Bentley Park
Family housing and a relatively young population shape Bentley Park's profile: 8,360 residents, a median age of 32, and 97.1% of homes are separate houses. The suburb's 55.6% share of four-bedroom-plus dwellings points to larger households, while household income sits at the 66.1st percentile nationally. Compared with nearby Edmonton and Mount Sheridan, Bentley Park reads as a more detached, mortgage-oriented part of the southern Cairns corridor. Its 34.4% rental share and 46.9% mortgage tenure support that reading, although a 12.7% ten-year population change and an aging trajectory suggest the household mix will gradually mature.
Population
8,360
Median Age
32.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,831/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
10
Homebuyers are choosing highly detached, family-sized housing rather than compact stock. Separate houses account for 97.1% of dwellings, while 55.6% have four or more bedrooms and 39.7% have three bedrooms. The typical mortgage payment is $1,517 a month, and mortgage costs equal 19.1% of household income. Rent is $385 a week, or 21.0% of income, so renting is less common than mortgage tenure at 34.4% versus 46.9%. Household income at the 66.1st percentile supports borrowing capacity above the national midpoint, but buyers should still test rates, insurance and maintenance costs for larger homes.
For Buyers
Homebuyers are choosing highly detached, family-sized housing rather than compact stock. Separate houses account for 97.1% of dwellings, while 55.6% have four or more bedrooms and 39.7% have three bedrooms. The typical mortgage payment is $1,517 a month, and mortgage costs equal 19.1% of household income. Rent is $385 a week, or 21.0% of income, so renting is less common than mortgage tenure at 34.4% versus 46.9%. Household income at the 66.1st percentile supports borrowing capacity above the national midpoint, but buyers should still test rates, insurance and maintenance costs for larger homes.
For Investors
Investors get a mostly detached tenant market, with 34.4% of households renting and 97.1% of dwellings configured as separate houses. Weekly rent is $385, while the 5.8% vacancy rate is a less competitive leasing signal than a tightly supplied market. That vacancy level may lengthen letting times, so gross yield should be assessed only after a purchase price, insurance and management costs are known. Ten development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, a smaller pipeline than a high-volume expansion zone, and the Balanced migration driver limits a simple population-led rental thesis. Demand is more likely to rely on family-sized housing and local employment than apartments.
Development Activity
Total DAs
36
Last 12 Months
10
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+400.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Bentley Park
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
St Therese's School (Bentley Park)
Bentley Park College
Demographics
Bentley Park is younger than the national profile but not uniformly youthful. Median age is 32, eight years below the national comparison, while average household size is 3.0 people, 0.5 above the national figure. University attainment is 18.7%, 11.4 percentage points below national, and overseas-born residents make up 17.9%, 3.7 points below national. English ancestry is the largest recorded group at 2,617 people, followed by Other at 1,803, Irish at 726 and Scottish at 685. Couples with children represent 44.2% of couples, compared with 32.2% without children, helping explain demand for practical, larger homes.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
97.1%
Houses
0.9%
Townhouse
2.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Detached housing dominates Bentley Park more strongly than apartment living: 97.1% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with 2.0% apartments and 0.9% semi-detached homes. The stock is also weighted to larger formats, with 55.6% at four bedrooms or more and 39.7% at three bedrooms. Tenure is split between 46.9% with a mortgage, 18.0% owned outright and 34.4% rented, making the suburb mortgage-belt oriented rather than investor-dominated. Mortgage costs absorb 19.1% of household income and rent 21.0%, with both below the relevant stress flags. Compared with compact inner-city housing, Bentley Park provides more large-home stock but usually requires more upkeep and car use.
Mortgage / mo
$1,517
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $385.
