Bakers Creek
Household income in Bakers Creek sits at the 82nd percentile nationally, yet the suburb's IEO score lands in decile 3, reflecting a workforce that earns well through trades and mining rather than university-credential pathways. With 16.5% of residents holding a degree, compared to the national average of around 30%, and a full-time employment rate of 70.3%, this is a working community that earns through labour rather than knowledge industries. The median house price of $504,000 and 91.5% detached housing stock signal a family-oriented, car-dependent suburb covering 20.95 square kilometres north of Mackay. Mining and healthcare each employ 16.6% of the local workforce, an unusual pairing that reflects both the Bowen Basin economy and the support services it generates.
Population
1,590
Median Age
35.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,161/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
8
Median House
$504K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price of $504,000 puts Bakers Creek within reach for households earning above the national median. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,820, and mortgage-to-income sits at 19.5%, below the 30% stress threshold, meaning typical buyers here are not financially stretched. The stock is almost entirely detached houses at 91.5%, with 49.4% of dwellings having four or more bedrooms and 39.3% having three, so buyers get generous floor plans compared to metro suburbs. Semi-detached homes account for just 1.6%. Some 52.8% of residents carry a mortgage, while 22.0% own outright, indicating a suburb still in accumulation phase rather than one dominated by long-held paid-off stock. Turnover is relatively high at 28%, which keeps listings flowing.
For Buyers
The median house price of $504,000 puts Bakers Creek within reach for households earning above the national median. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,820, and mortgage-to-income sits at 19.5%, below the 30% stress threshold, meaning typical buyers here are not financially stretched. The stock is almost entirely detached houses at 91.5%, with 49.4% of dwellings having four or more bedrooms and 39.3% having three, so buyers get generous floor plans compared to metro suburbs. Semi-detached homes account for just 1.6%. Some 52.8% of residents carry a mortgage, while 22.0% own outright, indicating a suburb still in accumulation phase rather than one dominated by long-held paid-off stock. Turnover is relatively high at 28%, which keeps listings flowing.
For Investors
The rental market in Bakers Creek is moderate, with 25.2% of dwellings occupied by renters paying a median of $398 per week. Against the $504,000 median house price, that rent implies a gross yield around 4.1%, reasonable for a regional Queensland market. The vacancy rate of 5.7% is elevated compared to the national average of roughly 1-2%, signalling more supply than current demand can absorb, which can suppress rent growth. Development activity is light with 6 applications lodged in the past 12 months, mostly lot reconfigurations and operational works rather than residential supply. Rent-to-income at 18.4% is comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, so tenants are stable, reducing churn risk for landlords. The mining and healthcare employment base provides underlying demand.
Development Activity
Total DAs
8
Last 12 Months
8
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 Bakers Creek iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Dundula State School
Prep-6 · 117 students
Demographics
The median age of 35 is 5 years younger than the national figure, pointing to a suburb in active family formation. Average household size of 2.8 is 0.3 above national, consistent with the large-dwelling profile where 88.7% of homes have three or more bedrooms. Overseas-born residents account for 20.7%, roughly on par with the national average. The Filipino community at 165 residents is the third-largest ancestry group after English (474) and the generic Ancestry NS category (211), reflecting labour migration tied to Mackay-area industries. University qualifications at 16.5% sit 13.6 percentage points below the national figure, while full-time employment reaches 70.3%, because the local economy rewards trade and operational skills over degree credentials. The unemployment rate of 3.9% is close to national levels.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
91.5%
Houses
1.6%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure splits fairly cleanly: 52.8% carry a mortgage, 22.0% own outright, and 25.2% rent, a pattern typical of a suburb where many households are mid-career owner-occupiers. The detached house share of 91.5% is high nationally, and the bedroom profile skews large, with 49.4% of dwellings at four-plus bedrooms and 39.3% at three bedrooms. Smaller dwellings are rare, with only 5.6% having one or two bedrooms. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,820, producing a mortgage-to-income of 19.5%, comfortably below the stress threshold. The median price is estimated at $504,000 based on 2025 rental data. Households here have relatively stable housing costs compared to capital city suburbs, which is part of the affordability draw for families relocating from Brisbane or Sydney.
