Bellmere
A median house price of $446,000 sits well below most metropolitan markets, and that affordability shapes nearly everything about Bellmere. The median age of 34 runs 6.0 years below the national figure, a young profile that pairs with an average household size of 2.9, which is 0.4 above national and points to families with children rather than singles or downsizers. Separate houses make up 88.4% of dwellings against just 0.5% apartments, so this is a detached-house market almost entirely. University qualifications reach only 14.2%, which is 15.9 points below the national rate, and household income sits in the 43.9th percentile, both consistent with a working-family suburb on the outer Moreton Bay fringe at 278.3 residents per square kilometre.
Population
6,588
Median Age
34.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,448/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
36
Median House
$446K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At a $446,000 median house price, Bellmere is one of the more accessible markets within commuting range of Brisbane, and the stock matches what value-seeking families want. Separate houses account for 88.4% of dwellings while apartments are just 0.5%, and a remarkable 63.4% of homes carry four or more bedrooms, with another 31.9% at three bedrooms. That skew toward large detached homes is why the suburb draws couples with children, who make up the largest family group here. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,560, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.9%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold despite household incomes sitting in the 43.9th percentile nationally. Mortgage holders (35.1%) outnumber outright owners (25.4%), a sign of a buyer base that is still paying down recent purchases rather than long-settled wealth.
For Buyers
At a $446,000 median house price, Bellmere is one of the more accessible markets within commuting range of Brisbane, and the stock matches what value-seeking families want. Separate houses account for 88.4% of dwellings while apartments are just 0.5%, and a remarkable 63.4% of homes carry four or more bedrooms, with another 31.9% at three bedrooms. That skew toward large detached homes is why the suburb draws couples with children, who make up the largest family group here. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,560, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.9%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold despite household incomes sitting in the 43.9th percentile nationally. Mortgage holders (35.1%) outnumber outright owners (25.4%), a sign of a buyer base that is still paying down recent purchases rather than long-settled wealth.
For Investors
Renters make up 39.6% of households and weekly rent averages $360, giving landlords a sizeable tenant pool in an affordable entry market. Against the $446,000 median, that rent implies a gross yield near 4.2%, far stronger than premium inner-city suburbs where yields fall below 2%. The vacancy rate of 5.6% is higher than tight metropolitan markets, which tempers the picture and suggests tenants have choice. Development activity is modest at 35 applications over 12 months, weighted toward subdivision and operational works such as one lot into five, so new detached supply is being created rather than apartments. With rent-to-income at 24.9%, tenants retain capacity to absorb increases, and the young median age of 34 supports steady rental demand from family households entering the market.
Development Activity
Total DAs
64
Last 12 Months
36
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+56.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Bellmere iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Bellmere State School
Prep-6 · 695 students
Demographics
The median age of 34 is 6.0 years below the national figure, marking Bellmere as a young, family-oriented suburb. Average household size is 2.9, which is 0.4 above national, and couples with children form the dominant family type ahead of the 1,189 couples without children. Only 18.4% of residents were born overseas, 3.2 points below national, and ancestry leans heavily Anglo: English (2,820), Irish (674) and Scottish (653) lead. The largest non-English languages are Samoan (32 speakers), Nepali (26) and Mandarin (11), a small migrant footprint. University qualifications reach just 14.2%, which is 15.9 points below national, the clearest marker of a suburb built around trades and service work rather than knowledge professions. Christianity dominates religious affiliation at 2,675 residents, with Buddhism a distant second at 68.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
88.4%
Houses
11.1%
Townhouse
0.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure splits across three groups: 35.1% carry a mortgage, 39.6% rent and 25.4% own outright. Mortgage holders outnumbering outright owners points to a younger buyer base still servicing recent loans rather than long-held, debt-free wealth. The stock is overwhelmingly detached, with separate houses at 88.4%, semi-detached at 11.1% and apartments at just 0.5%, so density is low at 278.3 residents per square kilometre across 23.67 square kilometres. Dwellings are large: 63.4% have four or more bedrooms and 31.9% have three, while two-bedroom homes are rare at 3.8%. The $446,000 median house price keeps both mortgage-to-income and rent-to-income at 24.9%, each below the 30% stress threshold, which is unusual and reflects how affordable the market remains relative to household incomes in the 43.9th percentile.
Mortgage / mo
$1,560
Rent / wk
$360
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$691
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.6%
Unoccupied
127
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
22.1%
Couples, no children
5,372
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads local employment at 21.5% (351 workers), followed by Construction at 11.5% (188), Education at 10.5% (171), Retail at 7.9% (128) and Public Administration at 7.2% (117). By occupation, Labourers (408), Community and Personal Service workers (385) and Clerical and Administrative staff (346) outnumber Professionals (305), which aligns with the low 14.2% university rate, 15.9 points below national. The full-time employment rate is 61.3% with 1,469 residents in full-time work and 928 part-time, but unemployment runs high at 8.7%, above typical metropolitan levels, and participation is only 52.6% because 1,862 residents sit outside the labour force. The blue-collar and care-sector concentration explains why household income holds in the 43.9th percentile despite the high share of working-age families.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.3%
Part-time
30.0%
Participation
52.6%
Employed
2,397
Occupations
Top Industries
University
14.2%
Postgraduate
1.9%
Born Overseas
18.4%
Dwellings
2,150
Transport to Work
Bellmere is car-dependent, with 88.2% of commuters driving and only 2.7% using public transport and 1.8% walking or cycling, well above the national reliance on cars and a reflection of its outer-fringe position at 278.3 residents per square kilometre. No schools are recorded inside the 23.67 square kilometre boundary in this dataset, so families rely on facilities in neighbouring suburbs, a practical trade-off for the low-density setting. Housing costs stay manageable, with rent-to-income at 24.9%, below the 30% stress threshold, leaving disposable capacity for households in the 43.9th income percentile. Volunteering runs at 10.6% and 10.5% of residents (655 people) report needing daily assistance, a figure shaped by the young median age of 34 that suggests support needs centre on young children rather than the elderly.
Drive
88.2%
Public Transport
2.7%
Walk / Cycle
1.8%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Bellmere compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bellmere a good suburb to live in?
Bellmere suits value-seeking families, with a median house price of $446,000 well below most metropolitan markets and 88.4% of homes detached. The median age of 34 is 6.0 years below national, and rent-to-income sits at 24.9%, below the 30% stress threshold. The main trade-offs are 88.2% car dependence and no schools recorded inside the boundary.
What is the median house price in Bellmere?
The median house price in Bellmere is $446,000, among the more affordable markets within reach of Brisbane. Weekly rent averages $360 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,560, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.9%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Bellmere?
No schools are recorded inside the 23.67 square kilometre Bellmere boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The resident profile is young, with a median age of 34, which is 6.0 years below the national figure, and an average household size of 2.9.
Is Bellmere safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Bellmere in this dataset. As context, 10.5% of residents (655 people) report needing daily assistance and 73.8% have stayed at the same address, with turnover at 26.2%, indicators consistent with a settled, family-oriented residential area.
Is Bellmere good for property investment?
Rent of $360 a week against a $446,000 median gives a gross yield near 4.2%, far stronger than inner-city suburbs below 2%. Renters make up 39.6% of households, supporting demand, but the 5.6% vacancy rate is higher than tight metropolitan markets, so tenant choice tempers returns.
How is Bellmere's population changing?
Bellmere has 6,588 residents at a low density of 278.3 per square kilometre, with a young median age of 34, which is 6.0 years below national. Growth is supported by 35 development applications over 12 months, including a subdivision of one lot into five, signalling new detached housing supply rather than apartments.
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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