$630
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $630
HH Size
3.0
Personal Income / wk
$821
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.8%
Unoccupied
162
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
44.2%
Couples with children
32.2%
Couples, no children
22.3%
Single parent
2,210
Total families
Economy & Employment
Employment centres on healthcare at 20.7% and 507 people, education at 12.1% and 297, construction at 10.6% and 260, public administration at 10.0% and 246, and retail at 8.2% and 200. Trades lead occupations at 676, followed by community and personal services at 590 and professionals at 576, so the labour base spans hands-on and service work. Participation is 67.9%, full-time employment 61.6% and unemployment 6.4%. Household income is $1,831 a week, at the 66.1st percentile and above the midpoint, while SEIFA sits at decile 3 for IEO, 5 for IER, 4 for IRSD and 3 for IRSAD. That gap suggests earnings do not translate evenly into area-wide advantage.
Unemployment
6.4%
Labour Force
4,210
Unemployed
269
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.6%
Part-time
31.2%
Participation
67.9%
Employed
3,941
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
18.7%
Postgraduate
2.6%
Born Overseas
17.9%
Dwellings
2,613
Transport to Work
Daily life is strongly car-oriented. About 78.5% drive to work, compared with 1.1% using public transport and 1.5% walking or cycling, so a car matters more here than in transit-led suburbs. Work from home is 11.9%, adding flexibility without changing the overall travel pattern. Bentley Park has 2 schools spanning Government and Catholic sectors, including a state school and a non-state Catholic school; check the exact catchment and enrolment rules because boundaries can cut across streets. Density is 1,218.7 people per square kilometre, while IRSAD is decile 3, below the national midpoint. Check current police and council information for the exact address, since safety can vary by street.
Drive
78.5%
Public Transport
1.1%
Walk / Cycle
1.5%
Work from Home
11.9%
Population Forecast
+1.56%/yr
(+144 people/yr)
EstablishedBentley Park's established-suburb outlook points to steady expansion rather than a sharp reinvention. The annual trend is 1.56%, higher than a flat growth profile, and population change across the wider area is 12.7% over 10 years. Migration is labelled Balanced, so momentum is not tied to a single inflow source. The shift trajectory is Aging: the young share has fallen 5.1 percentage points while the senior share has risen 3.9 points, and affordability has remained Stable, moving from 47.6 in 2011 to 46.9 in 2021. Gentrification is rated Not gentrifying with a score of 7, while the shift score is 22 and classified Early signs. Compared with a fast-redeveloping precinct, this suggests gradual ageing and modest growth.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+40
Net Internal / yr
+42
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +20% since 2011
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Bentley Park compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bentley Park a good suburb to live in?
Bentley Park suits households wanting larger detached homes, with 97.1% separate houses and 55.6% four-bedroom-plus dwellings. Car use is high at 78.5%, so it is a stronger fit for drivers than for households seeking frequent public transport.
What is the median house price in Bentley Park?
Use recent comparable sales and active listings to establish Bentley Park's current median house price rather than assuming a figure. A $1,517 monthly mortgage benchmark can help test repayments, but deposit size, rates, insurance and maintenance will change the result.
What schools are in Bentley Park?
Bentley Park has 2 schools: one Government state school and one Catholic non-state school. Check catchment boundaries and enrolment availability for the exact address, because access can differ by year level and street.
Is Bentley Park safe?
Check the latest Queensland Police and council information for the exact street, and inspect lighting, traffic and evening activity before deciding. Conditions can differ across Bentley Park's 6.86 square kilometres, so an address-level check is more useful than relying on a general suburb impression.
Is Bentley Park good for property investment?
It may suit investors seeking detached family rentals, with 34.4% renting, $385 weekly rent and a 5.8% vacancy rate. The 10 applications in 12 months suggest some development activity, but the vacancy figure is less supportive than a tight rental market, so yield and tenant demand need careful checking.
How is Bentley Park's population changing?
Bentley Park has 8,360 residents today. The wider area's population change is 12.7% over 10 years, with an annual trend of 1.56% and a Balanced migration driver. The trajectory is Aging: the young share is down 5.1 points and the senior share is up 3.9, so growth may come with a gradually older household mix.
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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