro suburbs.
What do the percentages on each suburb mean?
They are different census angles on the Italian community: ancestry is the broadest, since it includes people born here, country of birth counts only those who migrated, and language at home counts the actively speaking core. They rarely match, and seeing them together tells you whether a suburb's community is long-established, newly-arrived, or somewhere in between.
Why don't the percentages add up?
They measure different things and come from different census questions. Ancestry is a multiple-response question (a person can report up to two), so it isn't a clean share of population; birthplace counts only people born overseas; and language counts only those who still speak it at home. This is descriptive demographic data, not a recommendation to seek out or avoid anywhere.
How current is it?
The figures are from the 2021 Census, the most recent available until results from the August 2026 Census are released in 2027. The top 15 is recomputed whenever we refresh the census data.
Same list in other cities
- Where the Italian community lives in Sydney
- Where the Italian community lives in Melbourne
- Where the Italian community lives in Perth
- Where the Italian community lives in Adelaide
- Where the Italian community lives in Hobart
- Where the Italian community lives in Darwin
- Where the Italian community lives in Canberra
- Where the Italian community lives in Newcastle
- Where the Italian community lives in Central Coast
- Where the Italian community lives in Sunshine Coast
- Where the Italian community lives in Gold Coast
- Where the Italian community lives in Wollongong
- Where the Italian community lives in Geelong
- Where the Italian community lives in Townsville
- Where the Italian community lives in Toowoomba
- Where the Italian community lives in Busselton
- Where the Italian community lives in Ballarat
- Where the Italian community lives in Cairns
- Where the Italian community lives in Albany
- Where the Italian community lives in Ballina
- Where the Italian community lives in Geraldton
- Where the Italian community lives in Warragul
- Where the Italian community lives in Bundaberg
- Where the Italian community lives in Launceston
- Where the Italian community lives in Bendigo
- Where the Italian community lives in Rockhampton
- Where the Italian community lives in Mackay
- Where the Italian community lives in Albury – Wodonga
- Where the Italian community lives in Camden Haven
- Where the Italian community lives in Burnie
- Where the Italian community lives in Wagga Wagga
- Where the Italian community lives in Coffs Harbour
- Where the Italian community lives in Alice Springs
- Where the Italian community lives in Mount Isa
Related
Rankings last computed 28 September 2026. Recomputed after each ACARA schools data refresh.