Agnes Water
A population of 2,729 sits in a low-density coastal setting where the median age of 49 is 9 years above the national figure. Housing is strongly detached, with 87.8% separate houses, while the 31.8% vacancy rate points to a substantial holiday or occasional-use component. Household income is at the 18th percentile, giving Agnes Water a lower-income profile than many coastal lifestyle markets. Relative to nearby Seventeen Seventy, Agnes Water functions as the larger residential and service centre, with 3 local schools, although its vacancy rate still signals visitor-use influence. Miriam Vale provides a more inland comparison point, while Agnes Water's 2.3-person households and density of 67.8 people per square kilometre indicate an older, small-scale settlement.
Local council: Gladstone
Population
2,729
Median Age
49.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,112/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
3
Agnes Water suits buyers prioritising detached living, but borrowing capacity needs careful testing. Separate houses account for 87.8% of dwellings, with 42.1% having 3 bedrooms and 25.6% having 4 or more, so family-sized stock is more common than apartment-led formats. The indicative mortgage cost is $1,500 a month, compared with weekly rent of $320, while the mortgage-to-income measure is 31.2% and is flagged as mortgage stress. Outright ownership is 43.1%, higher than the 31.2% mortgage share, reflecting an older, more settled market. Compare recent sales in Agnes Water and Seventeen Seventy before setting a budget, because no current median house price is available.
For Buyers
Agnes Water suits buyers prioritising detached living, but borrowing capacity needs careful testing. Separate houses account for 87.8% of dwellings, with 42.1% having 3 bedrooms and 25.6% having 4 or more, so family-sized stock is more common than apartment-led formats. The indicative mortgage cost is $1,500 a month, compared with weekly rent of $320, while the mortgage-to-income measure is 31.2% and is flagged as mortgage stress. Outright ownership is 43.1%, higher than the 31.2% mortgage share, reflecting an older, more settled market. Compare recent sales in Agnes Water and Seventeen Seventy before setting a budget, because no current median house price is available.
For Investors
Agnes Water has a mixed investment case: rent sits at $320 a week, with rent-to-income at 28.8% and no rent-stress flag, but the 31.8% vacancy rate is a major risk because a large share of homes may serve holiday or intermittent demand. Renting represents 23.7% of tenure, below outright ownership at 43.1%, pointing to a substantial owner base rather than a deep traditional rental pool. Three development applications in 12 months included a dwelling split, a new house and 4 short-term accommodation cabins. Construction accounts for 15.4% of local employment and hospitality 13.8%, linking demand to building activity and visitor spending. Annual growth is 2.03% and driven by internal migration, so investors should stress-test vacancy above 31.8% before buying.
Development Activity
Total DAs
170
Last 12 Months
3
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Agnes Water
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Discovery Christian College (Agnes Water)
Goora Gan Steiner School (Agnes Water)
Agnes Water State School
Demographics
Agnes Water is older and less university-qualified than the national pattern: the median age is 49, or 9 years above national, while university attainment is 17.9%, 12.2 percentage points below national. Overseas-born residents account for 17.8%, 3.8 points below national, and average household size is 2.3, lower than national by 0.2. Couples without children make up 55.3% of families, compared with 33.1% with children, helping explain smaller households. English ancestry is recorded for 1,087 residents, followed by Irish at 271 and Scottish at 269. The 68.1% staying rate is higher than 31.9% turnover, supporting an established base alongside visitor-oriented areas near Seventeen Seventy.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
87.8%
Houses
3.9%
Townhouse
6.8%
Apartment
Tenure
The housing stock is predominantly detached and low-rise: 87.8% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with 6.8% apartments and 3.9% semi-detached homes. Three-bedroom properties form the largest bedroom group at 42.1%, followed by 4 or more bedrooms at 25.6%, so larger homes are more common than compact formats. Tenure is split between 43.1% owned outright, 31.2% mortgaged and 23.7% rented. Mortgage repayments of $1,500 monthly sit alongside rent of $320 weekly; the mortgage-to-income measure is 31.2%, higher than rent at 28.8%. Compared with nearby Seventeen Seventy, buyers should check whether a property is suited to permanent occupancy or short-term use, because the 31.8% vacancy rate can distort apparent housing availability.
Mortgage / mo
$1,500
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $320.
