Aitkenvale
A $359,000 median house price paired with a 10.9% vacancy rate defines Aitkenvale, a Townsville suburb where affordability and surplus rental stock sit side by side. Household income lands in the 39.1st percentile nationally, and the suburb scores decile 2 on both IRSAD and IRSD, placing it well below the national midpoint for advantage. The median age of 36 runs 4.0 years below national, a younger profile than most established suburbs, while 74.6% of dwellings are separate houses. Renters make up 46.2% of households, an unusually high share for a detached-house market, and the population has slipped 2.3% over the past decade.
Population
4,797
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,378/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
5
Median House
$359K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At a $359,000 median, Aitkenvale is one of the more affordable entry points in the Townsville region, and the stock supports owner-occupiers: 74.6% are separate houses against just 1.6% apartments. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 50.1% with 4-plus bedroom dwellings at 24.6%, so families have genuine choice rather than the apartment scarcity seen in pricier markets. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,387, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.2%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold despite household income sitting in the 39.1st percentile nationally. Affordability has improved over the decade, easing from 47.5% in 2011 to 36.5% in 2021. The catch for buyers is resale liquidity: with renters at 46.2% and outright owners at only 26.8%, much of the stock turns over as investment rather than family homes.
For Buyers
At a $359,000 median, Aitkenvale is one of the more affordable entry points in the Townsville region, and the stock supports owner-occupiers: 74.6% are separate houses against just 1.6% apartments. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 50.1% with 4-plus bedroom dwellings at 24.6%, so families have genuine choice rather than the apartment scarcity seen in pricier markets. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,387, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.2%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold despite household income sitting in the 39.1st percentile nationally. Affordability has improved over the decade, easing from 47.5% in 2011 to 36.5% in 2021. The catch for buyers is resale liquidity: with renters at 46.2% and outright owners at only 26.8%, much of the stock turns over as investment rather than family homes.
For Investors
A 46.2% renter share gives landlords a deep tenant pool, but the 10.9% vacancy rate is the warning sign, signalling more rental supply than demand can absorb. Weekly rent of $270 against the $359,000 median implies a gross yield near 3.9%, healthier than premium capital-city suburbs yet earned in a soft leasing market. Rent growth was negative at -3.6% over the period, which compounds the vacancy problem. Demand drivers are mixed: net overseas migration adds 92 residents a year while internal migration removes 114, leaving the population in slow decline. Development is minimal at 2 applications in 12 months, mostly a lot reconfiguration and associated civil works, so new supply pressure is low. The investment case rests on yield and affordability rather than capital growth, given the -0.23% annual population trend.
Development Activity
Total DAs
5
Last 12 Months
5
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 Aitkenvale iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Riverside Adventist School
Prep-6 · 61 students
Aitkenvale State School
Prep-6 · 366 students
Demographics
The median age of 36 is 4.0 years below the national figure, and the trajectory is growing across all ages rather than aging, with the young share up 1.5 points over the decade. Overseas-born residents reach 21.2%, just 0.4 points below national, so the suburb is slightly less migrant-heavy than the country as a whole. Ancestry leans Anglo-Celtic, led by English (1,577), Irish (534) and Scottish (458), and university qualifications at 29.1% run 1.0 point below national. Average household size is 2.4, close to national at 0.1 below, and couples with children (1,274 families) outnumber couples without children (897), consistent with the younger profile. Christianity is the dominant religion at 2,314 residents, with Islam (125) and Hinduism (70) the next largest, a small but present non-Christian mix.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
74.6%
Houses
23.2%
Townhouse
1.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts toward renters: 46.2% rent, 27.0% carry a mortgage and 26.8% own outright. Outright owners trailing both other groups points to a market churning through investors and tenants rather than long-held family homes. The stock is 74.6% separate houses and 23.2% semi-detached, with apartments at just 1.6%, a detached-dominant profile typical of regional Queensland. Three-bedroom dwellings account for 50.1% and 4-plus bedroom homes 24.6%, while one and two-bedroom stock is scarce. The $359,000 median sits low against incomes, with mortgage-to-income at 23.2% and rent-to-income at 19.6%, both comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. That affordability, combined with a 10.9% vacancy rate, reflects a market with ample supply and limited price pressure rather than competitive bidding.
