QLD 4036 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Bald Hills

Detached houses make up 94.0% of the dwelling stock here, one of the most house-dominant profiles in greater Brisbane, with apartments at just 0.4%. The $486,000 median house price sits well below Brisbane's million-dollar inner suburbs, and a household income at the 72.2nd percentile combines with a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.7% to keep this firmly in affordable mortgage-belt territory. The median age of 36 is 4 years below the national median, yet the senior share has grown 3.4 points over the decade while the working-age share fell 2.6 points, marking an aging trajectory. SEIFA scores land mid-pack, with an IRSAD decile of 6 and an IEO decile of 5, signalling a solidly average rather than disadvantaged area.

Bald Hills urban fabric map

Population

7,000

Median Age

36.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$1,931/wk

DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year

33

Median House

$486K

Estimated from rent (2025)

12.84 km²· 545.3 people/km²· Family income $2,134/wk

The $486,000 median house price is the standout draw, sitting far below Brisbane's premium suburbs and pairing with a mortgage-to-income ratio of just 20.7%, comfortably under the 30% stress threshold. Buyers get genuine houses rather than units: 94.0% of stock is separate houses and only 0.4% apartments. Family-sized homes dominate, with 55.1% three-bedroom and 39.7% four-plus-bedroom dwellings, so two-bedroom or smaller stock is under 6% combined. Average monthly mortgage repayments of $1,733 are modest because prices track the area's household income at the 72.2nd percentile rather than running ahead of it. Owner-occupiers hold the majority, with 47.0% on a mortgage and 26.9% owning outright, leaving 26.0% renting. This is a homebuyer market built for families wanting space at an entry price below most of Brisbane's middle ring.

For Buyers

The $486,000 median house price is the standout draw, sitting far below Brisbane's premium suburbs and pairing with a mortgage-to-income ratio of just 20.7%, comfortably under the 30% stress threshold. Buyers get genuine houses rather than units: 94.0% of stock is separate houses and only 0.4% apartments. Family-sized homes dominate, with 55.1% three-bedroom and 39.7% four-plus-bedroom dwellings, so two-bedroom or smaller stock is under 6% combined. Average monthly mortgage repayments of $1,733 are modest because prices track the area's household income at the 72.2nd percentile rather than running ahead of it. Owner-occupiers hold the majority, with 47.0% on a mortgage and 26.9% owning outright, leaving 26.0% renting. This is a homebuyer market built for families wanting space at an entry price below most of Brisbane's middle ring.

For Investors

The 26.0% renter share is modest compared with inner-city suburbs, so the tenant pool is shallow relative to apartment-heavy markets. A weekly rent of $388 against the $486,000 median produces a gross yield of roughly 4.1%, well above the sub-2% yields seen in premium inner Brisbane, making this a yield-led rather than growth-led play. The 3.8% vacancy rate is balanced, neither tight nor oversupplied, and rent grew 11.4% over the period. Demand drivers are thin: net overseas migration adds 76 a year while internal migration runs at -22, leaving population growth at a slow 1.24% annually. Development activity of 29 applications in 12 months, several of them lot reconfigurations and subdivisions, points to incremental infill rather than a building boom. The appeal is steady cash yield from detached family homes, not rapid capital gains.

Development Activity

Total DAs

79

Last 12 Months

33

YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements

+200.0%

Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year

N/A

Monthly DA Lodgements

DA Categories

Subdivision
22
Other
11
Renovation / Extension
5
Change of Use
4
Driveway / Crossover
1
Landscaping / Retaining Wall
1

Schools in Bald Hills iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged

St Paul's School

ICSEA 1141 Combined Independent

Prep-12 · 1283 students

Bald Hills State School

ICSEA 1042 Primary Government

Prep-6 · 624 students

Demographics

The median age of 36 is 4 years below the national median, but the profile is shifting older: the senior share rose 3.4 points over the decade while the working-age share fell 2.6 points. Ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic, led by English at 2,617, then Irish (724), Scottish (696) and German (416). Overseas-born residents at 23.1% are only 1.5 points above the national average, a far more locally born mix than migrant-majority suburbs. The top non-English languages reflect South Asian and Pacific communities: Punjabi (44), Hindi (36), Nepali (23), Mandarin (21) and Samoan (21). Households are family-oriented, with couples with children (2,635) clearly outnumbering couples without children (1,422), and an average household size of 2.7 is 0.2 above national, consistent with the four-bedroom house stock.

