Aurukun
With a population of just 1,101 across 7,424 square kilometres of Cape York Peninsula, Aurukun is one of Australia's most remote and culturally distinct communities. Every household rents, a 100% renter rate that stands in stark contrast to the national norm. Household income sits in the 16.2nd percentile, making it among the lowest in Queensland, and all four SEIFA indexes place it at decile 1, the highest-disadvantage tier nationally. The median age is 29, which is 11 years below the national figure, and 78.9% of residents travel to work on foot or by bicycle, reflecting a tightly contained township in a vast land area.
Population
1,101
Median Age
29.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,069/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$155K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At an estimated median house price of $155,000, Aurukun sits far below the national median, yet the market is essentially non-existent for private buyers. The 100% renter rate means there is no owner-occupier market to speak of, and 0 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, confirming no new private housing supply. Separate houses make up 94.3% of the dwelling stock, with semi-detached at 3.5% and apartments at 2.2%. Three-bedroom homes are the dominant type at 53.5% of dwellings, followed by 4-plus bedrooms at 25.2%. Rent-to-income at 11.7% is well below the 30% stress threshold, lower than most Australian suburbs, though the low income base of $331 weekly median personal income shapes that ratio.
For Buyers
At an estimated median house price of $155,000, Aurukun sits far below the national median, yet the market is essentially non-existent for private buyers. The 100% renter rate means there is no owner-occupier market to speak of, and 0 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, confirming no new private housing supply. Separate houses make up 94.3% of the dwelling stock, with semi-detached at 3.5% and apartments at 2.2%. Three-bedroom homes are the dominant type at 53.5% of dwellings, followed by 4-plus bedrooms at 25.2%. Rent-to-income at 11.7% is well below the 30% stress threshold, lower than most Australian suburbs, though the low income base of $331 weekly median personal income shapes that ratio.
For Investors
The 100% renter share and a weekly rent of $125 are the defining investor metrics here, but the vacancy rate of 27.1% signals chronic oversupply of rentable stock relative to active tenants. Against an estimated $155,000 median price, the $125 weekly rent implies a gross yield near 4.2%, above many metro markets, yet the vacancy rate and community housing context make private investment highly speculative. Population has declined 14.8% over the past decade with an annual trend of -0.69%, or roughly 8 fewer residents per year, and net internal migration averages -7 per year. Overseas migration is minimal at 1 person per year. With 0 development approvals in 12 months, there is no pipeline of competing supply, but the market is driven by government housing rather than private investment.
Schools in Aurukun iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Aurukun State School
Prep-12 · 227 students
Demographics
The median age of 29 is 11 years below the national figure, reflecting a young community where the working-age share has grown 8 points over the past decade. Overseas-born residents account for only 1.6%, which is 20 percentage points below the national rate, underscoring that this is predominantly a locally rooted population. University qualifications reach just 10.7%, some 19.4 points below the national average. Average household size is 3.9 people, 1.4 above national, pointing to larger multi-generational family units. Indigenous Australian languages are spoken by 424 residents, the dominant non-English language group. Christianity is the primary religion with 680 adherents. The mobility rate is notable, with 30.1% of residents having moved in the prior year compared to those who stayed.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
94.3%
Houses
3.5%
Townhouse
2.2%
Apartment
Tenure
The housing profile is almost entirely separate houses at 94.3%, with no owner-occupier segment to speak of since 100% of dwellings are rented. The estimated median house price of $155,000 is based on rent-derived methodology as of 2025, far below the Queensland state median. Weekly rent of $125 is extremely low by Queensland standards, consistent with government-managed housing models common in remote Indigenous communities. Three-bedroom homes account for 53.5% of stock and 4-plus bedroom homes for 25.2%, suggesting the housing is sized for larger families in line with the 3.9 average household size. The 27.1% vacancy rate is high compared to the national average, indicating a significant share of the housing stock sits unoccupied at any given time.
