Avoca
Two numbers define Avoca: a $375,000 median house price that ranks among Queensland's most affordable, and SEIFA scores that sit in decile 1 on both IEO and IRSAD, the most disadvantaged tier nationally. Household income lands in just the 23.2nd percentile nationally, which is why the area reads as affordable in dollar terms while still carrying real economic pressure. The resident base is older, with a median age of 48, a full 8.0 years above the national figure, and the dwelling stock is 77.4% separate houses on 6.12 km2. University qualifications reach only 18.4%, which is 11.7 points below national, consistent with a workforce weighted toward clerical, community and labouring roles.
Population
4,912
Median Age
48.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,169/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
3
Median House
$375K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At a $375,000 median, Avoca undercuts almost every metropolitan market in Australia, and the affordability shows up in the loan numbers: average monthly mortgage repayments of about $1,300 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.7%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold even though household income sits in the 23.2nd percentile nationally. The stock suits families rather than downsizers, because 48.7% of dwellings have three bedrooms and 32.3% have four or more, while just 15.2% are two-bedroom. Separate houses make up 77.4% of all dwellings, so buyers compete for detached homes rather than apartments. Outright owners dominate at 44.6%, well above the 30.7% carrying a mortgage, a pattern that reflects the older, established ownership base rather than a churn of recent purchasers.
For Buyers
At a $375,000 median, Avoca undercuts almost every metropolitan market in Australia, and the affordability shows up in the loan numbers: average monthly mortgage repayments of about $1,300 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.7%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold even though household income sits in the 23.2nd percentile nationally. The stock suits families rather than downsizers, because 48.7% of dwellings have three bedrooms and 32.3% have four or more, while just 15.2% are two-bedroom. Separate houses make up 77.4% of all dwellings, so buyers compete for detached homes rather than apartments. Outright owners dominate at 44.6%, well above the 30.7% carrying a mortgage, a pattern that reflects the older, established ownership base rather than a churn of recent purchasers.
For Investors
Renters make up 24.7% of households, a modest pool, and weekly rent of $305 against the $375,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.2%, higher than what premium metropolitan suburbs return. Rent has climbed 42.9% over the measured period, which strengthens the income case, but the 7.2% vacancy rate signals softer demand than a tight market would show. Population support is thin: the forecast leans on balanced migration, adding about 34 net internal and 8 net overseas residents a year, with annual growth of only 0.61%. Development is effectively dormant, with just 1 application lodged in the past 12 months, so there is little new supply pressure but also little momentum. The investment case rests on yield and the 42.9% rent growth rather than capital appreciation or population-driven demand.
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
Schools in Avoca iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Avoca State School
Prep-6 · 310 students
Demographics
The median age of 48 runs 8.0 years above the national figure, and the trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 7.8 points while the working-age share fell 5.4 points over the decade. Only 10.9% of residents were born overseas, which is 10.7 points below national, and ancestry is heavily Anglo, led by English (2,169), Scottish (559), Irish (444) and German (439). No significant non-English language community is recorded, consistent with the low overseas-born share. University qualifications reach 18.4%, which is 11.7 points below national, reflecting a workforce skewed toward clerical, community and trade roles. Average household size is 2.3, which is 0.2 below national, and couples without children account for 36.8% of the 3,754 families, more than the 1,239 couples with children, fitting the older profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
77.4%
Houses
21.8%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts toward debt-free ownership: 44.6% own outright, 30.7% carry a mortgage and only 24.7% rent, a structure that points to long-held homes rather than active buyer churn. The stock is 77.4% separate houses and 21.8% semi-detached, with detached three-bedroom dwellings the norm at 48.7% and four-plus bedroom homes at 32.3%. The $375,000 median sits well below most Australian markets, and with monthly mortgage repayments near $1,300 the mortgage-to-income ratio is 25.7%, under the stress threshold. Rent-to-income reads 26.1%, also below stress, so neither buyers nor tenants face acute affordability strain despite incomes in the 23.2nd percentile nationally. The high outright-ownership share, above the mortgage share, is the clearest signal that Avoca's housing is held by established, older owners.