Age Distribution

0-14
20.9%
15-24
10.9%
25-44
30.9%
45-64
23.2%
65+
14.0%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
0.8%
2 bed
4.4%
3 bed
55.1%
4+ bed
39.7%

Dwelling Structure

94.0%

Houses

5.6%

Townhouse

0.4%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 26.9% Mortgage 47.0% Rent 26.0%

Tenure leans toward owner-occupation, with 47.0% holding a mortgage, 26.9% owning outright and 26.0% renting, the inverse of renter-dominant inner suburbs. The stock is overwhelmingly detached: 94.0% separate houses, 5.6% semi-detached and just 0.4% apartments. Bedroom counts confirm a family footprint, with 55.1% three-bedroom and 39.7% four-plus-bedroom homes, while studios and one-bedrooms sit at 0.8%. At a $486,000 median against household income at the 72.2nd percentile, both housing-stress measures stay low: mortgage-to-income at 20.7% and rent-to-income at 20.1% are each well below the 30% stress line. The IER decile of 7, above the SEIFA midpoint, reflects this high owner-occupation, because the wealth captured in mortgaged and outright-owned homes lifts the area's economic-resources ranking despite mid-range incomes.

Mortgage / mo

$1,733

Rent / wk

$388

HH Size

2.7

Personal Income / wk

$857

Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)

3.8%

Unoccupied

98

Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

20.1%

Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

20.7%

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

Punjabi
44
Hindi
36
Nepali
23
Mandarin
21
Samoan
21
Guj
18

Ancestry

English
2,617
Other
767
Irish
724
Scottish
696
German
416
Ancestry NS
325

Household Composition

24.1%

Couples, no children

5,895

Total families

Economy & Employment

Healthcare is the dominant employer at 20.0% (470 workers), followed by Education at 10.8% (253), Construction at 10.0% (234), Public Admin at 8.1% (189) and Professional/Tech at 7.7% (181), a service and trades mix rather than a knowledge-economy hub. Occupations track this, led by Professionals (645) and Clerical/Admin (556), with Managers at 367 and Labourers at 359 reflecting the strong construction base. The full-time employment rate of 66.9% is solid, though the unemployment rate of 5.3% sits slightly above typical, and the participation rate of 61.2% is moderate, consistent with the aging trajectory pulling some residents out of the labour force. University qualifications at 29.6% are 0.5 points below the national average, and the IEO decile of 5 places education and occupation outcomes squarely at the national midpoint.

Unemployment

5.4%

Labour Force

5,172

Unemployed

277

Quarterly Trend

Mar-24 Dec-25

Source: SALM Dec-25

Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)

Overall advantage
6
Disadvantage
6
Economic resources
7
Education & occupation
5

Full-time

66.9%

Part-time

27.8%

Participation

61.2%

Employed

3,205

Occupations

Professionals 645
Clerical/Admin 556
Community/Personal 423
Managers 367
Labourers 359
Sales 275
Machinery/Drivers 262

Top Industries

Healthcare 20.0%
Education 10.8%
Construction 10.0%
Public Admin 8.1%
Professional/Tech 7.7%