$670
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $670
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$579
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
31.8%
Unoccupied
461
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
31.2% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
33.1%
Couples with children
55.3%
Couples, no children
10.4%
Single parent
680
Total families
Economy & Employment
Agnes Water's economy is anchored by construction at 100 workers and 15.4%, hospitality at 90 and 13.8%, education at 77 and 11.8%, healthcare at 56 and 8.6%, and mining at 55 and 8.5%. Trades are the largest occupation at 201 people, ahead of professionals at 148 and labourers at 136, reinforcing a hands-on employment base. Participation is 47.6%, unemployment is 8.1% and full-time work is 50.6%, while 408 people work part-time. Household income is $1,112 a week at the 18th percentile, below average. SEIFA is low across the four measures: IEO decile 1, IER decile 3, IRSD decile 2 and IRSAD decile 1. That pattern points to constrained education, occupation and household-resource outcomes, even with a useful local service mix.
Unemployment
8.1%
Labour Force
1,093
Unemployed
88
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
50.6%
Part-time
40.6%
Participation
47.6%
Employed
1,005
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
17.9%
Postgraduate
3.5%
Born Overseas
17.8%
Dwellings
991
Transport to Work
Agnes Water works best for residents comfortable with a car-oriented lifestyle. Car driving is the main travel mode at 65.8%, compared with 1.0% using public transport and 11.1% walking or cycling; 16.2% work from home. Three schools serve the suburb, with 1 government state school and 2 independent non-state schools, giving families a broader sector mix, although exact enrolment zones should be checked by address. Density is 67.8 people per square kilometre across 40.26 square kilometres, so services are more spread out than in denser town centres. Volunteering is 21.8%, and 6.4% of residents need assistance. IRSAD is in decile 1, lower than the IER decile 3, so affordability and service access deserve attention alongside the coastal lifestyle.
Drive
65.8%
Public Transport
1.0%
Walk / Cycle
11.1%
Work from Home
16.2%
Growth Outlook
Agnes Water is on an established but changing trajectory. Growth is forecast at 2.03% a year and is driven primarily by internal migration, while population change across the wider area is 23.0% over 10 years. The shift profile is explicitly Aging: the senior share has risen 8.6 percentage points, the young share has fallen 4.7 points and the working share has declined 3.5 points. Gentrification is at an Active stage with a score of 55, higher than the Early signs score of 22 in the shift measure. This combination suggests demand may continue, but older households and limited youth growth could shape the market differently from faster-growing regional centres. Affordability is marked Improving, with readings of 61.5 in 2011 and 54.2 in 2021.
Population trend: Gladstone council area
Agnes Water sits in the Gladstone council area. These are the council area's residents, not Agnes Water's.
Residents 2025
69,046
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.6%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.6%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Agnes Water compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Agnes Water a good suburb to live in?
Agnes Water suits residents seeking detached housing, coastal surroundings and a quieter pace. The suburb has 2,729 residents, a median age of 49 and 87.8% separate houses. Car access is important because 65.8% drive to work, compared with just 1.0% using public transport.
What is the median house price in Agnes Water?
A reliable current median house price is not available. Buyers should compare recent settled sales by street and dwelling type, then test repayments against the indicative $1,500 monthly mortgage cost and the local rent of $320 per week.
What schools are in Agnes Water?
Agnes Water has 3 schools across 2 sectors: Agnes Water State School is government, while Discovery Christian College and Goora Gan Steiner School are independent. Families should confirm enrolment zones and transport arrangements for the exact address before purchasing.
Is Agnes Water safe?
Check current Queensland Police crime statistics and inspect the exact street before deciding, because a suburb-level crime rate is not available here. Agnes Water has 2,729 residents across 40.26 square kilometres, so local conditions can vary between residential and visitor-focused areas.
Is Agnes Water good for property investment?
It is a mixed investment proposition. Weekly rent is $320 and renting accounts for 23.7% of tenure, but vacancy is high at 31.8%, creating income risk. Growth is forecast at 2.03% annually and is driven by internal migration, while 3 development applications were recorded over 12 months.
How is Agnes Water's population changing?
Growth is forecast at 2.03% annually, driven mainly by internal migration. Population change across the wider area is 23.0% over 10 years, but the trajectory is Aging: the senior share increased 8.6 percentage points while the young share fell 4.7 points.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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