Bamaga
At the very tip of Cape York Peninsula, Bamaga carries two striking numbers: 98.9% of residents rent their homes, the highest renter concentration of almost any Australian suburb, and a median age of 25, which is 15 years below the national figure. The population of 1,186 lives across a 66 km2 area at a density of just 17.9 per km2. Education and healthcare together employ over half the local workforce, reflecting Bamaga's role as the service hub for surrounding remote communities. Weekly rent sits at $120, far below the state average, and the estimated median house price of $149,000 is a fraction of most Queensland markets.
Population
1,186
Median Age
25.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,630/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$149K
Estimated from rent (2025)
Purchasing property in Bamaga is rare because 98.9% of residents rent, with only 1.1% owning outright and effectively no mortgage holders recorded. The estimated median house price of $149,000 is well below state and national medians, reflecting both remoteness and extremely limited market activity. Separate houses dominate at 80.3% of dwellings, with semi-detached at 13% and apartments at 3%. Three-bedroom homes account for 45.4% of stock and four-plus bedroom homes 24.7%, suggesting large households, consistent with the average household size of 3.4, which is 0.9 above the national figure. The near-total renter market and geographic isolation mean buyer demand is minimal compared to mainstream Queensland markets.
For Buyers
Purchasing property in Bamaga is rare because 98.9% of residents rent, with only 1.1% owning outright and effectively no mortgage holders recorded. The estimated median house price of $149,000 is well below state and national medians, reflecting both remoteness and extremely limited market activity. Separate houses dominate at 80.3% of dwellings, with semi-detached at 13% and apartments at 3%. Three-bedroom homes account for 45.4% of stock and four-plus bedroom homes 24.7%, suggesting large households, consistent with the average household size of 3.4, which is 0.9 above the national figure. The near-total renter market and geographic isolation mean buyer demand is minimal compared to mainstream Queensland markets.
For Investors
Bamaga's 98.9% renter share is among the highest nationally, yet the investment fundamentals are unusual. Weekly rent of $120 against an estimated median house value of $149,000 implies a theoretical gross yield around 4.2%, but the 15.5% vacancy rate signals chronic oversupply relative to demand. Development activity recorded zero applications in the past 12 months, confirming a stagnant construction pipeline. The income base is thin, with household weekly income at $1,630, sitting at the 56.5th percentile nationally. Remote location, limited buyer pool and high vacancy collectively make Bamaga a high-risk, specialist investment proposition compared to mainstream Queensland regional markets.
Schools in Bamaga iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Northern Peninsula Area State College
Prep-12 · 563 students
Demographics
The median age of 25 is 15 years below the national figure, making Bamaga one of the youngest communities in Queensland. Average household size is 3.4, which is 0.9 above the national average, consistent with multi-generational family living. Indigenous languages are significant, with 386 residents speaking an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander language, reflecting the area's First Nations heritage. Overseas-born residents make up just 3.6%, which is 18 percentage points below the national figure, and university qualifications sit at 15%, which is 15.1 points below national. Christianity is the dominant religion at 887 residents out of 1,186. Community stability is relatively high, with 82.3% of residents having stayed at the same address, though turnover of 17.7% annually is still notable.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
80.3%
Houses
13.0%
Townhouse
3.0%
Apartment
Tenure
The near-total absence of owner-occupied housing defines Bamaga's property market: 98.9% of residents rent, with outright ownership at just 1.1% and mortgage holders essentially absent, compared to the national norm where around 30% own outright. Weekly rent of $120 is well below the state median. Separate houses make up 80.3% of stock, with semi-detached at 13% and apartments at only 3%. Three-bedroom homes are the most common at 45.4%, followed by four-plus bedroom at 24.7%. The vacancy rate of 15.5% is high, suggesting dwellings sit empty relative to the 1,186 residents, partly due to government-housing dynamics typical of remote Cape York communities.
Mortgage / mo
$0
Rent / wk
$120
HH Size
3.4
Personal Income / wk
$749
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
15.5%
Unoccupied
53
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
7.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
10.0%
Couples, no children
907
Total families
Economy & Employment
Education is the largest employer at 28.1% (84 workers), closely followed by healthcare at 25.8% (77 workers), together accounting for over half the local workforce. Public administration employs a further 14.4% (43 workers), so government-funded sectors collectively underpin around 68% of jobs. This composition is typical of remote service-hub towns where essential services drive the employment base. The unemployment rate is 10%, above the national average, and the labour force participation rate is 54.2%, reflecting the young median age, limited private sector activity and a large not-in-labour-force cohort of 226. Professionals are the top occupation group at 107 workers, followed by community and personal service workers at 77.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
73.5%
Part-time
16.5%
Participation
54.2%
Employed
388
Occupations
Top Industries
University
15.0%
Postgraduate
2.4%
Born Overseas
3.6%
Dwellings
269
Transport to Work
Bamaga's livability reflects remote Cape York geography more than urban amenity metrics. Walking and cycling account for 25.1% of travel, unusually high nationally but expected given the compact road network and limited traffic. Car use at 59.7% is lower than most regional Queensland suburbs, and public transport at 0.8% is negligible. No schools appear in the dataset for the suburb boundary, though Bamaga functions as the main service centre for the northern peninsula area. Crime statistics are not available in the dataset. The rent-to-income ratio is just 7.4%, far below the 30% stress threshold, meaning housing affordability is not a burden for residents despite the remote location. The community has 11.2% volunteering participation and 2.3% needing daily assistance.
Drive
59.7%
Public Transport
0.8%
Walk / Cycle
25.1%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Bamaga compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bamaga a good suburb to live in?
Bamaga is the main service hub at the tip of Cape York Peninsula, with a population of 1,186 and strong community ties. The rent-to-income ratio is just 7.4%, meaning housing costs are not a financial burden. Trade-offs include a 10% unemployment rate, no listed schools within the suburb boundary, and geographic remoteness from major Queensland cities.
What is the median house price in Bamaga?
The estimated median house price is $149,000 based on 2025 rental data, well below state and national medians. Weekly rent averages $120. With 98.9% of residents renting and virtually no recorded mortgage holders, the conventional property sales market is extremely limited.
What schools are in Bamaga?
No schools are recorded within the Bamaga suburb boundary in this dataset. As the largest service centre on the northern peninsula, Bamaga residents typically access education facilities serving the broader Cape York region. University qualifications in the suburb sit at 15%, which is 15.1 percentage points below the national figure.
Is Bamaga safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Bamaga in this dataset. Community indicators show 82.3% of residents remained at the same address in the prior year, suggesting stable residency patterns. Only 2.3% of the 1,186 residents require daily assistance, and volunteering participation is 11.2%, reflecting community engagement.
Is Bamaga good for property investment?
Bamaga has a 98.9% renter rate and an estimated gross yield around 4.2% at $120 weekly rent against a $149,000 median. However, the 15.5% vacancy rate is high and zero development applications were recorded in the past 12 months. The remote location and near-absent buyer market make it a specialist proposition compared to mainstream Queensland investment markets.
How is Bamaga's population changing?
Bamaga has a population of 1,186 with a median age of 25, which is 15 years below the national figure, indicating a young and family-oriented community. The annual turnover rate is 17.7%, consistent with government and contract worker rotations typical of remote Cape York service centres. No new development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, limiting organic growth.
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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