Ashfield
Household income in the 88th percentile nationally stands alongside a SEIFA disadvantage score that falls in decile 2 nationally, a combination that reflects a suburb where solid wages coexist with limited relative advantage by national standards. Ashfield, QLD covers 4.88 square kilometres near Bundaberg with a population of 1,152 and a median age of 32, which is 8 years younger than the national figure. The housing stock is entirely separate houses at 100%, and 75.2% of those dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms, an unusually family-oriented profile compared to most Queensland suburbs.
Population
1,152
Median Age
32.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,315/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
2
Median House
$491K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price is estimated at $491,000, placing Ashfield well below the national median for detached houses. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,740, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 17.4%, below the 30% stress threshold, meaning buyers here carry relatively light debt loads compared to metro markets. The stock is 100% separate houses, with 75.2% having 4 or more bedrooms and 22.4% having 3 bedrooms, so buyers seeking large family homes will find consistent options. Owner-occupiers dominate at 84.2% combined (33.1% own outright, 51.1% with a mortgage), well above the typical renting share in comparable regional suburbs.
For Buyers
The median house price is estimated at $491,000, placing Ashfield well below the national median for detached houses. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,740, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 17.4%, below the 30% stress threshold, meaning buyers here carry relatively light debt loads compared to metro markets. The stock is 100% separate houses, with 75.2% having 4 or more bedrooms and 22.4% having 3 bedrooms, so buyers seeking large family homes will find consistent options. Owner-occupiers dominate at 84.2% combined (33.1% own outright, 51.1% with a mortgage), well above the typical renting share in comparable regional suburbs.
For Investors
Renters make up 15.8% of households, a thin base for investors, and weekly rent sits at $393. The vacancy rate of 4.1% is above the typical healthy threshold of around 3%, which suggests the rental market is not particularly tight. Only 2 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, indicating a low-supply environment where subdivision activity is beginning. Rent-to-income at 17.0% is comfortable for tenants, which supports tenant stability. Against the $491,000 estimated median, the $393 weekly rent implies a gross yield near 4.2%, which is higher than most metro markets, though the thin renter population limits scale.
Development Activity
Total DAs
2
Last 12 Months
2
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 32 is 8 years below the national figure, reflecting a genuinely young resident base oriented around families. Average household size of 3.1 is 0.6 above the national average, consistent with the suburb's 4-plus bedroom housing profile and the 560 couple-with-children families recorded in the census. University qualifications reach 35.2%, which is 5.1 percentage points above the national figure, a moderate education premium for a regional area. Overseas-born residents account for 25.6%, which is 4 percentage points above national. The dominant ancestry is English, followed by Scottish and German, while Mandarin (21 speakers) and Malayalam (18) are the leading non-English languages.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
100.0%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Every dwelling in Ashfield is a separate house, a uniformity that is unusual even by Queensland standards. The bedroom profile is skewed large: 75.2% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms and 22.4% have 3, meaning small 2-bedroom homes represent only 2.5% of stock. Owner-occupancy is strong, with 33.1% owning outright and 51.1% carrying a mortgage, leaving renters at just 15.8%. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 17.4% compares favourably to national averages, and the rent-to-income ratio of 17.0% is also below stress levels. The estimated median house price of $491,000 reflects regional pricing relative to Brisbane, making it accessible compared to southeast Queensland metro suburbs.
Mortgage / mo
$1,740
Rent / wk
$393
HH Size
3.1
Personal Income / wk
$882
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.1%
Unoccupied
14
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
23.5%
Couples, no children
937
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant employer at 25.9% of workers (97 people), reflecting proximity to Bundaberg's hospital and health services. Education follows at 12.3% (46 workers) and Agriculture at 10.4% (39 workers), consistent with the broader Bundaberg region's farming economy. By occupation, Professionals lead at 142 workers, with Labourers (104) close behind, a split that mirrors the healthcare-agriculture combination. The unemployment rate of 4.5% is modest, and the full-time employment rate of 65.8% is solid. SEIFA scores place the suburb in decile 2 on IRSD and IRSAD nationally, indicating below-average advantage relative to the rest of Australia, even though household income sits in the 88th percentile.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.8%
Part-time
29.7%
Participation
63.6%
Employed
530
Occupations
Top Industries
University
35.2%
Postgraduate
6.2%
Born Overseas
25.6%
Dwellings
325
Transport to Work
Car dependency is dominant, with 80.7% of residents driving to work, compared to only 3.1% using public transport, typical for a regional suburb where bus frequency is limited. Walking and cycling account for 2.1% of commutes. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families depend on nearby Bundaberg schools. Only 3.9% of residents (43 people) need daily assistance, a relatively low rate. Volunteering participation reaches 15.0% of residents. The IRSAD decile of 2 nationally places the suburb in the lower advantage tier, though the IER decile of 3 on economic resources is slightly higher, reflecting owner-occupied housing wealth in a suburb where 100% of dwellings are detached houses.
Drive
80.7%
Public Transport
3.1%
Walk / Cycle
2.1%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Ashfield compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ashfield a good suburb to live in?
Ashfield suits families well: 100% of dwellings are separate houses with 75.2% having 4 or more bedrooms, and the median age of 32 is 8 years below the national figure. Household income sits in the 88th percentile nationally, though the suburb scores in decile 2 on SEIFA IRSAD, indicating below-average relative advantage compared to national standards.
What is the median house price in Ashfield?
The median house price is estimated at $491,000, well below the national median for detached houses. Weekly rent averages $393 and monthly mortgage repayments are approximately $1,740. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 17.4% is comfortably below the 30% financial stress threshold.
What schools are in Ashfield?
No schools are recorded within the Ashfield, QLD suburb boundary in this dataset. Residents rely on schools in nearby Bundaberg, which serves as the main regional centre. Despite the school gap, 35.2% of Ashfield residents hold university qualifications, which is 5.1 percentage points above the national average.
Is Ashfield safe?
Detailed crime statistics for Ashfield QLD are not available in this dataset. As a proxy, only 3.9% of residents (43 people) need daily assistance, and the residential stability rate is high at 72.7% of residents remaining in the same address, which generally correlates with lower social disruption. The suburb is a lower-density detached housing area.
Is Ashfield good for property investment?
The 15.8% renter share is relatively low, limiting the rental pool, and vacancy sits at 4.1%, above the 3% threshold considered healthy. However, estimated gross yield of around 4.2% (based on $393 weekly rent against a $491,000 median) is stronger than most capital city markets. Only 2 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, suggesting limited new supply pressure.
How is Ashfield's population changing?
Ashfield has a population of 1,152 with a young median age of 32, which is 8 years below the national figure. The household retention rate is 72.7%, suggesting stability rather than rapid churn. Average household size of 3.1 is 0.6 above the national average, pointing to continued family formation in the suburb.
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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