Bellbowrie
At a $550,000 median house price with household income in the 89.5th percentile nationally, Bellbowrie pairs affordability with prosperity in a way few suburbs manage. The stock is almost entirely detached: 97.2% are separate houses and 75.4% have four or more bedrooms, the largest-footprint profile you will find in greater Brisbane. SEIFA reinforces the picture, with decile 10 on both IER and IRSD and decile 9 on IRSAD and IEO, near the top advantage tier. University qualifications reach 47.8%, which is 17.7 points above the national figure, and the median age of 42 runs 2.0 years above national, signalling an established family suburb rather than a high-churn market.
Population
5,495
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,358/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
15
Median House
$550K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The $550,000 median is modest for a suburb whose households sit in the 89.5th income percentile, and that gap is what makes Bellbowrie attractive to buyers. The mortgage-to-income ratio is just 19.1%, well below the 30% stress threshold, so average monthly repayments near $1,950 leave room in the budget. The trade-off is product type: 97.2% of dwellings are separate houses and 75.4% carry four or more bedrooms, with three-bedroom homes at 23.4% and almost no apartments at 0.4%, so buyers seeking compact or low-maintenance dwellings have few options. Ownership runs deep, with 52.6% holding a mortgage and 34.0% owning outright, meaning 86.6% of homes are owner-occupied, far above the renter share. That stability keeps turnover low at 14.9% and supports steady, family-driven demand.
For Buyers
The $550,000 median is modest for a suburb whose households sit in the 89.5th income percentile, and that gap is what makes Bellbowrie attractive to buyers. The mortgage-to-income ratio is just 19.1%, well below the 30% stress threshold, so average monthly repayments near $1,950 leave room in the budget. The trade-off is product type: 97.2% of dwellings are separate houses and 75.4% carry four or more bedrooms, with three-bedroom homes at 23.4% and almost no apartments at 0.4%, so buyers seeking compact or low-maintenance dwellings have few options. Ownership runs deep, with 52.6% holding a mortgage and 34.0% owning outright, meaning 86.6% of homes are owner-occupied, far above the renter share. That stability keeps turnover low at 14.9% and supports steady, family-driven demand.
For Investors
Only 13.5% of Bellbowrie homes are rented, one of the lowest renter shares in Brisbane, so the tenant pool is thin and the suburb suits owner-occupiers more than landlords. Weekly rent of $440 against the $550,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.2%, healthier than inner-city markets, and the 2.9% vacancy rate is tight, pointing to steady tenant demand where rentals do exist. Rent grew 18.4% over the decade, and rent-to-income sits at a comfortable 18.7%, below the stress line. Demand support comes mainly from overseas migration, which adds about 92 residents a year, while net internal migration runs slightly negative at minus 14. Development is light at 14 applications over 12 months, mostly plan sealing and siting referrals rather than new dwelling supply, so investors should expect capital growth from scarcity rather than yield from volume.
Development Activity
Total DAs
49
Last 12 Months
15
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+36.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 42 is 2.0 years above the national figure, and the trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 4.9 points while the young-resident share fell 2.4 points over the decade. Overseas-born residents reach 34.4%, which is 12.8 points above national, yet the cultural base remains strongly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (2,458), Scottish (737) and Irish (709) ancestries. The top non-English languages are spoken by very small groups, with Afrikaans (28), Mandarin (27) and Sinhalese (20) the most common. University qualifications at 47.8% run 17.7 points above national, and average household size is 2.9, which is 0.4 above national, consistent with the family profile where couples with children (2,151) outnumber couples without (1,164).
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
97.2%
Houses
2.4%
Townhouse
0.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure leans heavily toward owners: 52.6% carry a mortgage, 34.0% own outright and only 13.5% rent, so 86.6% of homes are owner-occupied, well above the renter base. The stock is the defining feature, with 97.2% separate houses, just 0.4% apartments and 2.4% semi-detached, and 75.4% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms against 23.4% with three. That large-home, low-density profile (951 residents per square kilometre across 5.78 square kilometres) sits behind the $550,000 median. Affordability is genuine here: mortgage-to-income is 19.1% and rent-to-income 18.7%, both well below the 30% stress threshold, a divergence from premium suburbs explained by the 89.5th-percentile incomes meeting a comparatively modest median price.
