Atherton
An ageing, detached-home centre of 7,724 people, Atherton has a median age of 46, or 6.0 years above the national benchmark. Separate houses account for 82.2% of dwellings, while vacancy is 9.4%, creating more choice than a tightly held market. The average household size is 2.2, consistent with an established population and a density of 82.0 people per square kilometre. Compared with nearby Mareeba and Yungaburra, these figures point to Atherton's role as a lower-density Tablelands service centre, supported by health, education and public administration employment.
Population
7,724
Median Age
46.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,099/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
33
For buyers, Atherton's housing mix favours detached living: 82.2% separate houses, 48.0% three-bedroom homes and 26.3% with four or more bedrooms. Apartments account for 6.9%, so buyers wanting compact stock may face less choice than in a denser urban market. Tenure is split between 37.8% outright owners, 22.7% mortgage holders and 37.8% renters. A $1,300 monthly mortgage benchmark sits alongside mortgage-to-income of 27.3% and rent-to-income of 25.5%, with neither stress measure flagged. Household income is below the national median, at the 17.5th percentile, so budgeting remains important despite manageable ratios.
For Buyers
For buyers, Atherton's housing mix favours detached living: 82.2% separate houses, 48.0% three-bedroom homes and 26.3% with four or more bedrooms. Apartments account for 6.9%, so buyers wanting compact stock may face less choice than in a denser urban market. Tenure is split between 37.8% outright owners, 22.7% mortgage holders and 37.8% renters. A $1,300 monthly mortgage benchmark sits alongside mortgage-to-income of 27.3% and rent-to-income of 25.5%, with neither stress measure flagged. Household income is below the national median, at the 17.5th percentile, so budgeting remains important despite manageable ratios.
For Investors
Atherton has a sizeable rental base, with 37.8% of households renting, higher than the 22.7% share paying a mortgage. Weekly rent is $280, but the 9.4% vacancy rate suggests investors should assess tenant demand carefully rather than assume immediate scarcity. Rent growth of 27.3% supports an income case, while 32 development matters lodged over 12 months indicate continuing local activity, although applications do not necessarily represent new dwellings. Migration is labelled Balanced and the trajectory is Aging, so demand is likely to depend more on health, education, service employment and established households than on rapid population turnover.
Development Activity
Total DAs
33
Last 12 Months
33
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 Atherton
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Jubilee Christian College (Atherton)
St Joseph's School (Atherton)
Atherton State High School
Atherton State School
Demographics
Atherton's median age is 46, which is 6.0 years above the national benchmark. University attainment is 19.8%, or 10.3 percentage points below national levels, while the overseas-born share is 15.1%, 6.5 points below the national comparison. English ancestry is the largest reported group at 2,884 people, followed by Irish at 961 and Scottish at 804. Christianity accounts for 3,727 residents versus 2,914 reporting no religion. With an average household size of 2.2, or 0.3 below the national figure, the community's older age structure helps explain the prevalence of smaller households and steady local service demand.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
82.2%
Houses
9.7%
Townhouse
6.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Atherton's housing stock is strongly detached, with 82.2% separate houses compared with 6.9% apartments and 9.7% semi-detached dwellings. Three-bedroom homes make up 48.0% of stock, while 26.3% have four or more bedrooms, giving family households more space than a compact urban market typically provides. Ownership is evenly split between 37.8% outright owners and 37.8% renters, with 22.7% holding a mortgage. The average household size of 2.2 is 0.3 below the national comparison. Mortgage-to-income is 27.3% and rent-to-income is 25.5%, but household income ranks at only the 17.5th percentile, so affordability is below the national median despite moderate carrying ratios.
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $280.
