Bracken Ridge
Detached housing defines Bracken Ridge more than the coastal fringe nearby: 88.3% of dwellings are separate houses and only 3.5% are apartments. With 17,488 residents on 8.11 sq km, it reads as a north Brisbane family suburb rather than a unit market like busier nodes closer to Sandgate or Carseldine. Household income sits at the 74.1 percentile, above the national middle, while 45.5% of homes carry a mortgage. The outlook is steady, not speculative, because growth is forecast at 0.7% a year and the area is classed as not gentrifying.
Population
17,488
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,972/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
61
Median House
$510K
Estimated from rent (2025)
Homebuyers should treat Bracken Ridge as a space-led market because a current median house price is not available, but the dwelling mix is clear. Separate houses make up 88.3% of homes, apartments only 3.5%, and bedrooms cluster around family needs, with 48.8% being 3-bedroom and 48.0% having 4 or more. Monthly mortgage costs average $1,800, equal to 21.1% of income, which is below the local rent-to-income pressure point of 20.8% only by a narrow margin. The 74.1 household income percentile supports borrowing depth, but buyers still need sale-level comparisons.
For Buyers
Homebuyers should treat Bracken Ridge as a space-led market because a current median house price is not available, but the dwelling mix is clear. Separate houses make up 88.3% of homes, apartments only 3.5%, and bedrooms cluster around family needs, with 48.8% being 3-bedroom and 48.0% having 4 or more. Monthly mortgage costs average $1,800, equal to 21.1% of income, which is below the local rent-to-income pressure point of 20.8% only by a narrow margin. The 74.1 household income percentile supports borrowing depth, but buyers still need sale-level comparisons.
For Investors
Bracken Ridge is not a high-renter suburb: renting at 24.5% is below the 45.5% mortgaged share, so demand is more family and long-stay than transient. Weekly rent is $410 and rent-to-income is 20.8%, suggesting tenants have some capacity, while the 4.1% vacancy rate means investors should allow for downtime rather than assume instant leasing. Development activity is notable, with 41 applications in 12 months, and migration is supportive because overseas inflow averages +218 people a year vs internal movement of -94. The better fit is low-turnover housing, not rapid unit churn.
Development Activity
Total DAs
160
Last 12 Months
61
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+110.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Bracken Ridge iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School
Prep-6 · 707 students
St John Fisher College
7-12 · 714 students
Norris Road State School
Prep-6 · 588 students
Bracken Ridge State High School
7-12 · 626 students
Bracken Ridge State School
Prep-6 · 304 students
Demographics
Bracken Ridge has a younger-than-national profile, with a median age of 37, 3.0 years below the national benchmark. Education is slightly above average: 31.4% hold a university qualification, 1.3 percentage points higher than nationally. Overseas-born residents account for 25.9%, 4.3 points above the national figure, but ancestry still leans strongly Anglo-Celtic, led by English 6,528, Irish 2,137 and Scottish 1,771. Household size of 2.8 is 0.3 above national, which fits the 6,588 couples with children and the detached housing base.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
88.3%
Houses
8.2%
Townhouse
3.5%
Apartment
Tenure
The housing structure is ownership-heavy compared with the rental base. Mortgaged homes account for 45.5%, owned-outright homes 29.9% and rentals 24.5%, so price changes are likely to affect resident households more than investor portfolios. A current median house price is not available, but affordability pressure appears contained because mortgage payments average $1,800 a month and mortgage-to-income sits at 21.1%. The stock is overwhelmingly detached, with 88.3% separate houses and 96.8% having 3 or more bedrooms, which keeps the suburb aligned to families rather than apartment-led downsizers.
Mortgage / mo
$1,800
Rent / wk
$410
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$834
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.1%
Unoccupied
257
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
23.2%
Couples, no children
15,105
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local economy sits around the middle to upper-middle compared with national advantage measures. SEIFA is mixed: IEO decile 5, IER decile 7, IRSD decile 6 and IRSAD decile 6. The anomaly is that resources are stronger than education and occupation, because household income reaches the 74.1 percentile while the education and occupation score is closer to median. Healthcare is the largest industry at 21.6% and 1,272 workers, followed by education at 11.0% and construction at 9.4%. Professionals number 1,792, with clerical and admin roles at 1,309, supporting steady service-sector incomes.
Unemployment
4.8%
Labour Force
11,430
Unemployed
549
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.6%
Part-time
28.9%
Participation
60.4%
Employed
7,942
Occupations
Top Industries
University
31.4%
Postgraduate
6.3%
Born Overseas
25.9%
Dwellings
6,063
Transport to Work
Livability is car-oriented compared with inner Brisbane patterns: 86.3% drive to work, 6.4% use public transport and 1.4% walk or cycle. That suits households wanting space, but commute planning matters because the suburb is not a public-transport-dominant node. Education access is a strength, with 5 local schools across Catholic and Government sectors and an ICSEA range from 968 to 1074. St Joseph's Catholic Primary leads at 1074 with 707 enrolments, followed by St John Fisher College at 1063 with 714; Norris Road State School adds a Government primary option at 1012.
Drive
86.3%
Public Transport
6.4%
Walk / Cycle
1.4%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.7%/yr
(+131 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is measured rather than transformational. The forecast trend is 0.7% a year, equal to about 131 people annually, compared with the previous 10-year population change of 4.1%. Medium-scenario population rises from 18,796 in 2026 to 19,453 in 2031. Migration is the main engine: overseas migration averages +218 people a year, while internal migration is -94, so new arrivals offset local outflow. The suburb is on an aging trajectory, with senior share up 4.5 and working share down 1.4, and gentrification is scored 10 with a stage of Not gentrifying.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+218
Net Internal / yr
-94
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Strong overseas inflow +218/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Bracken Ridge compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bracken Ridge a good suburb to live in?
Bracken Ridge suits households wanting space and schools, with 88.3% separate houses, 5 local schools and an average household size of 2.8. It is more car-dependent than inner suburbs, with 86.3% of workers driving.
What is the median house price in Bracken Ridge?
A current median house price is not available for Bracken Ridge. The suburb is still strongly detached, with 88.3% separate houses and 48.0% of dwellings having 4 or more bedrooms, so recent comparable house sales are especially important.
What schools are in Bracken Ridge?
Bracken Ridge has 5 local schools: St Joseph's Catholic Primary, St John Fisher College, Norris Road State School, Bracken Ridge State High School and Bracken Ridge State School. ICSEA scores range from 968 to 1074.
Is Bracken Ridge safe?
A suburb-level crime rate is not available for Bracken Ridge, so buyers should check current Queensland Police maps for the latest street-level picture. Broader local indicators include IRSAD decile 6 and 5 schools, which point to a middle-advantage residential area.
Is Bracken Ridge good for property investment?
Bracken Ridge can suit investors seeking family rental demand rather than high churn. Renters make up 24.5% of households, weekly rent is $410, vacancy is 4.1%, and overseas migration averages +218 people a year.
How is Bracken Ridge's population changing?
Bracken Ridge is forecast to grow slowly, at 0.7% or about 131 people a year. The medium scenario lifts population from 18,796 in 2026 to 19,453 in 2031, with overseas migration the main driver.
What development activity is happening in Bracken Ridge?
There were 41 development applications recorded over 12 months, including design and siting referrals plus operational works for road or stormwater drainage. That points to steady infill and property maintenance rather than a major apartment rebuild.
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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