Mortgage / mo
$1,950
Rent / wk
$440
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$883
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
2.9%
Unoccupied
56
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
23.4%
Couples, no children
4,967
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce is concentrated in stable public-facing sectors: Healthcare leads at 19.1% (405 workers), Education follows at 17.7% (375) and Professional/Tech at 12.7% (268), with Public Admin at 8.0% and Construction at 7.4%. By occupation, Professionals (913) and Managers (398) dominate, which aligns with the decile 9 IEO score for education and occupation and the 47.8% university rate. Unemployment is moderate at 5.1% and the full-time employment rate is 65.9%, while participation reads 60.0%, held down by 1,359 residents not in the labour force, consistent with the older, family-oriented profile. The IER score for economic resources reaches decile 10, the top tier, reflecting the high owner-occupier base and household incomes in the 89.5th percentile.
Unemployment
3.3%
Labour Force
6,014
Unemployed
200
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.9%
Part-time
29.0%
Participation
60.0%
Employed
2,509
Occupations
Top Industries
University
47.8%
Postgraduate
15.0%
Born Overseas
34.4%
Dwellings
1,853
Transport to Work
Bellbowrie is car-dependent, with 86.1% of residents driving to work against just 7.8% on public transport and 1.8% walking or cycling, a reliance well above the national norm and a consequence of the low-density, 951-per-square-kilometre layout. The suburb scores decile 10 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, the highest tier, and decile 9 on IRSAD, meaning very few residents face deprivation. Only 4.0% (218 people) need daily assistance despite the median age of 42, and volunteering runs at 18.4%, above many urban suburbs. No schools are recorded inside the 5.78 square kilometre boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, a practical trade-off for the quiet, large-block setting that defines the area.
Drive
86.1%
Public Transport
7.8%
Walk / Cycle
1.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.46%/yr
(+164 people/yr)
EstablishedBellbowrie is an established suburb on a steady upward path: annual population growth runs 1.46% (about 164 persons a year) and the 10-year change is 16.7%, a faster expansion than its aging age profile would suggest. The primary driver is overseas migration at about 92 residents a year, while net internal migration is slightly negative at minus 14, so growth depends on new arrivals rather than intrastate movers. The gentrification stage reads not gentrifying, with a score of 17, fitting a suburb already at decile 9 to 10 advantage with limited room to climb. Affordability improved from 51.0% in 2011 to 48.1% in 2021, and real incomes grew 2.0% over the decade, modest gains that keep the suburb accessible to families.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+92
Net Internal / yr
-14
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +20% since 2011
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Bellbowrie compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bellbowrie a good suburb to live in?
Bellbowrie scores decile 10 on IER and IRSD and decile 9 on IRSAD and IEO, near the top advantage tier, with household income in the 89.5th percentile nationally. It pairs that prosperity with an affordable $550,000 median house price and a low 19.1% mortgage-to-income ratio, suiting families well.
What is the median house price in Bellbowrie?
The median house price is $550,000, modest for a suburb with incomes in the 89.5th percentile. Weekly rent averages $440 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,950, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of just 19.1%, well below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Bellbowrie?
No schools are recorded inside the 5.78 square kilometre Bellbowrie boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is well educated, with university qualifications at 47.8%, which is 17.7 points above the national figure.
Is Bellbowrie safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Bellbowrie in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 10 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, the highest tier, and only 4.0% of its 5,495 residents need daily assistance, both consistent with a low-disadvantage area.
Is Bellbowrie good for property investment?
Rent of $440 a week against a $550,000 median gives a gross yield near 4.2%, healthier than inner Brisbane, and the 2.9% vacancy rate is tight. But only 13.5% of homes are rented, so the tenant pool is thin, and returns lean on capital growth more than rental volume.
How is Bellbowrie's population changing?
Population is growing at 1.46% a year, about 164 residents, with a 16.7% rise over 10 years. Overseas migration adds roughly 92 people annually while net internal migration is minus 14. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 4.9 points and the young share down 2.4 points over the decade.
What languages are spoken in Bellbowrie?
About 34.4% of residents were born overseas, 12.8 points above the national figure, but English dominates daily life. The most common non-English languages are spoken by small groups, with Afrikaans (28 speakers), Mandarin (27) and Sinhalese (20) the leading examples.
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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