Mortgage / mo
$1,387
Rent / wk
$270
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$740
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.9%
Unoccupied
226
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
25.9%
Couples, no children
3,466
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local workforce is concentrated in service and public sectors: Healthcare leads at 23.1% (318 workers), Education follows at 13.8% (189) and Public Administration at 10.9% (150), with Construction at 9.0% and Hospitality at 7.1%. By occupation, Professionals (407) and Community and Personal Service workers (357) are the two largest groups, reflecting the suburb's healthcare and education base. Unemployment is elevated at 7.3%, above the national rate, and participation reads 55.4% with full-time employment at 63.9%. The SEIFA scores explain the pressure: IRSAD and IRSD both sit at decile 2, IEO at decile 4 and IER at decile 1, the lowest economic-resources tier, which fits the high renter base and 39.1st-percentile household income. Real income grew only 2.1% over the decade, modest against the cost-of-living backdrop.
Unemployment
8.6%
Labour Force
2,334
Unemployed
200
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.9%
Part-time
28.8%
Participation
55.4%
Employed
1,985
Occupations
Top Industries
University
29.1%
Postgraduate
6.7%
Born Overseas
21.2%
Dwellings
1,837
Transport to Work
Aitkenvale is car-dependent, with 83.3% driving to work and only 2.2% using public transport, well above the national reliance on cars, while 5.4% walk or cycle. The suburb scores decile 2 on IRSAD, below the national midpoint for advantage, and decile 2 on IRSD for relative disadvantage, indicating a meaningful share of residents face economic pressure. Volunteering runs at 15.5% and 7.2% of residents (317 people) need daily assistance. No schools are recorded inside the 3.31 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring Townsville suburbs. The offset is affordability: rent-to-income at 19.6% keeps tenants comfortable, and at 1,451 residents per km2 the suburb is moderately dense for a detached-house area.
Drive
83.3%
Public Transport
2.2%
Walk / Cycle
5.4%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
-0.23%/yr
(-11 people/yr)
EstablishedAitkenvale is in slow decline: annual population change registers -0.23% and the 10-year change is -2.3%, classifying it as an established, contracting suburb. Medium forecasts ease the population from 4,817 in 2026 to 4,763 by 2031, so no expansion is expected. The primary growth driver is overseas migration at 92 residents a year, but it cannot offset net internal outflow of 114 a year, the dominant demographic force. The gentrification stage reads not gentrifying, with a score of 3, consistent with a suburb whose affordability is improving rather than being bid up. Affordability eased from 47.5% in 2011 to 36.5% in 2021, a clear improvement, which signals values are not climbing the way a gentrifying market would, reinforcing the slow-growth outlook.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+92
Net Internal / yr
-114
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -114/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Aitkenvale compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Aitkenvale a good suburb to live in?
Aitkenvale offers affordability, with a $359,000 median house price and rent-to-income of 19.6%, well below the 30% stress threshold. The trade-offs are a decile 2 IRSAD score, below the national midpoint, and a 10.9% vacancy rate. The younger median age of 36, 4.0 years below national, suits family buyers.
What is the median house price in Aitkenvale?
The median house price is $359,000, one of the more affordable in the Townsville region. Weekly rent averages $270 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,387, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.2%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Aitkenvale?
No schools are recorded inside the 3.31 km2 Aitkenvale boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Townsville suburbs. The local population is moderately educated, with university qualifications at 29.1%, which is 1.0 point below the national figure.
Is Aitkenvale safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Aitkenvale in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 2 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, and 7.2% of its residents (317 people) need daily assistance, both consistent with an area facing some economic pressure.
Is Aitkenvale good for property investment?
Rent of $270 a week against a $359,000 median gives a gross yield near 3.9%, higher than premium capital-city suburbs, but the 10.9% vacancy rate and -3.6% rent growth signal a soft market. With 46.2% of households renting, the tenant pool is deep, yet -0.23% population growth limits capital upside.
How is Aitkenvale's population changing?
Population is in slow decline, with annual change of -0.23% and a 2.3% fall over 10 years. Medium forecasts ease the count from 4,817 in 2026 to 4,763 by 2031. Net overseas migration of 92 a year cannot offset internal outflow of 114 a year, the dominant force.
What jobs and industries are common in Aitkenvale?
Healthcare is the largest employer at 23.1% of workers (318 people), followed by Education at 13.8% (189) and Public Administration at 10.9% (150). Professionals (407) and Community and Personal Service workers (357) are the two biggest occupation groups, reflecting the suburb's service-sector base.
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 Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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