Alice River
At the 91.9th percentile for household income nationally, Alice River punches well above its modest $537,000 median house price, making it one of the more affordable high-income pockets in Queensland. The suburb is entirely composed of separate houses, with 71.2% of dwellings having four or more bedrooms, reflecting a population of families rather than singles or retirees. With an average household size of 3.1, which is 0.6 above the national average, and couples with children making up the dominant family type, Alice River reads as a family-formation suburb where residents stay put, with 76.8% having lived at the same address for five or more years.
Population
2,685
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,468/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
3
Median House
$537K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price of $537,000 is the entry point into a suburb where every dwelling is a separate house and 71.2% have four or more bedrooms, giving buyers more floor space per dollar than inner-city markets. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 18.7%, well below the 30% stress threshold, so households earning at the 91.9th percentile nationally are carrying debt comfortably. About 65.3% of residents are paying off a mortgage, compared to only 7.2% renting, which signals strong owner-occupier demand rather than investor churn. Outright ownership at 27.5% is moderate, consistent with a suburb still mid-cycle on the wealth accumulation curve.
For Buyers
The median house price of $537,000 is the entry point into a suburb where every dwelling is a separate house and 71.2% have four or more bedrooms, giving buyers more floor space per dollar than inner-city markets. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 18.7%, well below the 30% stress threshold, so households earning at the 91.9th percentile nationally are carrying debt comfortably. About 65.3% of residents are paying off a mortgage, compared to only 7.2% renting, which signals strong owner-occupier demand rather than investor churn. Outright ownership at 27.5% is moderate, consistent with a suburb still mid-cycle on the wealth accumulation curve.
For Investors
With only 7.2% of dwellings rented and a weekly rent of $415, the investor market in Alice River is thin by design: this is an owner-occupier suburb. The vacancy rate of 3.8% is elevated relative to a balanced market threshold of around 3%, suggesting limited absorption pressure on the rental stock that does exist. Development activity in the past 12 months recorded just 3 applications, all shed and drainage works rather than new dwellings, so supply pressure is negligible. Against a $537,000 median, $415 weekly rent implies a gross yield near 4.0%, higher than Sydney or Melbourne equivalents, but the shallow tenant pool limits scale. Investors buying here are typically targeting capital growth and owner-occupier demand rather than yield.
Development Activity
Total DAs
3
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
Demographics
The median age of 38 is 2 years below the national figure, and the household composition confirms this is family-stage territory: couples with children account for 1,154 families while couples without children number 618. Average household size is 3.1, which is 0.6 above the national average. The overseas-born share is 9.2%, which is 12.4 percentage points below the national rate, and ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic: English (1,170), Scottish (311), Irish (285), Italian (183) and German (158). University qualifications at 23.2% sit 6.9 points below the national rate, consistent with a workforce concentrated in trades and service industries rather than professional sectors. Volunteering runs at 14.0%, and only 4.7% of residents need daily assistance.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
100.0%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Every dwelling in Alice River is a separate house, a figure of 100% that places it far above the national average for detached housing. The size skew is striking: 71.2% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms, and three-bedroom homes make up another 25.2%, leaving only 3.6% at two bedrooms or fewer. This profile suits large households, which explains the average size of 3.1 people. Tenure is dominated by mortgage holders at 65.3%, while renters account for just 7.2%, well below state and national norms. The rent-to-income ratio is 16.8% and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 18.7%, both below the 30% stress threshold, indicating that residents are not financially stretched by their housing costs relative to income at the 91.9th percentile nationally.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wk
$415
HH Size
3.1
Personal Income / wk
$996
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.8%
Unoccupied
34
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.7%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
25.7%
Couples, no children
2,407
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads the local industry mix at 16.8% of workers (161 people), followed closely by Construction at 15.9% (153) and Education at 14.9% (143), with Public Administration at 12.5% (120) and Mining at 5.5% (53). The top occupations are Professionals (253), Clerical and Admin (211), Community and Personal Services (176) and Managers (170). The full-time employment rate of 68.6% is solid, and the unemployment rate of 3.9% is low relative to regional Queensland norms. Labour force participation sits at 68.9%, with 490 residents not in the labour force, consistent with a younger-to-middle-age population still in peak earning years. The income profile, household weekly income of $2,468 at the 91.9th percentile nationally, reflects returns from healthcare, education and government roles rather than mining alone.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
68.6%
Part-time
27.5%
Participation
68.9%
Employed
1,379
Occupations
Top Industries
University
23.2%
Postgraduate
4.7%
Born Overseas
9.2%
Dwellings
847
Transport to Work
Transport in Alice River is almost entirely car-dependent: 92.0% of residents drive to work and only 0.7% use public transport, which is far below the national public transport share, reflecting the low-density, suburban layout across 39.76 km2. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on Townsville's broader school network nearby. Crime data is not available for this suburb. Housing stress indicators are reassuring: rent-to-income at 16.8% and mortgage-to-income at 18.7% are both below the 30% stress threshold, meaning residents at the 91.9th income percentile nationally are not over-extended. The combination of affordable housing, large lots and low financial stress points to a livable, if car-reliant, family environment.
Drive
92.0%
Public Transport
0.7%
Walk / Cycle
0.8%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Alice River compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Alice River a good suburb to live in?
Alice River suits families looking for space and financial headroom. The household income sits at the 91.9th percentile nationally, yet the median house price is $537,000 with mortgage-to-income at just 18.7%, well below the 30% stress threshold. All dwellings are separate houses, and 71.2% have four or more bedrooms. The main trade-off is near-total car dependence, with only 0.7% using public transport.
What is the median house price in Alice River?
The median house price is approximately $537,000 (estimated from 2025 rental data). Weekly rents average $415 and monthly mortgage repayments run around $2,000. At a mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.7%, Alice River is meaningfully more affordable than comparable family suburbs in Brisbane.
What schools are in Alice River?
No schools are recorded inside the Alice River suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in the broader Townsville area. The local population has a university qualification rate of 23.2%, which is 6.9 percentage points below the national average, reflecting a workforce oriented toward trades and services.
Is Alice River safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Alice River in this dataset. As indirect indicators, housing stress is low with rent-to-income at 16.8% and mortgage-to-income at 18.7%, and only 4.7% of residents (122 people) need daily assistance. Residential stability is high, with 76.8% of residents staying at the same address over 5 years.
Is Alice River good for property investment?
The investment case is narrow but real. Weekly rent of $415 against a $537,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.0%, above many capital city comparisons. However, only 7.2% of dwellings are rented and the vacancy rate is 3.8%, meaning the tenant pool is shallow. With just 3 development applications in the past 12 months, supply pressure is minimal.
How is Alice River's population changing?
Alice River has 2,685 residents across 39.76 km2, giving a low density of 67.5 people per km2. Residential stability is high: 76.8% of residents stayed at the same address over 5 years, with a turnover rate of 23.2%. The average household size of 3.1 is 0.6 above the national average, consistent with family-stage population growth tracking Townsville's broader expansion.
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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