Mortgage / mo
$0
Rent / wk
$125
HH Size
3.9
Personal Income / wk
$331
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
27.1%
Unoccupied
85
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
11.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
13.7%
Couples, no children
889
Total families
Economy & Employment
Public administration dominates the local economy at 50.7% of workers (34 people), followed by Education at 22.4% (15 workers) and Transport at 9.0% (6 workers). By occupation, Community and Personal service workers lead at 35 people, with Professionals at 28 and Managers at 26. The unemployment rate is 18.5%, well above the national average, and the participation rate is just 20.1%, meaning most working-age residents are not in the labour force at all, 578 people report not being in the labour force. SEIFA places the suburb at decile 1 on all four indexes, including IRSD and IRSAD, the lowest advantage tier nationally. Real income grew just 3.9% over the decade and affordability worsened from 30.9% to 37.8% of income going to housing costs over the same period.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
49.6%
Part-time
31.9%
Participation
20.1%
Employed
137
Occupations
Top Industries
University
10.7%
Postgraduate
N/A
Born Overseas
1.6%
Dwellings
228
Transport to Work
Walking and cycling account for 78.9% of journeys to work, far above the national norm, reflecting the compact settlement footprint within a 7,424 square kilometre land area. Car travel as a driver is unusually low at 13.3%, consistent with limited road connectivity to external centres. No schools are recorded in the dataset for Aurukun, though the presence of 22.4% of workers in education implies some educational infrastructure in the community. Crime data is not available at this locality level. SEIFA IRSAD scores Aurukun at decile 1, the lowest nationally on relative socio-economic advantage, and 5.3% of residents (53 people) need daily assistance. Volunteering sits at 7.1%, below national benchmarks, and rent-to-income at 11.7% is relatively low by Queensland comparison.
Drive
13.3%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
78.9%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
-0.69%/yr
(-8 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation has fallen 14.8% over the past decade, from a pre-COVID level of 1,288 to a current 1,101, and has not recovered after a 12.3% COVID-era dip. The annual trend is -0.69%, or approximately 8 fewer residents per year. Medium forecasts project a continued slow decline to around 1,121 by 2031. Internal migration averages -7 per year and overseas migration adds just 1 person annually, a balanced but negative overall picture. The young share of the population fell 5.9 points over the decade, while the working-age share rose 8 points, suggesting some demographic restructuring within an overall shrinking base. Gentrification score is 0 and the suburb is classified as not gentrifying, consistent with its decile 1 SEIFA position and remote location.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+1
Net Internal / yr
-7
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Aurukun compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Aurukun a good suburb to live in?
Aurukun is a remote Indigenous community on Cape York Peninsula with a population of 1,101. It scores decile 1 on all four SEIFA indexes, the highest disadvantage tier nationally, with household income at the 16.2nd percentile. The community is predominantly renter-occupied (100%) and has no private housing market.
What is the median house price in Aurukun?
The estimated median house price is $155,000, derived from rental data as of 2025. This is far below the Queensland state median. Weekly rent averages $125 and rent-to-income sits at 11.7%, below the national stress threshold, though the income base of $331 weekly median personal income is very low.
What schools are in Aurukun?
No schools are recorded in the Aurukun locality dataset. However, 22.4% of local workers (15 people) are employed in education, indicating some educational services operate in the community. University qualifications among residents sit at 10.7%, which is 19.4 points below the national average.
Is Aurukun safe?
Crime rate data is not available for Aurukun at this locality level. As a context indicator, the suburb scores decile 1 on IRSD (relative disadvantage), the lowest tier nationally, and 5.3% of residents (53 people) need daily assistance. The 18.5% unemployment rate is significantly above the national average.
Is Aurukun good for property investment?
Private investment is highly limited. While the 100% renter rate and an estimated gross yield near 4.2% (based on $125 weekly rent against a $155,000 median) appear favourable, the 27.1% vacancy rate and 14.8% population decline over the past decade signal very weak demand. Housing is predominantly government-managed.
How is Aurukun's population changing?
Population has declined 14.8% over 10 years, from 1,288 to 1,101, with an annual trend of -0.69% (about 8 fewer residents per year). Medium forecasts project around 1,121 residents by 2031. Net internal migration averages -7 per year and the suburb has not recovered to its pre-COVID population level.
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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