Mortgage / mo
$1,820
Rent / wk
$398
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$916
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.7%
Unoccupied
31
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.5%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
23.1%
Couples, no children
1,186
Total families
Economy & Employment
Mining and healthcare each account for 16.6% of local employment (76 workers each), making them jointly the dominant industries, an unusual balance that reflects both Bowen Basin resource work and the medical services a regional hub requires. Construction adds a further 9.8% and manufacturing 7.4%, so blue-collar and trade roles dominate the occupational mix. Machinery operators and drivers (119 workers) and labourers (117) are the top two occupations, ahead of professionals (90) and clerical/admin (84). The IRSD decile of 6 places the suburb at national median for disadvantage, and the IRSAD score of 5 confirms a mid-range socio-economic position overall. Household income at the 82nd percentile reflects above-average earnings from resource-sector wages rather than higher-skill professional roles, which explains the IEO decile 3 score for education and occupation.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
70.3%
Part-time
25.8%
Participation
61.3%
Employed
740
Occupations
Top Industries
University
16.5%
Postgraduate
2.0%
Born Overseas
20.7%
Dwellings
507
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near-total: 90.1% of residents drive to work, and public transport use reaches only 2.0%, reflecting the suburb's low-density layout across 20.95 square kilometres. Walking and cycling also sit at 2.0%, consistent with a suburban environment built around private vehicle access. No schools are recorded inside the Bakers Creek boundary, so families depend on schools in nearby Mackay suburbs. The IRSAD decile of 5 places the suburb at the national median for advantage and disadvantage combined, neither a concentration of deprivation nor affluence. Rent-to-income at 18.4% and mortgage-to-income at 19.5% both sit well below the 30% stress threshold, meaning housing costs are manageable across tenure types. The volunteering rate of 9.7% is modest, and 3.7% of residents (52 people) need daily assistance.
Drive
90.1%
Public Transport
2.0%
Walk / Cycle
2.0%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Bakers Creek compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bakers Creek a good suburb to live in?
Bakers Creek offers affordable housing at a $504,000 median with mortgage costs at 19.5% of income, well below the 30% stress threshold. The suburb has a younger median age of 35, five years below national, and a 70.3% full-time employment rate. The main trade-offs are no recorded schools within the boundary and a car-dependent layout with 90.1% of residents driving to work.
What is the median house price in Bakers Creek?
The median house price is estimated at $504,000 based on 2025 rental data. Weekly rent averages $398 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,820, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.5%, below the typical stress level of 30%.
What schools are in Bakers Creek?
No schools are recorded inside the Bakers Creek boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Mackay suburbs. With a median age of 35 and 49.4% of dwellings having four or more bedrooms, the suburb has a strong family profile despite the absence of local schools.
Is Bakers Creek safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Bakers Creek in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores IRSD decile 6, at the national median for relative disadvantage, and only 3.7% of residents (52 people) need daily assistance, both consistent with a stable, mid-range community.
Is Bakers Creek good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $398 against a $504,000 median implies a gross yield around 4.1%, reasonable for regional Queensland. However, the vacancy rate of 5.7% is elevated compared to typical national levels near 1-2%, suggesting current supply outpaces demand. Development activity is modest at 6 applications in 12 months, and the mining-driven employment base can be cyclical.
How is Bakers Creek's population changing?
Bakers Creek has a population of 1,590 across 20.95 square kilometres. The suburb has a 28% annual turnover rate, meaning roughly 72% of residents stayed over the reference period. Growth is tied to the Mackay mining cycle, and the median age of 35 is 5 years below national, pointing to ongoing family-stage in-migration rather than decline.
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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