$480
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $480
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$641
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.4%
Unoccupied
321
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.3%
Couples with children
46.2%
Couples, no children
21.6%
Single parent
1,945
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Atherton's largest industry at 21.2% of workers, or 405 people, followed by education at 11.9% or 228, public administration at 9.0% or 172, agriculture at 8.6% or 165, and construction at 8.5% or 163. This mix creates a service-and-land economy because hospitals, schools, government and regional production sit alongside trades. Employment is 55.6% full-time, unemployment is 5.0% and participation is 50.5%. The socioeconomic measures are below the national midpoint: IEO is decile 2, IER decile 3, IRSD decile 3 and IRSAD decile 3. That lower advantage contrasts with 486 professionals, 456 community and personal workers, 455 labourers, 414 trades workers and 349 managers, showing a broad occupational base rather than one narrow employment tier.
Unemployment
5.0%
Labour Force
3,245
Unemployed
161
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
55.6%
Part-time
36.7%
Participation
50.5%
Employed
3,084
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
19.8%
Postgraduate
3.3%
Born Overseas
15.1%
Dwellings
3,076
Transport to Work
Atherton is practical for car-based households: 75.5% drive to work, versus 1.0% using public transport; 6.6% walk or cycle and 8.7% work from home. Four schools provide a mix of 2 government schools, 1 Catholic school and 1 independent school, including both primary and high-school options. The setting is low density at 82.0 people per square kilometre across 94.19 square kilometres, which supports space but makes transport planning more important. IRSAD is in decile 3, below the national midpoint, so households should weigh services and costs alongside amenity. Safety decisions should rely on current Queensland Police information and an address-level visit, since conditions can vary between streets.
Drive
75.5%
Public Transport
1.0%
Walk / Cycle
6.6%
Work from Home
8.7%
Population Forecast
+1.19%/yr
(+149 people/yr)
EstablishedAtherton's established forecast points to 1.19% annual growth, with migration labelled Balanced rather than driven by a single source. Population change across the wider area is 14.3% over 10 years, while the shift trajectory is Aging: the senior share rose 5.9 percentage points and the young share fell 3.3 points. Gentrification remains at Early signs with a score of 36, while the separate shift score is 31. Affordability is labelled Improving, moving from 45.8 in 2011 to 41.9 in 2021, lower than the earlier measure. This combination suggests steady demand because population momentum is positive, but ageing will shape housing and services more than rapid youth inflow.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+82
Net Internal / yr
+116
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +19% since 2011, Net internal migration +116/yr, Accelerating: 4% → 14%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Atherton compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Atherton a good suburb to live in?
Atherton suits households seeking space, established services and detached housing. The median age is 46, 82.2% of dwellings are separate houses and 4 schools provide government, Catholic and independent options. Car dependence is high at 75.5%, while public transport accounts for only 1.0%.
What is the median house price in Atherton?
A current median house price cannot be quoted. Buyers can still compare the $280 weekly rent, the $1,300 monthly mortgage benchmark, dwelling type and recent local sales before setting a budget. The housing mix is mainly detached, with 82.2% separate houses and 48.0% three-bedroom homes.
What schools are in Atherton?
Atherton has 4 listed schools: Atherton State School, Atherton State High School, St Joseph's School and Jubilee Christian College. The mix includes 2 government schools, 1 Catholic school and 1 independent school, providing both primary and secondary pathways without implying a ranking or performance result.
Is Atherton safe?
A numeric suburb-wide crime rating cannot be provided. Check current Queensland Police information and inspect the exact address at different times before deciding. Atherton is car-oriented, with 75.5% driving to work, so traffic, lighting and pedestrian conditions around main routes are also practical safety considerations.
Is Atherton good for property investment?
Atherton may suit an investor seeking a regional rental market, but the 9.4% vacancy rate warrants careful property selection. Rent is $280 per week, 37.8% of households rent and 32 development matters were lodged over 12 months. Balanced migration and an Aging trajectory favour stable, service-led demand over a rapid-growth strategy.
How is Atherton's population changing?
Growth across the wider area is forecast at 1.19% annually, with migration labelled Balanced. The 10-year population change is 14.3%, but the trajectory is Aging: the senior share increased by 5.9 percentage points while the young share fell by 3.3 points. That points to steady growth with rising demand for age-related services.
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). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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