University

29.6%

Postgraduate

5.4%

Born Overseas

23.1%

Dwellings

2,457

Transport to Work

Getting around is car-dependent: 85.1% of residents drive, well above suburbs with rail access, while public transport sits at 8.1% and walking or cycling at just 2.0%, reflecting the low density of 545 people per square kilometre across 12.84 square kilometres. The area scores mid-range on advantage, with an IRSAD decile of 6 and an IRSD decile of 6, both above the disadvantaged tiers, indicating a comfortable established suburb rather than a deprived one. Housing costs stay manageable, with rent-to-income at 20.1% and mortgage-to-income at 20.7%, each below the 30% stress threshold. The volunteering rate of 12.8% and a turnover rate of just 21.3%, meaning 78.7% of residents stayed put, point to a stable, settled population, though the absence of in-suburb school data and reliance on private vehicles are the main trade-offs.

Drive

85.1%

Public Transport

8.1%

Walk / Cycle

2.0%

Work from Home

N/A

Population Forecast

+1.24%/yr

(+104 people/yr)

Established

Population growth is slow at 1.24% per year, about 104 persons, well below the high-growth fringe suburbs and classifying this as established. The ERP rose from 8,243 in 2023 to 8,412 in 2025, and the medium forecast projects 9,057 by 2031, a continuation of the modest trend. Overseas migration is the main driver at 76 net arrivals a year, offset by internal migration of -22, so domestic departures slightly drag on growth. Over 10 years the population climbed 12.6%, with the gentrification signal accelerating from 5% to 12% and scoring 21 (early signs). Affordability improved from 51.3% in 2011 to 44.6% in 2021, and the aging trajectory, a 3.4-point rise in the senior share against a 2.6-point fall in working-age residents, points to a maturing community rather than a rapidly transforming one.

Historical + Forecast

Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025

Age Cohort Forecast

Primary Driver

Overseas Migration

Net Overseas / yr

+76

Net Internal / yr

-22

21

Gentrification Signal

Early signs

Population +17% since 2011, Accelerating: 5% → 12%

National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs

How Bald Hills compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 8%
Household Income
Top 28%
Rent Level
Top 19%
Apartments
Bottom 7%
Renters
Top 36%
Uni Educated
Top 35%
Public Transport
Top 17%
Born Overseas
Top 23%
Density
Top 19%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bald Hills a good suburb to live in?

Bald Hills suits families wanting space at an affordable price. The $486,000 median house price is well below inner Brisbane, 94.0% of homes are detached houses, and SEIFA places it at a mid-range IRSAD decile of 6. The trade-off is heavy car dependence, with 85.1% driving and only 8.1% using public transport.

What is the median house price in Bald Hills?

The median house price is $486,000 (estimated from rent, 2025), sitting well below Brisbane's premium suburbs. Average monthly mortgage repayments are $1,733 and weekly rent is $388, producing a gross yield of roughly 4.1%, far above the sub-2% yields of inner-city Brisbane markets.

What schools are in Bald Hills?

No in-suburb school data is available in this dataset for Bald Hills, so families typically draw on schools in neighbouring areas. The suburb is family-oriented, with 2,635 couples with children and 39.7% of homes having four or more bedrooms, indicating strong demand for nearby education options.

Is Bald Hills safe?

Crime statistics are not available in this dataset for Bald Hills, so safety cannot be quantified directly. Indicators point to a settled community: the turnover rate is just 21.3%, meaning 78.7% of residents stayed put, and the volunteering rate of 12.8% suggests an engaged, stable population.

Is Bald Hills good for property investment?

It is a yield-led play. Weekly rent of $388 on the $486,000 median gives a gross yield near 4.1%, well above inner Brisbane. The vacancy rate of 3.8% is balanced and rent grew 11.4%, but with only 26.0% renting and slow 1.24% population growth, this favours steady cash flow over rapid capital gains.

How is Bald Hills's population changing?

Population growth is slow at 1.24% a year, about 104 people, with the ERP rising from 8,243 in 2023 to 8,412 in 2025 and forecast to reach 9,057 by 2031. The community is aging, as the senior share grew 3.4 points while the working-age share fell 2.6 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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