Avenell Heights
Avenell Heights scores decile 1 on IRSAD, IEO and IRSD, the bottom tier on three of the four SEIFA indexes, and decile 2 on economic resources. The 5,028 residents are notably older, with a median age of 47 that runs 7.0 years above the national figure, and the population has effectively flatlined at minus 0.1% over the decade. Stock is overwhelmingly detached at 80.0% separate houses, university qualifications reach only 17.1% (13.0 points below national), and just 9.9% of residents were born overseas, 11.7 points under the national rate.
Population
5,028
Median Age
47.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,066/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
2
Stock suits owner-occupier families: 80.0% are separate houses against only 11.4% apartments, and three-bedroom homes dominate at 52.3% with four-plus bedrooms a further 27.3%. Monthly mortgage repayments average about $1,200, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.0%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold despite household income in the 16.1st percentile, because purchase prices are so low. Outright owners (37.6%) outnumber mortgage holders (26.4%), a sign of an established, debt-light ownership base rather than a churn of recent buyers stretching to enter.
For Buyers
Stock suits owner-occupier families: 80.0% are separate houses against only 11.4% apartments, and three-bedroom homes dominate at 52.3% with four-plus bedrooms a further 27.3%. Monthly mortgage repayments average about $1,200, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.0%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold despite household income in the 16.1st percentile, because purchase prices are so low. Outright owners (37.6%) outnumber mortgage holders (26.4%), a sign of an established, debt-light ownership base rather than a churn of recent buyers stretching to enter.
For Investors
The renter share is a solid 36.0%, giving landlords a real tenant pool, and the vacancy rate of 5.6% points to reasonable but not tight demand. Rent grew 14.6% over the period, supporting income returns. The catch is demand growth: population is expanding at only 0.25% a year, migration is balanced rather than booming (net overseas 63, net internal 17 annually), and no development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, so new supply is minimal. The case rests on yield and rent escalation more than capital appreciation, which the flat minus 0.1% ten-year trend caps.
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 47 is 7.0 years above national, and the trajectory is clearly aging: the senior share rose 4.7 points while the young share fell 2.7 points over the decade. Only 9.9% of residents were born overseas, 11.7 points below national, and ancestry leans Anglo-Celtic, led by English (2,141), German (502), Irish (475) and Scottish (441). University qualifications at 17.1% run 13.0 points under national, consistent with a workforce weighted toward trades and service roles. Average household size is 2.3, which is 0.2 below national, and couples without children make up 32.8% of the 3,658 families, slightly ahead of couples with children at 1,080, a profile that fits the older, settled resident base.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
80.0%
Houses
8.6%
Townhouse
11.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is split three ways: 37.6% own outright, 26.4% carry a mortgage and 36.0% rent. Outright owners outnumbering mortgage holders points to long-held, debt-light ownership rather than recent buyer churn. The stock is 80.0% separate houses with apartments at just 11.4% and semi-detached at 8.6%, so detached family homes are the default. Three-bedroom dwellings account for 52.3% and four-plus bedrooms 27.3%, leaving smaller one and two-bedroom homes scarce at 4.1% and 16.3%.
Mortgage / mo
$1,200
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Mar 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $270.
$580
Bond data Mar 2026 quarter · houses $580 · units $420
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$566
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.6%
Unoccupied
120
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.0%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
32.8%
Couples, no children
3,658
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce concentrates in service sectors rather than knowledge industries: Healthcare leads at 25.1% (276 workers), Education follows at 16.1% (177), then Construction at 8.1%, Retail 7.2% and Manufacturing 6.5%. By occupation, Labourers (285) and Community and Personal Service workers (281) edge out Professionals (275), which aligns with the decile 1 IEO score for education and occupation. The labour market is soft: unemployment runs at 8.7%, above the national norm, and the participation rate is only 45.0%, dragged down by 1,962 residents not in the labour force, a direct consequence of the aging profile. Real incomes still grew 10.4% over the decade, and the decile 2 IER score sits a notch above the decile 1 disadvantage readings.
Unemployment
5.4%
Labour Force
5,670
Unemployed
305
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.3%
Part-time
31.0%
Participation
45.0%
Employed
1,734
Occupations
Top Industries
University
17.1%
Postgraduate
2.5%
Born Overseas
9.9%
Dwellings
2,033
Transport to Work
Daily life here is built around the car: 90.8% drive to work while public transport carries just 0.4% and active travel 1.5%, far below metro suburbs and a reflection of the low-density 1,648 residents per km2 layout across 3.05 km2. The trade-offs are socioeconomic: the suburb scores decile 1 on IRSAD and IRSD, the lowest disadvantage tier nationally, and 13.8% of residents (650 people) need daily assistance, consistent with the older median age of 47. Volunteering runs at 14.7%, and resident stability is high with 76.6% staying put and a low 23.4% turnover rate.
Drive
90.8%
Public Transport
0.4%
Walk / Cycle
1.5%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.25%/yr
(+28 people/yr)
EstablishedAvenell Heights is an established, slow-growth suburb: population is rising at just 0.25% a year, about 28 residents, and the ten-year change is essentially flat at minus 0.1%. Migration is balanced and modest, with net overseas inflow of 63 a year only lightly ahead of net internal migration of 17, so neither driver pushes meaningful expansion. The gentrification score reads 0, classifying the area as not gentrifying, which fits a suburb already at decile 1 advantage with little upward pressure. The one bright spot is affordability, which improved from 56.1% in 2011 to 47.3% in 2021 as real incomes grew 10.4%, though the aging trajectory and falling young share point to continued stability rather than renewal.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+63
Net Internal / yr
+17
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Avenell Heights compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Avenell Heights a good suburb to live in?
The main trade-offs are socioeconomic: it scores decile 1 on IRSAD, the lowest advantage tier nationally, and household income sits in the 16.1st percentile.
What is the median house price in Avenell Heights?
Weekly rent averages $270 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,200, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.0%, below the 30% stress threshold, and a gross rental yield near 4.2%.
What schools are in Avenell Heights?
No schools are recorded inside the 3.05 km2 Avenell Heights boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs of Bundaberg. University qualifications among residents are 17.1%, which is 13.0 points below the national figure.
Is Avenell Heights safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Avenell Heights in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, resident stability is high, with 76.6% of people staying put and a low turnover rate of 23.4%, and 13.8% of the 5,028 residents need daily assistance, reflecting the older median age of 47.
Is Avenell Heights good for property investment?
The 5.6% vacancy rate is moderate, but with 0.25% annual population growth, returns lean on yield rather than capital growth.
How is Avenell Heights's population changing?
Population growth is just 0.25% annually, about 28 people, and the ten-year change is flat at minus 0.1%. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 4.7 points and the young share down 2.7 points over the decade, against a current population of 5,028.
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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