Bayview Heights
At 4,175 residents, Bayview Heights combines a 99.3% separate-house profile with a median age of 43, which is 3 years above the national figure. The suburb sits in a mortgage-led part of Cairns: 41.8% of homes are mortgaged, household income is at the 71.1st percentile, and only 16.3% are rented. Growth is slow at 0.3% annually, while the wider area records 4.8% population change over 10 years. Compared with nearby Mount Sheridan and Edmonton, its established detached form and aging trajectory point to owner-occupier stability rather than rapid redevelopment. Healthcare accounts for 20.5% of local industry employment, reinforcing a practical, service-linked economy.
Population
4,175
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,906/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
4
Buyers are looking at a strongly detached market: 99.3% of dwellings are separate houses, with 49.4% having 3 bedrooms and 47.0% having 4 or more. Buyers should rely on recent comparable sales because a current median house price is unavailable. The typical mortgage payment is $1,625 a month, while mortgage costs equal 19.7% of household income, below the 20.5% rent-to-income share. That relatively contained burden helps explain why 41.8% of households carry a mortgage and 40.7% own outright. Compared with apartment-oriented markets, Bayview Heights suits buyers seeking space, but car dependence and an aging population should shape location and resale decisions.
For Buyers
Buyers are looking at a strongly detached market: 99.3% of dwellings are separate houses, with 49.4% having 3 bedrooms and 47.0% having 4 or more. Buyers should rely on recent comparable sales because a current median house price is unavailable. The typical mortgage payment is $1,625 a month, while mortgage costs equal 19.7% of household income, below the 20.5% rent-to-income share. That relatively contained burden helps explain why 41.8% of households carry a mortgage and 40.7% own outright. Compared with apartment-oriented markets, Bayview Heights suits buyers seeking space, but car dependence and an aging population should shape location and resale decisions.
For Investors
Bayview Heights presents a steadier, lower-turnover rental proposition than a high-growth development precinct. Only 16.3% of households rent, vacancy is 4.9%, and weekly rent is $390, so the tenant pool is smaller than in more rental-heavy suburbs. The 77.3% stay rate points to established households, while 5 development applications in 12 months indicate limited near-term project volume. Growth is forecast at 0.3% annually and is driven by overseas migration, which supports demand but not a rapid price re-rating. Rent growth is 30.8%, while rent-to-income is 20.5% and rent is not classified as a stress burden. The suburb is not gentrifying, with a score of 0. Investors should prioritise condition, car access and long-term holding capacity because detached homes dominate at 99.3%.
Development Activity
Total DAs
13
Last 12 Months
4
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-20.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Bayview Heights has an older, settled demographic profile. Median age is 43, 3 years above the national level, while average household size is 2.6, only 0.1 higher than the national figure. University attainment is 27.7%, 2.4 percentage points below national, and 17.2% of residents were born overseas, 4.4 points below national. English ancestry leads with 1,589 people, followed by Irish at 577, Scottish at 487 and Italian at 314; Christianity counts 2,308 compared with 1,532 reporting no religion. The 77.3% stay rate helps explain the stable feel, while the 6.5-point rise in the senior share and 2.0-point fall in the young share signal aging. Compared with nearby Mount Sheridan and Edmonton, the suburb reads as more established and owner-oriented than a high-turnover fringe.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
99.3%
Houses
0.7%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Detached housing defines Bayview Heights more strongly than compact urban markets: 99.3% of dwellings are separate houses and only 0.7% are semi-detached. The largest bedroom groups are 3 bedrooms at 49.4% and 4 or more at 47.0%, so the stock is weighted toward family-sized homes rather than small units. Tenure is split between 40.7% owned outright and 41.8% with a mortgage, while renting is lower at 16.3%. Vacancy is 4.9%, and the typical mortgage payment is $1,625 monthly. Compared with nearby Mount Sheridan, Bayview Heights is better read as a conventional established-house market, with affordability stable at 43.1% in 2021 versus 41.9% in 2011. That stability supports longer holding periods, but buyers still need to test each home's maintenance and access costs.
Mortgage / mo
$1,625
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $390.