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wk
$305
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$619
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.2%
Unoccupied
155
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.7%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
36.8%
Couples, no children
3,754
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates the local workforce at 27.4% (306 workers), more than double the next sector, Education at 12.7% (142), with Construction at 7.8%, Retail at 7.5% and Manufacturing at 6.3% rounding out the top five. By occupation, Clerical and Admin leads (298), followed by Professionals (275), Community and Personal Service (265) and Labourers (236), a spread that matches the below-average 18.4% university rate. The labour market is soft: unemployment runs at 6.2%, above the national norm, and participation is only 46.1% because 1,862 residents sit outside the labour force, a direct consequence of the aging profile. SEIFA confirms the strain, with IEO in decile 1 and IER in decile 2, the lowest advantage tiers, even though real incomes grew 12.2% over the decade.
Unemployment
5.1%
Labour Force
1,623
Unemployed
83
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.4%
Part-time
27.4%
Participation
46.1%
Employed
1,773
Occupations
Top Industries
University
18.4%
Postgraduate
2.1%
Born Overseas
10.9%
Dwellings
2,010
Transport to Work
Avoca is car-dependent: 90.2% of commuters drive, while only 0.8% use public transport and 2.8% walk or cycle, well below the national share for active and public modes, a function of the low-density 802 residents per km2 layout. No schools are recorded inside the 6.12 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring Bundaberg suburbs, a practical trade-off in a regional setting. Detailed crime statistics are not available here, but the SEIFA picture is sobering: the suburb sits in decile 1 on IRSAD and decile 2 on IRSD, the most disadvantaged tiers, and 10.4% of residents (487 people) need daily assistance, above what a younger area would show. Volunteering at 14.1% provides some community support against that backdrop.
Drive
90.2%
Public Transport
0.8%
Walk / Cycle
2.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.61%/yr
(+22 people/yr)
EstablishedAvoca is close to flat, with annual population growth of 0.61% (about 22 people a year), well below the national growth rate, and a 10-year change of 7.0% that classifies it as an established, slow-growth suburb. Medium forecasts lift the population from 3,615 in 2026 to 3,723 by 2031, a gentle 3.0% rise. Migration is the only driver, and it is balanced: roughly 34 net internal arrivals against just 8 net overseas a year. The gentrification reading is mixed, with the headline stage marked as not gentrifying yet a shift score of 39 flagging early signs, supported by 42.9% rent growth and 12.2% real income growth over the decade. Affordability stayed stable, moving only from 37.4% in 2011 to 38.8% in 2021.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+8
Net Internal / yr
+34
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Avoca compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Avoca a good suburb to live in?
Avoca suits affordability-focused buyers, with a $375,000 median house price and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.7%, below the stress threshold. The trade-offs are real: it sits in SEIFA decile 1 on IRSAD, the most disadvantaged tier, and household income lands in the 23.2nd percentile nationally.
What is the median house price in Avoca?
The median house price in Avoca is about $375,000, among Queensland's most affordable. Weekly rent averages $305 and monthly mortgage repayments run near $1,300, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.7%, which is below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Avoca?
No schools are recorded inside the 6.12 km2 Avoca boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Bundaberg suburbs. The local population skews older at a median age of 48, with university qualifications at 18.4%, which is 11.7 points below national.
Is Avoca safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Avoca in this dataset. As context, the suburb scores in SEIFA decile 2 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage and decile 1 on IRSAD, the lower tiers, while 10.4% of its residents need daily assistance, partly reflecting the older median age of 48.
Is Avoca good for property investment?
Rent of $305 a week against the $375,000 median gives a gross yield near 4.2%, higher than most metropolitan suburbs, and rents rose 42.9% over the period. The catch is a 7.2% vacancy rate and just 0.61% annual population growth, so returns lean on yield rather than capital growth.
How is Avoca's population changing?
Population growth is slow at 0.61% a year, about 22 people, with a 7.0% rise over 10 years. Forecasts lift the population from 3,615 in 2026 to 3,723 by 2031. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 7.8 points and the working-age share down 5.4 points over the decade.
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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