$650
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $650 · units $450
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$895
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.9%
Unoccupied
79
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
39.2%
Couples with children
42.9%
Couples, no children
16.3%
Single parent
1,224
Total families
Economy & Employment
Household income is relatively solid, sitting at the 71.1st percentile, but the employment base is still service-led. Healthcare is the largest industry at 20.5% and 309 workers, followed by Education at 12.4% and 187, Construction at 9.2% and 139, Public Administration at 8.3% and 125, and Professional or Technical work at 7.7% and 116. Professionals number 463, Trades 353, Clerical or Admin 305 and Managers 277, giving the suburb a broader occupational base than a single-industry area. Participation is 66.5%, full-time employment is 60.4% and unemployment is 4.5%. SEIFA places education and occupation at decile 5, economic resources at decile 4, relative disadvantage at decile 5 and relative advantage and disadvantage at decile 5, so conditions are around the middle rather than top-decile. Healthcare and education provide resilience because they anchor recurring local and regional demand.
Unemployment
4.5%
Labour Force
2,255
Unemployed
101
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.4%
Part-time
33.7%
Participation
66.5%
Employed
2,154
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
27.7%
Postgraduate
4.6%
Born Overseas
17.2%
Dwellings
1,538
Transport to Work
Daily life is practical and strongly car-oriented. About 75.6% of commuters drive, compared with 1.1% using public transport and 0.9% walking or cycling; 17.2% work from home, which can reduce some commuting demand. The suburb covers 4.32 square kilometres and has 966.4 residents per square kilometre, giving it an established suburban scale rather than a dense apartment setting. Families should check nearby primary and secondary options and enrolment zones against the exact address, because school boundaries can cut across suburb boundaries. Social conditions sit around the middle: IRSAD is 974 at decile 5, while volunteering is 18.7% and 5.5% need assistance. Compared with a more transit-oriented location, access here depends more on a private vehicle, so proximity to services and regional routes matters.
Drive
75.6%
Public Transport
1.1%
Walk / Cycle
0.9%
Work from Home
17.2%
Population Forecast
+0.3%/yr
(+26 people/yr)
EstablishedBayview Heights is an established, slow-growth suburb rather than a rapid expansion market. The forecast trend is 0.3% annual growth, with overseas migration named as the primary driver. Across the wider area, population change is 4.8% over 10 years, while the shift trajectory is Aging: the senior share is up 6.5 points, the young share is down 2.0 points and the working share is down 3.3 points. Rent growth is 30.8%, while affordability is Stable at 43.1% in 2021 compared with 41.9% in 2011. Gentrification is not occurring, with a score of 0, so growth is more likely to come from gradual household change and overseas migration than wholesale redevelopment. Compared with higher-growth corridors, the 5 recent development applications suggest modest construction intensity.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+50
Net Internal / yr
-8
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Bayview Heights compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bayview Heights a good suburb to live in?
Bayview Heights suits households seeking detached space and a settled setting: 99.3% of dwellings are separate houses, median age is 43 and 75.6% drive to work. Compared with transit-oriented areas, its main trade-offs are car dependence and slow 0.3% annual growth, so lifestyle fit depends on access to services and daily travel needs.
What is the median house price in Bayview Heights?
No current median house price is available for Bayview Heights. Compared with relying on a single headline figure, buyers should compare recent sales by land size, condition and bedroom count, especially because 49.4% of homes have 3 bedrooms and 47.0% have 4 or more. Mortgage costs average $1,625 monthly.
What schools are in Bayview Heights?
School choice should be checked by exact address, including nearby primary and secondary options and their enrolment zones. Compared with a transit-oriented suburb, daily access may require more driving because 75.6% drive to work and only 1.1% use public transport. Confirm current catchments, transport and out-of-school care before committing.
Is Bayview Heights safe?
No suburb-level crime rate is available, so buyers should inspect the exact street at different times and ask local authorities or neighbours about recent incidents. Bayview Heights has a 4.9% vacancy rate and 77.3% stayed, indicators of an established market but not substitutes for a safety check. Compare several streets before deciding.
Is Bayview Heights good for property investment?
Investment appeal is stronger for patient owners than short-term speculators. Weekly rent is $390, vacancy is 4.9% and only 16.3% of households rent, so the market is smaller than a rental-heavy suburb. Growth is forecast at 0.3% annually, while 5 development applications point to limited new supply. Compare net yield, insurance and maintenance costs before buying.
How is Bayview Heights's population changing?
Bayview Heights is changing slowly and aging rather than expanding rapidly. Compared with rapid-growth areas, the forecast trend is only 0.3% a year, with overseas migration the primary driver, while population change across the wider area is 4.8% over 10 years. The senior share rose 6.5 points and the young share fell 2.0 points.
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 education open registers (school locations), 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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